Legion World Forums LEGION COMPANION Dr. Gym'll's Cultural Rarities Thor, the God of Thunder

So, as I've mentioned before, after a good 20-25 year hiatus from actively reading any current comics (re: comics that are newly published), my father has started reading them again thanks to DC Rebirth. This has made my own comic book buying and reading experience immensely more enjoyable and its been a lot of fun since Rebirth started. He's gotten so into it, that he has wanted to sample a few Marvels since the Marvel Silver Age is what made him a comic book fan in the first place.

Unfortunately, that leaves me in a bit of a bind since most current Marvel series are unrecognizable and not very good. He dipped his toes with Ant-Man, who he loves and when he learned it was Scott Lang and not Hank Pym, that kind of took the wind out of his sails right away. So I had to be careful: one Sam Wilson-is-Cap or Peter Parker-runs-a-conglomerate misstep and Marvel would be dead to him for another 25 years. That makes the one Marvel title that ended up emerging as a new favorite all the more surprising: Thor.

What I landed on initially was Dr. Strange which is just excellent, and he quickly agreed, enjoying the masterful job Jason Aaron, Carlos Pacheo and others are doing there. Aaron's writing was strong enough that he wanted to try Thor, and the recent Thor: Unworthy mini, starring actual Thor, was too good to pass up. We got that and the magnificent art of Olivier Copiel worked its magic. He had never seen Copiel's art before, despite his son being an avid LSH fan, and can't get over how amazing it is. Copiel has quickly risen to one of his favorite artists (if not his outright favorite) and Thor: Unworthy is back on the list. Now, to my surprise, he was inspired to try out the "female Thor" series, which is how we describe it.

And of course, he loved it. It helps that we picked an incredibly great issue to start, the recent origin of Mjolnr issue which ranks among the best "Tales of Asgard" / cosmic sci-fi issues Marvel has ever done. But what it comes down to is Jason Aaron is just a damn good writer and it comes across constantly. Between Dr. Strange, 'reg Thor' and 'female Thor', my Dad trusts him, like I do. I figure Lardy and other Scalped fans will get a kick out of that.

BTW, he is also following 'female Thor' and loving it. He's a big Jane Foster fan from way back and is probably part of a 1% of Thor fans who feel Jane is his true love, not Sif since he's such a purist from the earliest Marvel Silver Age. (As I mentioned, he's still warming up to Hawkeye, Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch as Avengers...I kid, but only a little).

What it really comes down to is "if the series is well done, people will like it", which is what we have here.

Thor, and Dr. Strange too, are really good right now, which is the opposite of the majority of Marvel's comics. I recommend them!

I gave Aaron's Thor a chance with the hardcover collecting his first 11 or 12-issue storyline featuring the traditional male Thor (albeit in three iterations). While there were scenes and parts that were impressive, especially the art, that story was over-long and was centered around a villain that I ultimately didn't find all that interesting, epecially to justify such a long arc. So I decided not to go any further and even traded in the HC to my CBS. It's been tempting to look into this Jane Foster Thor, but it's hard not to think I might feel burned again. Thor (male or female) is among those characters and comic mythologies that I love to read and see done right like my Walt Simonson standard.

I suppose my take on Aaron from my limited exposure is he's much better writing his own characters, but I'd love to be proven wrong. I still have that initial Doc Strange trade to read soon-ish.

I've struggled with Aaron's Thor too and had all but given it up until my Dad convinced me to try it again. But his Dr Strange has been surprisingly great from the start and I think you'll like the first trade when you get to it.

Fanfie and other Steve Epting fans, you MUST read Thor #13-14 for some of the best Epting art of all time! Simply stunning!

And it's an incredible story by Jason Aaron too, featuring the return of the League of Realms (an elf, a Dwarf, a giant, a troll, etc) which now includes the new Thor (Jane), Sif, Angela and Shield agent Roz Solomon (real Thor's last love interest). Lots of ass kicking action led by the best femmes in Thor's world, by the most rugged writer in comics. Plus Malekith, Kurse, Loki and a heavy Simonson influence.

For Thor fans, it's a must.

