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Thor Movie Review

Due to circumstances beyond my control, I had to wait several days to see Thor; several long, agonizing days. I’ll keep this review short since I’ll be the 5,682,744th person to review the movie online. Yes, I’m a total Thor fanboy; I’ve never tried to hide that. That said, I’m going to at least attempt to be objective. As a film, Thor is decent. As far as summer blockbusters go, it’s actually quite good. The writing and acting are above-average by today’s standards, but nobody’s winning any awards here. Chris Hemsworth certainly looks to be on his way to stardom; he’s charming on screen and certainly has physical assets that will guarantee future starring roles. Natalie Portman plays the generic love interest, but I sometimes found it hard to take her seriously as an astrophysicist. Anthony Hopkins is generally awesome as Odin and Tom Hiddleston played Loki perfectly. The rest of the supporting cast gets little development, but they play their roles in the story and fans will be pleased with the portrayals. The story, while told amidst a fantastic setting, is a typical “young prince goes on a journey of self discovery and learns what it takes to be a leader” tale. It’s pulled off well, even though it follows the typical beats. The scenes in Asgard carry more weight and grandeur, balanced out by the more lighthearted scenes on Earth. At no point was I surprised by the story, but I still enjoyed it. Asgard itself looks great on the screen. The set design and CGI cityscapes are amazing and definitely give the movie an otherworldly feeling. The action scenes are limited but powerful; Thor comes off as an absolute badass and the supporting characters each have their moments to shine, as well. Again, as a movie, Thor is an entertaining and well-made summer blockbuster, but as a comic adaptation, it’s absolutely astounding. As the least well-known of Marvel’s headliners, with the most fantastic backstory, Thor needed to be more accessible, and I feel it pulled it off. There’s no charismatic lead character like Tony Stark or pop culture icon like the Hulk or Captain America. Thor would live or die based upon its worldbuilding, and it seems most non-fans are on board with it. The characters, as has become standard for Marvel Studios movies, are all spot-on. Thor has become a bit of a one-note character in the comics, but Hemsworth gives him attitude and charisma, really bringing him to life on the screen. While Marvel has rightfully received praise for their casting of the hero roles, I feel they’ve done an even better job with the villains. Tim Roth’s Abomination, Jeff Bridges’ Obediah Stane and Sam Rockwell’s Justin Hammer were just as good as the titular heroes they faced off against. By that standard, I can’t praise Hiddleston’s Loki enough. Loki is a very complex character, and Hiddleston’s portrayal just oozes villainy, while at the same time making him likable enough to relate to viewers. Much controversy surrounded Idris Elba’s casting as Heimdall, but he absolutely owns every scene he’s in. Sif and the Warriors Three served their purpose in the story, but they were a bit generic, if entertaining. I saw some flashes that really make me want a spinoff, fleshing out the characters. Also, am I the only one who had a Masters of the Universe flashback when they showed up on Earth? Probably. I was happy to see the S.H.I.E.L.D. and Avengers elements toned down compared to Iron Man 2. Agent Coulson is enough of a thread to tie it together, and I thought the Hawkeye cameo was well-implemented. The movie doesn’t lose anything having him in that scene instead of a generic soldier, but it was enough that non-fans will likely recognize him in Avengers next year. And the post-credits scene? Hell yes. Those scenes have always been solely for the comic fans, and this one did not disappoint. Thor succeeded for what it was supposed to do; it was an entertaining movie, making a difficult character accessible to the masses while still building to something bigger down the road. As a character, Thor likely won’t have the mass-market appeal of Iron Man or Captain America, but the movie is still enjoyable for average moviegoers and a true treat for fans. Sadly, for those who know the character and just don’t like him, this movie will do little to change that....

Comic of the Week (4/27/11) – Venom Issue 2

After bonding with Eddie Brock and Mac Gargan, the Venom symbiote is now in the possession of the US Government. Looking to weaponize the symbiote, they choose a new host: none other than Peter Parker’s long-time “friend,” Flash Thompson. Aware of the monster sharing his body, Flash still accepts the mission, especially since it allows him to walk again after losing his legs. In this issue, Venom faces off with Kraven the Hunter in an amazing spectacle from Tony Moore (The Walking Dead). Venom #2 Marvel Comics Story: Rick Remender Art: Tony Moore, Danny Miki, John Rauch...

