Written by Dan Jurgens & Jose H.P. Armenta
Art by Tom Raney; Joe Bennett; Deon Nuckols; Scott Hanna; Jack Jadson; Tom Palmer; Scott Koblish; ‘RS;’ & Comicraft’s Wes Abbott; ‘Saida!;’ & Avalon Studio’s Dave Kemp
Compilation Cover Art (Issue # 50) by Tom Raney; Scott Hanna; & Dave Kemp
SUMMARY:
Released by Marvel Comics in 2002, this 208-page compilation consists of Mighty Thor (Volume 2) # 45-50, which were initially published earlier that year. The stories are “To Reach Beyond;” “By Fire Born, Parts I-V;” and “Forever Divided.” In the wake of Odin’s seemingly permanent sacrifice, Thor has ascended to the throne of Asgard. Yet, Balder and Sif (among others) worry that, despite glimpses of wisdom, Thor’s restlessness (i.e. a penchant for seeking needless battle) doesn’t bode well for Asgard’s future.
Furthermore, they realize their new king’s rival affection for Earth is now a far greater distraction than ever before. Loki opportunistically plays himself as a concerned voice of reason. Sensing his people’s unrest, Thor looks to Zeus for guidance.
On Earth, teenage Tarene (aka the rookie Thor Girl) falls victim to the Gray Gargoyle’s new bid for immortality. As hints of her own possible destiny unfold, Tarene’s fate may lie with EMT Jake Olsen (the mortal portion of Thor’s soul, who possesses the Thunder God’s sense of humility). Against both the Gargoyle and Desak – The Destroyer of Gods (Thor’s equivalent of Superman’s Doomsday), Jake is far outmatched, even if he can somehow become Thor.
While waging war in Asgard upon the Frost Giants, a reckless Thor traces his inexplicable power loss to Earth. Yet, only the Enchantress may realize what legendary weapon can finally vanquish Desak. Thor must further resolve his split allegiance between Asgard and Earth (aka Midgard). In a back-up fable entitled “Children of the Gods,” a teenage Thunder God learns a tragic lesson in hero worship, no matter his initially good intentions.
Note: This particular Thor series ends in 2004 at Issue # 85, where Asgard faces Ragnarok once more amidst the Avengers Disassembled storyline.
REVIEW:
Unquestionably, this trade paperback possesses extraordinary visuals – the artwork alone is worth the price of admission. Concocting a storyline worthy of this art team, writer Dan Jurgens succeeds in making Thor more god-like than ever – that is, until late in the game.
There’s zero logic re: how the almighty Desak easily dispatches both the Gray Gargoyle and Jake Olsen without actually killing them. Jurgens makes it clear that this Destroyer of Gods has cosmic-caliber power; yet, some of his best shots leave them only temporarily stunned. If Desak is merely toying with them, then Jurgens should have spelled it out.
The same standard applies to a climatic showdown vs. Thor himself. Other than agonized screaming breaking through mystical barriers, how the Thunder God easily withstands a fatal blow isn’t explained. According to Jurgens’ reasoning, Thor’s Odinforce access is infinite, so the inference is physical invincibility. It’s just not convincing the way Jurgens plays out this sequence, as if Desak’s dramatic kill shot is at most a paper cut. Similarly, Tarene’s Supergirl-like sub-plot is disappointingly resolved with more of a shrug than anything poignantly worth catching.
For Thor’s fans, Lord of Asgard (which, by the way, inspired a Marvel Legend action figure of this Thor) is a high-caliber read. In that sense, it’s far more Thunder God than avenging super-hero (i.e. Thor in his Donald Blake incarnation). Yet, for casual readers, this storyline may be closer to a verdict of one-and-done. This particular Thor compilation is serves an intriguing revelation re: the Thunder God’s true nature close in spirit to Chris Hemsworth’s first live-action film. That is – the Asgard portion before Odin prescribes his swaggering, battle-happy son to some humility therapy down on Earth.
ADDITIONAL CONTENT:
The full-page covers precede installments. According to research, the trio of Raney, Hanna, & Kemp created all the covers. Like bookends, three full-page Thor portraits (possibly meant as variants) end two stories, while the third appears during Issue # 50. Presumably, the same artistic trio produced them. Raney also includes his black-and-white design for Thor’s new ‘Lord of Asgard’ costume.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 8 Stars
