Thor #2
Publisher: Marvel
Story: Jason Aaron
Pencils: Michael Del Mundo
Letters: Joe Sabino
Cover: Michael Del Mundo
Jason Aaron has been on fire with Thor for quite some time and it doesn’t look like the flames are going out any time soon! The latest adventure reunites the sons of Odin in Hel along with several more allies in their attempt to stop the Queen of Cinders. She’s making a power move to control the realm and that’s not good news for anyone. Well maybe except for those that share her lust for power but we’re not trying to root for them.
Now the Battle for the Nine Realms has been shaping up for some time but Aaron makes it a priority that any new reader can step in and not be totally lost. As Thor and Loki meet their allies in Hel he firmly establishes their past relationships and delivers some great character moments along the way. There’s also a nice balance of humor and urgency that will have you loving the pacing as things get crazy during the big fight. There were a few areas where Aaron’s dialogue seemed to get in the way of the art. Maybe less would have been more in some places as this is quite the wordy tale. The special hammers make an appearance and with Thor still being unworthy Aaron seems to be making the point that the Odinson is still just as much a formidable hero without Mjolnir.
Del Mundo’s style is absolutely insane as he fills up every single page with so much that you’ll want to go over them numerous times. From the cover that let’s you know from jump the Odinsons don’t play around to the tagged train that will put a smile on any graffiti writer’s face. The creatures have an otherworldly feel to them and through all the flash and action he nails the expressions that help carry the narrative. Some pages are quite a busy series of panels so this may or may not appeal to you depending on your tastes. However, Del Mundo and Aaron hit the sweet spot with the perfect Black Sheep reference to before leaving us with a worthy cliffhanger.
Whether a new or well versed fan you’ll want to check out Thor #2 for the action-packed content, call backs, and quite possibly the murder dog. Throw in the many surprises in this issue and the creative team already is making this story feel larger than expected.
Infinite Speech
infinitespeech@comicattack.net