Comic of the Week (4/20/11) – Wolverine Issue 8

Wolverine has literally been to Hell and back. For the last two issues, he’s been fighting to regain control of his own body from the demons currently possessing it. On the streets of San Francisco, Cyclops has assembled a team for a single purpose: to take Wolverine down. Meanwhile, some of Wolverine’s closest friends, both alive and dead, have entered his fractured mind to help him regain control. The latest volume of Wolverine may have started off slow, but it’s grown on me a bit more with each issue. Wolverine #8: “Wolverine vs. the X-Men, Part 3” Marvel Comics Story: Jason Aaron Art: Daniel Acuña...

Journey into Mystery Issue 622

Anybody who listened to our first podcast back after hiatus knows that I’m a longtime fan of Thor and that my co-host most definitely is not. It’s not unusual for two people to wildly disagree on something, but there is an important distinction to be made. There’s a difference between “bad” and “not into it.” When something truly and irredeemably BAD comes across like Superboy or “One Moment in Time,” there’s simply no defending it. However, comics like Thor will only appeal to a limited audience; Journey into Mystery is one of those comics. Journey into Mystery originated in 1952 as an anthology series. Issue 83 in 1962 marked the first appearance of Marvel’s Thor, with the God of Thunder becoming an increased presence, eventually taking over with the comic officially renamed Thor with Issue 126 in 1966. Except for a brief change back in the 90s as part of the “Heroes Reborn” crossover, this month marks the first official return to the original title, paving the way for a relaunch with The Mighty Thor in May. When Thor was at its height of popularity on the 60s, and later in the 80s, the comic offered an interesting mixture of classic Norse myth with sci-fi elements. It was an interesting combination leading to larger-than-life stories. When Thor relaunched in 2007 under J. Michael Straczynski, it came back with a fantasy style, deeply rooted in the myths. When many newer fans think of Thor, this is the idea they get; he’s a god and a king, but not much of a superhero. As a longtime fan of not only the character, but the mythology behind it, I could appreciate the stories, if not the interpretation of the character. When JMS left the title after Issue 603, Kieron Gillen took over for the next 11 issues. While his stories were still in the same theme of Straczynski’s, his characters felt different, more real. With Journey into Mystery focusing on the other Asgardians, leaving Thor available for superheroing in his new title, I was excited to see Gillen return as writer. His handle on the characters, as well as the creativity shown in his stories made him the perfect writer for this series, in my opinion. At least initially, Journey into Mystery is focusing on Loki, Thor’s adopted brother. While largely responsible for the destruction of Asgard during Siege, Loki also sacrificed himself in an attempt to save it. Resurrected in the body of a child by Thor, the new, younger Loki is curious to resolve this paradox presented by his previous actions. While he has many of his old memories, they are incomplete, sending him on his own “journey into mystery.” The opening sequence, following seven magpies, servants of Loki, across the nine realms as they witness the events leading from the fall of Asgard to current day, was a great start. It reads very poetically and sets the tone for the story to follow; this isn’t a superhero comic book. What follows is some fun character building with Loki, the Prince of Lies, dealing with members of an online message board. They’re convinced his pictures of Asgard are fake, and even call him a troll. “But you’re a half-giant,” Thor responds. Yes, it’s a silly joke, but it shows Gillen has no intention of setting the story solely in the realm of the gods; there will still be interaction with the human world and you can blend magic with science. Gillen goes on to establish Loki’s status amongst the other gods, and it’s not favorable. In his previous life, he caused unending trouble, leading to the destruction of their home and will not be easily forgiven just because Thor demands it. This life as an outcast motivates Loki to investigate his past actions, leading to the aforementioned “journey into mystery.” Loki’s quest is detailed in the same style of the opening narration and really establishes Journey into Mystery as a fantasy story of our “hero” on a quest. The art is color over pencils, with no inking. It gives the comic a softer feel with rough edges, making it different from most other comics. It’s a great effect, with subtle shading and radiant glows. While not as refined as the art we’ll likely see in The Mighty Thor, it fits the story perfectly. Again, Journey into Mystery is not a comic for everyone. It’s rooted in the lore of Norse mythology and reads more like fantasy than a traditional comic. However, if that is something you’re interested in, then Journey is a solid read. It has a serious story at its core, but with Loki as the main character, it’s not going to take itself too seriously. The issue also has a backup feature recounting events from the 2007 relaunch of Thor through Issue 621, allowing new readers a chance to catch up. Journey into Mystery Issue 622 Marvel Comics Story: Kieron Gillen Art: Dougie Braithwaite, Ulises Arreola...

