Thor #2

[goldenfist]

Thor #2 came out today.

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Cover A

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Cover B

These are the covers of Thor #2 feel free to post what you like
about the covers.

[uberwolf]

I guess death makes you put on wieght? Looks like Thor was partaking of some Twinkies in the great beyond.

[Doctor Doom]

Goldenfist, either you got so excited you got ahead of yourself or you have the mystical powers of Orikal, because as far as I'm aware Thor #2 isn't out until NEXT week.

[goldenfist]

My fault I guess I read the wrong date, It will come out on August
1st.

[Doctor Doom]

No problem. Preview up now with words.

On the downside, this series is maybe the most decompressed thing I have EVER read. On the brightside, it's kind of "One thing happens an issue, it's a very important thing". Sometimes you get "One thing happens per two issues, it's not that important". Even so...

On the upside, it does feel like it's taking it's time, doing things properly, and very importantly- it's establishing a strong, new supporting cast which is always nice. We need human interaction besides all the usual Asgardians. (Sif and the Warriors Three are a given, I take it, obviously there's Loki and almost certainly the Enchantress. I've always wanted to see someone make Heimdall and Tyr etc into more important characters but that's a pet peeve.)

www.popcultureshock.com/index.php?p=42323

[Shiryu]

I hope it won't take forever to make Thor involved in the rest of the MU once again. I want to see him fighting in WWH, or struggling with Cap's death, but before my great grandchildren are born

[balok]

As little has happened in #1, I'm surprised #2 wasn't out the following week! It can't take JMS very long to pen the scripts!

Still, the series is holding my attention for the moment.

[Doctor Doom]

As far as I can tell it'll be this:

1- Bring back Thor
2- Rebuild Asgard
3- Establish Registration situation/Fight Iron Man
4- Bring back Asgardians

5 and 6 will probably harbour the return of Loki and the villains, so the whole mythos won't be back and fully established until the end of #6. Which I'm fine with, as long as it's done well. All the while w'ere building up our background human supporting cast, and if the returns are all given the weight they deserve, we SHOULD have, by the end of #6, a crystal clear status quo, supporting cast, recurring villains and situation.

It seems like more because of the lack of action but if I recall correctly, Thor didn't have his supporting cast back and a status quo properly set up in Asgard in Thor v2 until issue 12 or thereabouts after the Dark Gods storyline.

[Doctor Doom]

*clears throat*

Doom's Deconstruction: Now Back By Popular Demand:

A small café in a minor Oklahoma town. Doctor Donald Blake is eating, as the townspeople talk to him and welcome him. After this, Blake drives into the local desert, looks around- clear plains on all sides- and drives his staff into the ground, causing him to turn with a bolt of lightning into The Mighty Thor.

Thor creates a giant storm, spinning his hammer and flying etc- literally, a COLOSSAL storm in the desert as the townspeople look on, stunned at the sheer magnitude of the storm. Then Thor stops spinning his hammer and descends- onto ASGARD, which now sits resplendant and massive in the middle of the plain.

He wanders through the deserted streets, remembering past days- he remembers himself and Sif strolling through the castle... then he is brought back to the present by police horns. He goes out to the front and meets the police, who recognize him at once as an Avenger, and tell him he can't build anything here; it's private property. Thor replies "Very well", and proceeds to lift Asgard into the air so that it's floating.

Later, Thor sits alone on his throne in the Asgardian throne room, reflecting on Donald Blake and what he said about the Asgardians back in issue one... and pondering...

The next day, a farmer comes calling at the gates of Asgard. He is the owner of the land and the presence of Asgard there makes itt difficult for him to ever sell it, so he suggests Thor buy it off him. Thor makes the man follow him (with a ladder to get into Asgard) and then takes him to the Asgardian Treasury, which is also restored. Thor shows him to a room absolutely FULL of Gold and valuables, and tells him to take it. The farmers eyes radically widen and he shouts for his friends to get the truck and they... well, you can imagine.

After Thor has paid off the land, the other townspeople get together and reflect on the new presence of Thor beside them. They decide he should be considered a neighbour like any other and they should treat him respectfully. One woman in particular observes that he must be very lonely.

At night, Thor is sitting, brooding, in Asgard again. Once more he reflects on what Donald Blake told him, and then he comes to a decision- he recalls the names of his Asgardian comrades of old and vows that he will find them. End issue.

The View of Doom:

The first thing that HAS to be said is that yes, this is definitely decompression at it's finest. Now maybe it's jsut my personal bias and my desire to see my third favourite hero's book be as awesome as the books of my first two favourite heroes, but I think it's really working. It's one thing to take an entire issue to have people fight ninjas or dither like idiots, but the slow pacing is working, because it's giving these events the sheer weight and momentum they deserve. We DESERVE an entire issue for Asgard's return, and it works.

