Post by goldenfist on Feb 12, 2009 9:29:45 GMT -5
Ign.com reviews Thor #600
With issue #600, writer J. Michael Straczynski comes to the end of his second major story arc. It's been promised that Thor's status quo will change forever with this issue, and I'm inclined to say that much is accomplished. Between a compelling showdown and a wealth of bonus material that actually justifies the $5, Thor #600 is a heck of a party.
As this arc has proven, Loki is no less the schemer and conniver for having adopted a new pleasing (?) form. Loki's full plan for her brother quickly becomes apparent in this issue. In a nutshell, it leads to an epic battle between Thor and a fallen god of ages past. Thor has faced mainly psychological threats and tests of his lordship so far, and it's great fun to see him cut loose and battle a foe who outmatches him physically. Better still, this new villain makes perfect sense within the context of Straczynski's run. In a way, he's been setting up the conflict for the better part of a year.
That said, this fight is merely a means to an end. This is good, because as interesting as the battle is, it lays out pretty much exactly as you'd expect. Straczynski reserves most of his surprises for the latter pages. For one thing, we learn what role Thor plays in this Dark Reign landscape. The moment Thor realizes just how much the rest of the world has passed him by is a powerful one, and one of the highlight of the issue. And yes, Thor's status quo really does change by the end. At its core this new twist is one I saw coming, but Straczynski also throws in enough wrinkles to ensure everyone will be at least a little surprised. And frankly, I don't care about being shocked and awed half as much as I do in experiencing more of Straczynski's epic, Shakespearean take on Thor. The dialogue is pitch perfect, as is just about every aspect of the script. As usual, Straczynski knows when to break the dramatic tension with a blast of humor. I love a writer that knows not to take himself too seriously.
And if Thor continues to show Straczynski at the top of his writing ability, Oliver Coipel once again proves he's just about the best artist working for Marvel. An action-heavy issue like this really allows Coipel to put his framing abilities to the test. Coipel accomplishes a lot in his illustration, freeing Straczynski from having to rely on needless exposition. I could imagine any one of a thousand ways this issue could have fallen apart due to sub-par storytelling, but thanks to Coipel Thor #600 is every bit the success story the previous 12 issues have been.
Amazingly enough, the main story only comprises about a third of this issue's contents. The biggest additional selling point is easily the backup tale written by Stan Lee and drawn by David Aja. This segment doesn't offer anything out of the ordinary as far as Lee's writing goes. It's simple, good-natured fun, and hokey in the same lovable way much of his recent work has been. Pairing Lee with Aja is quite the odd decision, and it's unfortunate that Aja's particular set of talents aren't really put to good use. He works best in the gritty underbelly of the Marvel U, not so much in the clean, grandiose heights of Thor's Silver Age past.
Far more appealing to me was the newest entry in the Mini Marvels series. In the span of a few pages, writer/artist Chris Giarrusso provides a splendidly humorous and surprisingly apt summary of the past few years of Thor stories. After that, the rest of the book is filled with reprints of classic Stan Lee and Jack Kirby Thor comics. Certainly nothing to write home about, but definitely worth a look if you're not one of the collectors who willingly plunks down $50 a piece for those Marvel Masterworks hardcovers.
As a complete package, I can't imagine any reader being disappointed with Thor #600. It may not shock you with twist after twist, but it will still amaze you with its sheer quality. Straczynski has laid the seeds for plenty more quality Thor stories to come. All I know is that, if Straczynski and Coipel are still at the helm next time Marvel celebrate a Thor anniversary, I'll have absolutely no reason for complaint. This issue is merely one more watershed moment in an already classic creative run.
Review Score from two reviewers.
9.4 Outstanding
9.1 Outstanding
With issue #600, writer J. Michael Straczynski comes to the end of his second major story arc. It's been promised that Thor's status quo will change forever with this issue, and I'm inclined to say that much is accomplished. Between a compelling showdown and a wealth of bonus material that actually justifies the $5, Thor #600 is a heck of a party.
As this arc has proven, Loki is no less the schemer and conniver for having adopted a new pleasing (?) form. Loki's full plan for her brother quickly becomes apparent in this issue. In a nutshell, it leads to an epic battle between Thor and a fallen god of ages past. Thor has faced mainly psychological threats and tests of his lordship so far, and it's great fun to see him cut loose and battle a foe who outmatches him physically. Better still, this new villain makes perfect sense within the context of Straczynski's run. In a way, he's been setting up the conflict for the better part of a year.
That said, this fight is merely a means to an end. This is good, because as interesting as the battle is, it lays out pretty much exactly as you'd expect. Straczynski reserves most of his surprises for the latter pages. For one thing, we learn what role Thor plays in this Dark Reign landscape. The moment Thor realizes just how much the rest of the world has passed him by is a powerful one, and one of the highlight of the issue. And yes, Thor's status quo really does change by the end. At its core this new twist is one I saw coming, but Straczynski also throws in enough wrinkles to ensure everyone will be at least a little surprised. And frankly, I don't care about being shocked and awed half as much as I do in experiencing more of Straczynski's epic, Shakespearean take on Thor. The dialogue is pitch perfect, as is just about every aspect of the script. As usual, Straczynski knows when to break the dramatic tension with a blast of humor. I love a writer that knows not to take himself too seriously.
And if Thor continues to show Straczynski at the top of his writing ability, Oliver Coipel once again proves he's just about the best artist working for Marvel. An action-heavy issue like this really allows Coipel to put his framing abilities to the test. Coipel accomplishes a lot in his illustration, freeing Straczynski from having to rely on needless exposition. I could imagine any one of a thousand ways this issue could have fallen apart due to sub-par storytelling, but thanks to Coipel Thor #600 is every bit the success story the previous 12 issues have been.
Amazingly enough, the main story only comprises about a third of this issue's contents. The biggest additional selling point is easily the backup tale written by Stan Lee and drawn by David Aja. This segment doesn't offer anything out of the ordinary as far as Lee's writing goes. It's simple, good-natured fun, and hokey in the same lovable way much of his recent work has been. Pairing Lee with Aja is quite the odd decision, and it's unfortunate that Aja's particular set of talents aren't really put to good use. He works best in the gritty underbelly of the Marvel U, not so much in the clean, grandiose heights of Thor's Silver Age past.
Far more appealing to me was the newest entry in the Mini Marvels series. In the span of a few pages, writer/artist Chris Giarrusso provides a splendidly humorous and surprisingly apt summary of the past few years of Thor stories. After that, the rest of the book is filled with reprints of classic Stan Lee and Jack Kirby Thor comics. Certainly nothing to write home about, but definitely worth a look if you're not one of the collectors who willingly plunks down $50 a piece for those Marvel Masterworks hardcovers.
As a complete package, I can't imagine any reader being disappointed with Thor #600. It may not shock you with twist after twist, but it will still amaze you with its sheer quality. Straczynski has laid the seeds for plenty more quality Thor stories to come. All I know is that, if Straczynski and Coipel are still at the helm next time Marvel celebrate a Thor anniversary, I'll have absolutely no reason for complaint. This issue is merely one more watershed moment in an already classic creative run.
Review Score from two reviewers.
9.4 Outstanding
9.1 Outstanding
Having been around a bit longer than the average reader, we tend to critically analyze more, but it doesn't mean we didn't like the story to some degree.