I Am An Avenger – Post Mortem Short

Nominated for a Will Eisner Comic Industry Award in the Best Short Story category, “Post Mortem“, found in “I Am An Avenger” issue 2, is a powerful story about how Steve Rogers copes with the loss of soldiers under his command. The story was written by Greg Rucka, with the script being written by Michael Lark and Stefano Gaudiano. The rest of the issue is a complete waste of paper in my opinion… especially the pie eating short story. However “Post Mortem” is a very powerful story and I am glad it got singled out. “Post Mortem” is very light on dialogue and narrative. There are pages without so much as a spoken word, however in each panel, more is conveyed than any word ever could. There are emotions and situations which are better understood using art as a medium. Michael Lark’s art for this short manages to get across every hint of emotion, however his style is very reminiscent of old 80s and 90s comics. I’d have liked to have seen something far more intricate for a story of this caliber. This is not meant to insult Lark’s work, as it’s still quite good. However I believe the story warrants far more than he was able to produce. “Post Mortem” begins with Steve Rogers being informed that there was only one casualty from their last operation. Rogers gets the information regarding the whereabouts of the soldier’s service, and attends to pay his respect. During the scenes in the church and at the cemetery, Rogers must endure hateful glares from the soldier’s wife. He approaches her after the burial service, and asks her to tell him about Donny (the fallen soldier). He also says he would like to ask a favor or her, though the reader doesn’t get to know what that favor is until the last few panels of the short story. On the last page, we see Rogers unpacking from his trip, having returned home. He then stares at a single dog-tag, and then tosses it into a box full of tags worn by other fallen soldiers. In this powerful moment, we get to see that Rogers isn’t some heartless commander who sees his men only as pawns. Rather, he remembers every single soldier lost under his command. I really liked this short story a lot. There’s an artform to writing powerful short stories. You have so little space to work with, and must be able to convey so much in those few pages. Rucka, Lark and Gaudiano managed to pull that off with grace here. I’ve not yet read the other nominees for Best Short Story, however I can clearly see why this short was nominated. “Post Mortem” I Am An Avenger Issue 2 Marvel Story: Greg Rucka Script: Michael Lark and Stefano Gaudiano Art: Matt Hollingsworth, Travis Lanham...

Ultimate Spider-Man Gets New Costume

We still have three more Ultimate Spider-Man issues to go before we finally get to find out what is happening with Peter Parker. That said, Marvel’s Editor-in-Chief Axel Alonso gave the New York Post a teaser/spoiler that very soon, Peter Parker won’t be wearing the Spider-Man costume. Just last week, we saw Parker take a bullet meant for Steve Rogers. We found out in “Ultimate Avengers vs New Ultimates” that the Punisher’s bullet was only meant to take out Rogers’ kneecap, however in the “Death of Spider-Man” issue, they made it seem as if it was going to be a head-shot. Parker quickly decided to take the bullet instead, which leads me to believe that he’s either going to truly be dead, or it will cause him to hang up the suit for good. However that still doesn’t explain the new webslinger. Now, I’m all for change in comic books. Changes that are permanent as well. I’m ok with Parker biting the big one and there no longer being a Spider-Man in the Ultimates Universe. But someone else as a new Spider-Man? That just isn’t sittin’ pretty with me, right now. I guess we’ll have to see how it’s handled. Official Press Release Marvel has announced that after the shocking events of Death of Spider-Man, the sold out storyline currently running through Ultimate Comics Spider-Man and Ultimate Comics Avengers Vs Ultimates, there will be a new Spider-Man and a new character under the mask. Something’s happened to Peter Parker and here comes an all-new Spider-Man…in an all-new costume! “We called this story Death of Spider-Man for a reason,” said Axel Alonso, Marvel Editor In Chief. “This is a huge story that’ll have fans around the world talking for a long time as we set the stage for the debut of our new Spider-Man.” The Ultimate Universe is irrevocably changed with the conclusion to Death of Spider-Man in June’s polybagged Ultimate Spider-Man #160…...

