Another Grab Bag, looking at three comics taking things in new directions. Flashpoint #1 by Geoff Johns & Andy Kubert, Journey into Mystery #623 by Kieron Gillen & Doug Braithwaite and New Mutants #25 by Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning & Leandro Fernandez....
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....
As you’ll find out toward the end of this podcast episode, starting next week, we will be start broadcasting our recordings live at 7PM EST. Further details will follow, including a page on this site to make it easy to tune in live for the fun. As for this episode, we covered a lot of X-Men, with a dash of Dapper Men on the side. News Production begins on Avengers movie New X-Men Trailer Discussion Uncanny X-Men #534.1 & 535 Wolverine #6-8 What We’re Reading Vince: THOR! Roger: Return of Dapper Men New Releases Incorruptible #17 Traveler #6 Brightest Day #24 Flash #11 Justice League: Generation Lost #24 Scalped #48 Xombi #2 68#1 Marineman #5 Morning Glories #9 The Walking Dead #84 Age of X Universe #2 Amazing Spider-Man #659 Captain America #617 FF #2 Mighty Thor #1 New Mutants #24 Ruse #2 Uncanny X-Men #536 Venom #2 X-Men #10 iTunes | RSS feed If you enjoy the show, please make certain to stop by iTunes and leave us a review!...
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...
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...
This week, it was difficult to pick a single comic of the week. Several good comics, but nothing GREAT. So, I’ve selected a “Grab Bag” of three really good ones this week: Invincible Iron Man #500.1 by Matt Fraction and Salvador LaRocca, Secret Six #30 by Gail Simone and Jim Calafiore and Ultimate Thor #4 by Jonathan Hickman and Carlos Pacheco....
I’m sick of this damn scientist. I put up with him in Issue 615, got sick of him in Issue 616, and now I just hope he’s the first person killed when the World Eaters attack. This time, after failing with Volstagg, Thor and Balder, Dr. Solvang pleads his case to Iron Man. At least Iron Man is able to get through to Balder, who finally explains why the Asgardians don’t seem to care. Since Matt Fraction is also the writer for Invincible Iron Man, he has a good handle of the character and it’s a solid scene between the two. The bulk of this issue, however, deals with Thor’s quest to find his newly-resurrected half-brother, Loki. At the end of the last issue, Thor used the Odinforce to return Loki to the world of the living, for good or ill. He finds Loki in the body of a young street hustler in France; it’s another one of those great character-driven scenes Fraction’s been giving us. Loki has been reborn, but has no memories of his past deeds, merely nightmares of the wrongs he’s done. Thor gives him a second chance, restoring his memories. It doesn’t go exactly right, and Loki is back as a child. It’s almost as if Thor subconsciously brought back the ideal vision of Loki from his fond childhood memories, and not the jealous trickster that boy grew into. With Thor once again in good spirits, maybe he can get to smiting something with Mjolnir in the next issue. Of course, we have another interlude with Thoth and the World Eaters, this time invading Nidavellir, the realm occupied by the Dwarves. They’re met with no resistance, as almost all the dwarves have fled to Earth, in an attempt to reach the safety of Asgard. With inhabitants of another realm now in Midgard, things are finally starting to come together. On its own, this is a fantastic issue. The art is as fantastic as ever, perhaps even better, and the scenes with Thor and Loki are definitely some of the best writing Fraction’s done in years. We get just enough of the other aspects of the story to move things along, and it finally looks like some action is on the way. The only problem is with the overall picture is still the pacing. We’re now what I would assume is halfway through Fraction’s first “volume” of Thor, and as good as the writing has been, we still haven’t gotten anywhere. If the first two issues had been combined, leaving this installment intact as the second chapter, I’d be a lot more confident. Still, I can’t complain about the quality here, and I don’t know what Fraction’s plans for Thor are, so maybe the flow of the story thus far fits his overall vision for the title. Thor Issue 617 Marvel Comics Story: Matt Fraction Art: Pasqual Ferry, Matt Hollingsworth...