I'm quite liking the townspeople. Most of them, it's true, are stereotypes but they still work well and provide amusing characters. It really differentiates Thor from every other New Yorks series, and there aren't many comics which have something of a supporting cast of ordinary humans who just happen to live nearby. It reminds me of the character building JMS did on his first days of Amazing Spider-Man with the staff of Peter's school and Detective Lamont. Here, just like then, it clicks, it works. And it's funny to see them talk about Thor as a neighbour.

It's nice to see the PRACTICAL aspects of Thor's return- the land being bought, for instance, and that provided a humorous aspect as well. There were a few humorous moments in fact, but none of them detracted much from the mood. I have a mental image of Thor making a miniature rainbow bridge down to Oklahoma so people can ascend, that would be funny and practical all at once.

There's definitely a Lord of the Rings theme present here, despite it being set in Oklahoma- it seemed clear in Thor's costume and now we have Minas Tirith as Asgard, but that's fine for me since LotR is a mythology as well, and it makes a LOT more sense for Asgard to look like Minas Tirith than the freaky gold sci-fi city we used to have.

Thor's decision to gather the Asgardians is not surprising but provides an interesting theme anyway. We've already seen that The Warriors Three are returning in issue 4- an d I'll be honest, I have quite a soft spot for Volstagg. I can only imagine the trade the small café we see here will soon be doing from just him given his penchant for Earthly good over Asgardian!

I do have one worry though- that issue 3 will derail the plot. I'm all for a Tony/Thor meeting and Tony getting the beatdown he deserves, but issue 3? So soon? It may throw off the arc's plot a bit, not to mention that JMS writes a HORRIBLE Tony. I can see Tony acting very OOC next issue and being beaten down too easily but other than that, the future is bright for the thunder God.

One other thing- it would be remiss of me not to praise the art. The art here on display is incredible stuff, and I'm not usually a Coipel fan. My only reserve continues to be Thor, who is looking a bit more squat than usual and still has horribly drawn eyes in true Finch Syndrome, but Asgard is awe inspiring and the copious splash pages drawn brilliantly.

So to summarise, GREAT art mixed with GREAT storytelling- not much happens, but what does is done well and the pacing doesn't feel too off at all. THis is better than I could have hoped for when it comes to the Thunder God's return! Now I want the Warriors Three back so we can hear the old battle cry of, "For Honour!... For Glory!... FOR ASGARD!"

Doom Decrees That This Issue Shalt Be Given.... Nine Gold Dooms Out Of Ten.

[Shiryu]

Doom, I've read your review before reading the actual comic (which I haven't found yet).
Sounds rather promising, albeit I hope that the decompression won't last too long, or things will start to get boring. Still, from what you write, this issue mainly underlines Thor's loneliness, which is very reasonable.

I wonder how next one will fit in continuity. Tony is currently a prisoner of the Hulk... will Thor burst him free? or are these issues set before WWH (in which case I wonder why Thor hasn't appeared there yet).

[Doctor Doom]

As far as I know, it's after WWH. Because we know Thor won't be in WWH and if he's already back and doesn't show, he's just an ass.

[balok]

"You made this mess Stark, Richards, Strange, Xavier, McKenzie and Boltagon. Plus, two of you cloned me, which really p***es me off! Clean up after yourselves. I'll watch with amusement from my floating city."

"But, that's not very heroic!"

"Listen up, chomper... I'm a GOD! We're whatever we choose to be!! Now fare thee well, and get thee losteth!"

[spiderwasp]

I just bought this and read it today and I must say that I'm very pleased so far. I've been an on and off Thor fan for decades. I find that he's at his best when he's dealing with us mortals on Midgard. The whole "god among men" thing has worked well in the past and is working well now. I never was much of a fan of his tales that just revolved around Asgard for too long. I thought the mortal interaction was needed. That's the other reason I'm liking this book. It appears that, even when the other Asgardians return, the stories will still be down to Earth (Literally and figuratively).
As far as the pace goes, I don't have a problem with it. A lot of people seem to be saying that not much is happening but I disagree. I consider development of characters to be more of "something happening" than the villain of the week showing up for a quick slugfest. There may not have been as much action in these first two issues but the development that has taken place is greater than I think you'll find in most sets of two issues. After all, we've met several new characters, established a living quarters and the beginnings of a new life for Don Blake, resurected Thor, rebuilt Asgard, established the basis for the return of the Asgardians, and witnessed the first effects of Thor's presence in Oklahoma. This could have been a 6 issue story arch for certain writers who shall remain nameless so that I don't get accused of bashing.

[Sentry]

Frankly is was expecting worse from Straczynski,probably i must apologize with him,the story so far is good and enjoyable,slow but i think it's gonna be better in the next month,can't wait to see the face to face with Iron Man!