Comic of the Week (4/6/11) – Fear Itself #1

Fear Itself #1 is the first issue of Marvel’s next big event. In an attempt to bring the stories of Thor and Captain America together before their movies this summer, Sin, the Red Skull’s daughter, has gained an Asgardian hammer of her own. Much like Thor’s Mjolnir, the hammer grants her the powers of a god. Meanwhile, Thor and his father come to blows while an undercurrent of fear and tension runs through the population. A good story with amazing art, “Fear Itself” is off to a great start with this issue. Fear Itself #1 Marvel Comics Story: Matt Fraction Art: Stuart Immonen, Wade von Grawbadger, Laura Martin...

Uncanny X-Men Issue 534.1

Despite being the flagship title for the franchise, Uncanny X-Men has been a bit inconsistent over the past few years. It’s not that Matt Fraction is a bad writer; I’m a fan of his work on Immortal Iron Fist and Invincible Iron Man. There’s just something about this title that doesn’t quite click with his style of writing. Perhaps it’s the ensemble cast or the position the story was in when he took over, but the whole San Francisco era of the X-Men just hasn’t worked for me so far. There have been some highlights, but there have also been some weak stories. With Issue 531, Kieron Gillen (Generation Hope, Thor) joined Fraction as co-writer for the “Quarantine” storyline. The core story was fun and interesting, but overall the issues were bogged down with having to tie up some of Fraction’s outstanding storylines. Still, there was a noticeable shift in tone once Gillen joined the writing staff. With “Quarantine” done, Fraction has moved off the title to focus on his other work, such as the big Fear Itself miniseries, leaving Gillen as the sole writer for Uncanny. Gillen’s first solo issue is one of Marvel’s “Point One” issues; stand-alone stories taking place in between the normal numbered issues intended to be “jumping on points” for new readers. Overall, the whole initiative has been a bit of a flop. Of the few issues I’ve read, some of them have been quite good, but didn’t satisfy the “jumping on point” criteria. As great as Invincible Iron Man 500.1 was, a new reader would have no idea what’s going on in issue 501. The only total success I’ve seen so far is Hulk 30.1. It was a damn good issue, and set up the direction of the comic for some time to come. Uncanny X-Men 534.1 falls somewhere in the middle. It’s a strong issue and, while it may not set anything up for the next story arc, it establishes a solid idea for how Gillen will be writing the title in the future. The story revolves around the X-Men’s Public Relations specialist, Kate Kildare, and her attempt to make the public feel safe around the mutants when Magneto, a known terrorist, is revealed to be part of the team. I loved it when Fraction brought Magneto to Utopia, especially when he recognized Cyclops as the leader of the mutant race. It was a strong story element, but Magneto has been a bit lost since. Mike Carey is doing great work with him in X-Men Legacy, but I’m glad to see Gillen picking him up for some more development here. The problem with Magneto is he’s still very much the same person he was before. Though his extremist methods and ideology may have shifted some, he still has the same unforgiving personality. Magneto and public relations go together as well as Wolverine and metal detectors. He would much rather be feared than loved, but fear from normal people is the last thing the X-Men need right now. Meanwhile, Cyclops, Wolverine and the team are called away on a mission by the mayor of San Francisco. Crooks posing as AIM scientists have been causing small earthquakes to extort money from local companies wishing to protect their interests. However, it turns out they were merely predicting the earthquakes and San Francisco is due for a major jolt, endangering countless lives. At the last minute, the Master of Magnetism steps in to protect the citizens in a stunning display of power. In one motion, Magneto started down the path of earning the trust of San Francisco’s populace. Slowly, their fear of what he’s capable of will become respect for his power. Nothing will change overnight, but I thought it was a great way to make Magneto more acceptable without compromising his character, something Fraction was never able to do. Art for this issue is fantastic, with Carlos Pacheo filling in on pencils, since Uncanny‘s regular artist can’t draw two issues in one month. The coloring makes the characters seem a bit too “plastic” at times, but Pacheo nails the character designs and action scenes. Unfortunately, that’s also the worst part of this issue. Pacheo’s art is so nice, it’s a stark contrast to regular artist Greg Land’s normal style of tracing and recycling. Still, Uncanny X-Men‘s writing looks to be in good hands with Gillen and he’s got some interesting stories on the way. Uncanny X-Men Issue 534.1 Marvel Comics Story: Kieron Gillen Art: Carlos Pacheo, Cam Smith, Cam D’Armata...