Thank you, Cobie. It just so happens I'd been planning my first visit to the nearest comic shop in several weeks. Yet more proof that there's no such thing as coincidence.

Serendipitous!

I thought of you when I saw the art. I've only recently gotten back on board the Thor train, but these issues caught me off guard in all the best ways. Epting's art, it turns out, is perfect for a superhero / fantasy / sci-if mash-up. (Not that either of us would be surprised). With a story featuring about 17 characters, it pretty much makes Steve my #1 choice for Legion artist one day.

I found #13. I'm sure I'll find #14 somewhere soon.

RE: Epting's art:

OH MY GAWDS!!

And he's my #1 choice for Legion artist of the not-too-distant-future as well. Cheers, Cobie.

As for Aaron's story, I have to admit I was a bit underwhelmed, which was a letdown as I know how good he's capable of being. But I also have to admit that I was too busy wallowing in all that Epting goodness to pay much attention to the plot or the dialogue.

That said, I was put off by Angela talking colloquially.

OTOH, j'adore SHIELD Agent Roz Solomon. Is she an original Aaron creation?

So, yeah, thanks to Epting & Agent Solomon, it was well-worth my $4.

Thanks, Cobie.

Holy moly! I read those in a hurry on my phone, so I didn't even realize that was Epting art! This run has been blessed with some great art. Legion fans will appreciate the Olivier Coipel art on the current Unworthy Thor mini.

I have to admit, lingering over the art of 13-14 more, that I'm not a huge fan of the main coloring. A little garish for my tastes. The more subdued colors of the flashback sequences do more justice to Epting's artwork, IMHO.

^^To me, garish equals GOOOOOOD! But that's just me.

I do think Epting is the rare artist with the type of expressive range that can handle either muted or gaudy coloring, depending on the scenes and stories in question.

I'm so glad you got to see these! I knew you would love them! I opened up the issues totally not knowing Epting's art was inside and was stunned by it!

I also agree on the colors--I love the garish coloring! I think that's what makes it pop so nicely. It also harkens back to Marvel's old school coloring a bit, which works for me. Epting's art is epic and visceral, and if fits as part of the lineage of Kirby, Buscema, Simonson, etc. The colors enhance that feeling.

BFOB, I'm also loving the Copiel art on Unworthy Thor. My father, who missed all of Olivier's work over the last 2 decades, just discovered him and considers him among his new favorite artists.

Fanfie, Roz Solomon is indeed an original Aaron creation. She first appeared earlier in his Thor run and instantly was as awesome as you see here. One of the arcs is pretty much all about her and Thor taking on the Roxxon Corporation. What isn't stated here--and correctly so, since she is no way defined by it--is that she has a very flirtatious and potentially romantic relationship with Thor so far. So seeing her fight side by side with Jane-Thor and Sif was kind of cool. She's capable and tough, and beyond that I love her one-liners. I wonder if Aaron was partially inspired by your beloved Kat Dennings in the movies to have a character to give those lines?

I finally tracked down a copy of Thor #15. Loved it as much as the previous one. Thanks again for the heads-up, Cobie, these 2 issues have been a real tonic for this jaded trouper of a fangirl! I only wish it had been a 7-issue arc instead of a 2-parter, but a taste of honey and all that...



Agreed. Even back his Avengers/X-Franchise days, Epting had already established himself as THE artist linking the best of the old-school styles with the best of what was current then. And that still holds true a full quarter-century later! So where's our Modern Masters: Steve Epting book, TwoMorrows? (Taps foot...)



Yay! Have you introduced him to Olivier's Legion work yet? I'd suggest you use Legion Lost v.1 #10 (the Wildfire-spotlight issue with the battle against the armada of Progeny ships) as a primer.



That had actually not occurred to me until you mentioned it, Cobie! And I call myself a Kat fan? Wow, I love Roz even more now. Something else else I didn't mention in my review of Thor #14 is that, being as I am the child of a Jewish mother, one of my favorite things about Roz is that she's the best-written Nice Jewish Girl in comic books since Kitty Pryde in the early 80s Uncanny X-Men, wholly appropriate since Kat Dennings herself is Jewish (and, for that matter, I'd like to think that Darcy Lewis is Jewish, and that her great-great-grandparents changed their surname...in fact, if Darcy appears again in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, I think it'd be a nice Easter Egg if Darcy's real surname turned out to be Litwack -- which is Kat D's real surname!

