REVIEW: Thor, #4

[CBR News]

It's old Thor vs. new Thor in "Thor" #4 as Jason Aaron demonstrates his adeptness with two incarnations of the character, while Russell Dauterman and Matthew Wilson showcase a great showdown.


Full review here.

[Rogue Star]

This is going to be the last straw for a lot of Thor fans. Lol

[quinnzel]

I was so looking forward to this issue and it didn't disappoint for me. Besides being a great battle between Thor and Lady Thor, the art continues to be top-notch and I'm still loving the story. And the way they showcased the pain Thor was going through at someone else being deemed worthy, especially in the scene where Mjolnir flies past him to Lady Thor's hand, it was really heartbreaking. It's text in a comic book but you could almost hear the sadness in his voice when he says, "In all our years together, Mjolnir never flew like that for me."

Can't wait to find out who Lady Thor actually is. Now we know for sure she isn't Freyja.

Still loving this book and it's definitely one of my favorites.

[Raye]

Still loving this book. this issue had a lot of good stuff in it, and I'm getting excited about the future stuff it's setting up, with Malekith and all.

[plantsea]

Glad Odinson accepted her as a new Thor. It was nice to see them beating up Frost Giants together. I feel really sorry for Odinson going through all of this, but I do believe Aaron will do him justice sooner or later.

[Ken Ashcroft]

Hate the fact that he can no longer be called Thor. Wasn't he called Thor long before he became worthy of lifting Mjolnir? Why does he have to give up his own birth name?

For a guy who seems to have a love/hate relationship with his father all his adult life, I really find it hard to believe that he will now have people call him Odinson even though it will be a constant reminder of his father and his never ending influence/interference on his life.

[Den]

Hate the fact that he can no longer be called Thor. Wasn't he called Thor long before he became worthy of lifting Mjolnir? Why does he have to give up his own birth name?

For a guy who seems to have a love/hate relationship with his father all his adult life, I really find it hard to believe that he will now have people call him Odinson even though it will be a constant reminder of his father and his never ending influence/interference on his life.

That's the part I have trouble with too. It just doesn't make sense to me. What's more, when "Odinson" becomes Thor again, where does that leave our heroine? Won't a lot of her build up and exposure get lost in the shuffle as she scrambles for a new identity? It's great Marvel wants more female heroes getting to take center stage, but I worry this use of the Thor name may mean they're increasing the odds of her being a temporary thing.

Of course, I could be wrong on that.

[Kurolegacy]

That's the part I have trouble with too. It just doesn't make sense to me. What's more, when "Odinson" becomes Thor again, where does that leave our heroine? Won't a lot of her build up and exposure get lost in the shuffle as she scrambles for a new identity? It's great Marvel wants more female heroes getting to take center stage, but I worry this use of the Thor name may mean they're increasing the odds of her being a temporary thing.

Of course, I could be wrong on that.

Yea and on top of that, in a universe where we have characters also worthy like Beta Ray Bill and Thunderstrike, it makes even less sense considering they each have their own identities not leaning on Thor's.

[Ragdoll]

It just doesn't make sense to me. What's more, when "Odinson" becomes Thor again, where does that leave our heroine?

After Secret Wars, they'll probably retcon this and a lot of recent Marvel. I had noticed all the stories were getting more and more epic, and I kept thinking, "these feel like end game arcs" and now I see why. Because they can retcon everything in a couple months. Aaron's Thor and Remender's All New Cap series are both using the upcoming reboot to do all the tales they wouldn't be able to do otherwise, because their implications would be too long lasting. imo

[billee0918]

Another glorious issue! Absolutely my top book these days.

[Lady Warp Spasm]

After Secret Wars, they'll probably retcon this and a lot of recent Marvel. I had noticed all the stories were getting more and more epic, and I kept thinking, "these feel like end game arcs" and now I see why. Because they can retcon everything in a couple months. Aaron's Thor and Remender's All New Cap series are both using the upcoming reboot to do all the tales they wouldn't be able to do otherwise, because their implications would be too long lasting. imo

Well if they can completely retcon Remender's run on Cap, I'll be very happy with that - I wish Sam came into the title more organically rather than the stunt it is. And if Odinson is Thor agai,n great. I've given up my grumbling about the lady Thor only because this story could mean a very interesting storyline for Odinson himself. I've been wrong about Aaron's Thor before and it takes a while for me to understand he is doing some fun things with the characters. I might not agree with everything but ultimately I do enjoy the stories he and his terrific artists are telling.

[responsarbre]

Dauterman is so good on this book. I was initially a little sad that Esad Ribic wouldn't be the artist on this book after the beautiful painting he did of new-Thor's design, but this is easily one of the nicest-looking, most vibrant and gripping books out from Marvel these days.

[jphamlore]

I think what is being hyped in this issue is not necessarily the new Thor, it's the hammer Mjolnir. Marvel's direction might be to emphasize Mjolnir and what it can do for who it chooses to be called worthy, almost like the Captain Universe powers.

In addition to Secret Wars, there is a great war coming, a war of Malekith's forces uniting much of the Nine (Ten) Realms versus Asgard(ia). Given the next Thor movie is Ragnarok, I am wondering if the story will hint there is a fork in the future coming: If Thor is to be the future king, Asgard's importance may be greatly reduced, perhaps no longer even influencing the other realms but instead stuck with some connection to Midgard vulnerable to the predations of Gorr the God Butcher as shown in the future. There may be yet another period where Asgard(ia) is destroyed with whoever is left exiled to Midgard. If Loki is the future king, Asgard may instead win the war decisively against Malekith and rule the Nine (Ten) Realms in a new golden age ... at a price of course.

I have speculated that a future Odin will be torn between this fork. If he chooses his biological son the Odinson, things will turn very dark before they turn better, and Odin will be long dead and gone. If Odin chooses Loki, there may not be this darkness, but his beloved son the Odinson might have to die, with Loki triumphant. Thus in one future Odin might have chosen, with very heavy heart, to entrust all of his secrets to future Loki, enabling that Loki to try and influence the past by hacking Mjolnir to bring about his reign.

[themasething]

Just as I was coming around on this change to the Thor character (My personal issues with name vs title withstanding) I've basically decided to throw this issue, and the previous three into the bin and cancel any upcoming issues from my buy list. It's not so much the tone of the character or even that it's someone, once again, taking the characterizations of a long term character and placing them on a new placeholder, it's the smug arrogance and "F*** you haters!" attitude of Jason Aaron that oozes from this book from cover to cover. He is so insistent that we will love this new Thor that he basically has "Odinson" go from wanting to take down an imposter to accepting her as the new Thor in 3 pages! "Odinson" sees the hammer flying around and suddenly he accepts her as the new Thor instantly! Talk about bulls**t! If that was me, I'd be more determined to get what was (or what I think is) mine back even more.

But what really got me into book throwing mode was this: "So now you know why she's called Thor. You got a problem with that, take it up with the Odinson". I'm sorry, but when Jason Aaron is the WRITER of the book, then I don't see it as the character making the decision, I see it more as the WRITER telling us "I'm going to do this and I don't give a flying f*** what you guys think! You will accept MY decision on MY BOOK! You readers don't mean anything when it comes to MY BOOK! Just go out there and give me your money nerds!".

I'm sure all the Thor/Jason Aaron supporters will say I'm wrong, probably play the mysoginist/angry white boy card. But seriously, when you have characters changing their mind in 3 pages, you have to think if it's really the character making the decision, or a writer shoving his ideas down your throat.

[Blacksun]

the mjolnir didn't wanted him, Thor could only accept it.