Kapow: Cloak and Dagger Announced

At this weekend’s Kapow Comic Con in London, Marvel announced a three-part mini-series for Cloak and Dagger. Nick Spencer will write while Emma Rios will handle the art. This makes me unbearably giddy. I remember when Cloak and Dagger were first introduced in 1982’s Spectacular Spider-Man #64. I would have been 11 years old. I also remember when they got their own series, which I collected religiously. I never missed a single issue. I always found the characters thoroughly engaging, even as a pre-teen, and that opinion has not changed over the years. If anything, I am now better able to grasp a lot of the subtext that exists between the characters. For those who never bothered following them, Cloak and Dagger are Ty Johnson and Tandy Bowen, a couple runaways who became friends on the streets. The pair was abducted and experimented upon, which led to them to become forces of light and fear. Cloak and Dagger was an important series as it dealt with teenage homelessness, drug abuse and other serious topics. CBR reports: “These were some of the first characters I wanted to work on when I came to Marvel,” said Spencer to a packed auditorium at the inaugural Kapow convention. “The book is about their relationship and that they don’t like living without each other. They will find that there are forces vested in pulling them apart,” Spencer explained, going on to say that “I want fans to fall in love with the characters.” Cannot wait....

X-23 Issue 8: Collision, Part 1

If you haven’t been keeping up with X-23, and frankly at this point, I wouldn’t blame you if you weren’t, allow me to fill you in. In the midst of her soul searching journey with Gambit, X-23 has discovered that the former director of Weapon X, Malcolm Colcord, is thinking about restarting the project. I mean, why not? It turned out so well with X-23. This isn’t really news. We saw them creating many more clones at the end of the mini-series, and truth be told, unless you are completely new to Marvel comics, you know that Weapon X is always just beneath the surface of most Wolverine and family series. X-23 wants to track down Colcord, and so she and Gambit head to Madripoor, a cesspool of depravity. Last issue, as a means of gaining passage to the island, we saw the duo infiltrate a pirate base in the hopes of saving a police informant. The issue read very much like a filler. That said, the art was insanely cool. Kudos to Sana Takeda for that absolutely gorgeous issue. The art in issue 8 is also quite good though much more traditional. Back to the story. Laura is tracking her, what… brother… son… ? She believes Daken knows where Colcord is and intends to get the information from him. I’ve been having a difficult time with Marjorie Liu’s writing for X-23. Too often, it feels as though it is being written on the fly. Such a big deal was made about whether or not there would be a meet-up between X-23 and Daken, and finally it occurs in this issue. And I am underwhelmed. The setup to lure Daken to X-23 is weak, transparent and the fact that they made him fall for it only furthers my belief that he is one of the weakest links in the current Marvel line-up. I’ve very little use for the character, having read through all the current issues, and this did nothing to change that opinion. Furthermore, the inevitable fight scene between the two is terribly choreographed. Gambit is nowhere to be seen, the pacing is choppy, and quite frankly, X-23 should be able to slice him like a side order of sushi. She is a trained assassin. From birth, she’s known little else. Daken should not pose this much of a problem for her. However in an attempt to sell more comics and capitalize on the popularity of characters with the term “snikt” in their vocabulary, this fight continues in Daken #8. I was not impressed with this issue of X-23… and somehow I’ve a sense that I’ll feel the same about Daken #8. On a final note, someone should inform cover artist Kalman Andrasofszky that Daken’s claws are not coated in adamantium. X-23 Issue 8: “Collision, Part 1” Marvel Comics Story: Marjorie Liu Art: Ryan Stegman, Michael Babinksi, John Rauch...