It's funny, I thought the same thing when I checked and learned Epting was only around for (2) issues. But then again, sometimes keeping it brief makes it all the sweeter and he really does leave us wanting more.

I just recently came back to reading Thor after a hiatus, and these two issues, and the awesome Origin of Mjolnr story that preceded it have locked me in for a time.

Cobie, is the Origin of Mjolnir story the preceding half-dozen or so issues, or another short one?

And even if Steve doesn't hang around to draw the Asgard/Shi'ar War...well, considering how much I loved the first arc of J.A.'s Star Wars comic (the one drawn by John Cassaday), I think you can count me in for at least the next few issues of Thor.

The Origin of the Hammer story was a one-off issue in Thor #12. Yet another story that worked so well because it was a quick one-off.

And I actually didn't even realize there was a coming Asgard / Shi'ar War storyline. Cool!

OK, thanks, will definitely search for a back-issue copy of #12.

And, BTW, the first part of TASW is actually #15. I just realized I mistakenly identified the Epting 2-parter as being in #14-15, when it's actually #13-14.

AND...I just checked My Comics Shop's website, and, OD'S BLOOD, it appears #15 is already in stores! And there's variant covers by Ryan Sook and Mike Deodato!

I love Epting's work as much as everyone else in this thread, but I also love Dauterman's work as the main artist. His work defines this Jane Foster era for me and I wouldn't want to see him go, even for the incredibly talented Steve Epting.

Also, speaking of issue 15, I hate to say it, but I agree with Cul. As much of an ass as he is, if Jane is missing meetings regularly and for extended periods of time, she shouldn't be in her position, illness, secret identity, or no. They are in the middle of a war, it's not a ceremonial position. If she can't represent Midgard in this time of crisis, they need someone who can.

I'm only recently back, but am definitely willing to see what Dauterman's art brings to the table. Was he the artist on #12? That art was superb.

Thor #15 (which I hope to find a copy of this weekend) will be my introduction to Russ Dauterman's art, not counting the cover to #13, which I honestly didn't care for, but I am well-aware that covers are often designed not by the artists who draw them, but by the art directors and/or the editors, so...we shall see.

A beautiful page (thumbprint, so do please click for the full Epting goodness) from Thor #13, just because:



And a close-up of Roz from an earlier issue:



^^ BF, is that Dauterman art in the close-up? Because if it is, that panel alone has already made me a fan! Kind of reminds me of Arthur Adams at his best.

Yes, that's Russell Dauterman. The artist who always comes to mind for me is Moebius, and European art in general. Although that may not be as obvious an influence in that close-up. I think the combination of Dauterman's art (he inks himself) and colorist Matthew Wilson create the effect together.

Come to think of it, Matthew Wilson's colors are a huge part of the book for me, and that may be why the present day coloring felt off to me. In past guest issues, Dauterman and Wilson did the present-day framing sequences, so this is the first time I've seen this character colored by anyone else, except for one issue by Jorge Molina whose animation-like style was such a radical departure it didn't really invite comparison. This was also the first flashback issue to feature the Jane Foster Thor, with other flashbacks going much further back.

What can any of you mention about that other replacement Thor they had, Red Norvell?

Other than that he had a pretty cool look, not much. Here's what I found online:

Part of a documentary crew brought to Asgard by Loki, Roger "Red" Norvell meets and falls in love with Lady Sif. Red Norvell is given Thor's Iron Gauntlets and Belt of Strength by Loki to compete with Thor for Sif's affections, beating him and taking his hammer, with neither realizing this was part of a master plan by Odin to create a surrogate God of Thunder to die fighting the Serpent of Ragnarok and fulfill the prophecy.

I first encountered him in an issue of Peter David's Hulk. I remember being completely baffled by what was going on.

Purely by accident, while video-surfing YouTube and trying in vain to get into the popular TV show "Orange Is the New Black," (no offense intended to fans of that show,) I do believe I've discovered the perfect actress to play Agent Solomon:

Yael Stone