I love Jason Aaron’s take on Thor. While I was late to the game, I discovered his stories through Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited, and I am in love with the stories that he cranks out on a monthly basis. He’s got a good mix of “Nordisk” and superhero storytelling going on. And like many of you, I was skeptical of this whole “Female Thor.” Not because I have a problem with female superhero’s, but Thor, you know, is Thor. He’s an immortal Asgardian God of Thunder, he’s a dude.
But this isn’t the myths of old, and Thor, well, he’s still Thor. Comics Thor was essentially transforming the god into a human who had to prove his worth to wield a hammer and get the powers of Thor. It’s simple in that regard, and as we’ve seen over the decades, there are a number of people that have worn the mantle of Thor. Comics Thor is about being worthy of bearing the hammer and becoming the superhero Thor, a mantle that could be worn by anyone. Yeah, so in the ’60s they put “he” on the hammer’s inscription, but I don’t think it was ever intended to be singular to “males.”
There’s been a lot of discussion about sexual equality and sexual objectification regarding comics of late. With all this talk, I’m kinda wondering where the the new Thor’s costume lands in all this.
Jason Aaron has been taking us through a journey of late, showing us past present and future Thors. We’ve met old all-father Thor (who is my favorite) and his granddaughters, and that’s it. There’s a whole lot of history to be filled in. And what fun history there must be! Aaron’s got this whole thing scripted out in his head, and I am certain has for some time, and I cannot wait to see where it takes us!
This issue, is, well, uninspiring. There was no “pow factor” in it for me. For all the hoopla, it was a setup for future events and quick, brisk walkthrough of events that lead up to the future, like how Thor lost his arm. I did not come out of the comic feeling, inspired, or pumped. Maybe the hoopla killed it for me, too much hype, or the fact that Aaron’s been building this whole arc for a while. As a single issue, I can’t go out and tell everyone to pick it up. But, as part of the overall arc that Aaron’s been spinning, hell yeah! This is still hands down some of the best comic writing I’ve enjoyed in many years.
We are already getting Lord Thor as a Build-A-Figure along with Odin Marvel Legends late this year, early next year. Please make us a Malekith and Female Thor ASAP!