What is where Asgard should be? Well, we’re no closer to answering that question now than we were last issue, but things are slowly moving in the right direction. This issue is divided up into three separate stories. First is a small interlude back to Broxton, Oklahoma, where the local women are trying to cheer the goddess Kelda up after the death of her mortal love, Bill. Unlike some, I don’t mind these scenes with the townspeople. Thor has always had a strong human element, with the focus of so many stories being the bridge between the mortal world and Asgard; the human element keeps the sometimes outrageous stories grounded and relevant to the rest of the Marvel U. That said, I’m sick of this subplot. Bill died over a dozen issues ago and, while that may only be a couple of weeks in comic time, that’s entirely too long in real world time. Kelda is no closer to getting over it now than before; in fact, she seems to be falling further into depression. I understand this is something that got lost in the writing shuffle from Straczynski to Gillen to Fraction, but wrap it up already. Next we have Thor and Balder cleaning up their father Odin’s belongings as part of the rebuilding of Asgard. Volstagg and the scientist interrupt the brothers with the warning about dimensional imbalances that was explained at length last issue. In my review of Issue 615, I defended the lengthy scenes with the scientist; I felt it got a great deal of necessary exposition out of the way in a humorous manner. I would stand by that statement if Fraction hadn’t felt the need to repeat the entire explanation to Thor. The readers really don’t need to go through this again, especially when we’d rather see more interaction between Thor and Balder, because that’s where the most interesting story is. Finally, there’s the “world eaters,” as the recap page names them. If their leader, Thoth, is powerful enough to keep his universe from imploding through sheer force of will, then it’s going to be a damn spectacle when he inevitably clashes with Thor. Over two issues, Fraction has given us small tastes of these new enemies, giving just enough information to keep readers interested, but not so much that the allure is gone. In my last review, I praised Pasqual Ferry’s art, and that remains true for this issue. One thing I didn’t give enough credit to is Matt Hollingsworth’s color work. I think I’m noticing it more now after reading Chaos War. Both titles use watercolor paint-style coloring, but in Chaos War, the colors are marred by the finishing effect used to show lighting. In Thor, the colors are left intact, with a more subtle and realistic flow from light to dark. While I don’t usually enjoy the watercolor style in superhero comics, I find it actually fits Thor, giving the art an almost ethereal quality that works for a story featuring characters from other realms of existence. Every page in this comic is beautiful to look at. I have to admit, Thor is starting to worry me. Character development and story setup is important, but eventually the story has to go somewhere, and I don’t feel this issue did much of anything to move it forward. I’m not saying it’s a lost cause, but judging by Fraction’s other current work, Thor is trending closer to Uncanny X-Men than it is to Invincible Iron Man. Fraction’s a good storyteller, he just has trouble fitting those stories into 22 pages, sometimes. Thor Issue 616 Marvel Comics Story: Matt Fraction Art: Pasqual Ferry, Matt Hollingsworth...
Thor has long been one of my favorite heroes. His sheer power backed by his sense of honor and duty have told some very entertaining stories over the years. The juxtaposition of ancient myth with the modern world gives the writers a tremendous amount of possibilities. When Thor was relaunched in 2007, J. Michael Straczynski chose to focus mostly on the myth, establishing Thor as the new Lord of Asgard in Odin’s absence. Now, Matt Fraction (current writer of Uncanny X-Men and Invincible Iron Man) has taken over the title, promising a return to Thor’s height of popularity in the 1980s. Back then, Walt Simonson took Thor and all his godly might and added in a sci-fi element, pitting Thor against galactic threats instead of just giants and demons. It was good, larger-than-life fun; everything you would want a comic to be. Fraction’s first issue goes a long way to delivering much of the same. In Straczynski’s run, Thor moved Asgard to Earth, and now some new threat is trying to take Asgard’s place in the order of things. All the specifics are explained by a scientist trying to gain an audience with Asgard’s leaders. It’s possible the scenes involving the scientist went on a little too long, but I thought it was entertaining, giving the reader a sense of the frustration the scientist was feeling trying to explain the concept to the dense Volstagg. In addition to Earth, the issue takes us to Alfheim, the realm of the Elves in Norse mythology. It introduces us to some random elf characters, and gets the reader to care about them just enough to be shocked when they’re all brutally murdered. This also serves as the introduction to an unnamed alien race looking to escape their collapsing realm, and they’re willing to conquer Alfheim, Asgard and any other realms necessary to do so. Each of the realms shown in the comic has a unique visual style; Earth is vibrant and full of life, Asgard’s tones are muted, Alfheim has a blue tint and the unknown dimension is obviously something beyond mortal comprehension. Ferry’s character artwork also conveys great emotion, especially the anguish Thor and Balder are experiencing with the recent losses in their lives. Also, maybe it’s just me, but I swear Thor is starting to look more like Chris Hemsworth. All the various elements come together for an overall enjoyable, if occasionally uneven issue. Fans of the character, like myself, will be excited with this new direction for Thor. Unfortunately, it may not be a good jumping-on point for newer readers, as it assumes an understanding of the characters and events. Thor Issue 615 Marvel Comics Story: Matt Fraction Art: Pasqual Ferry, Matt Hollingsworth...
