Thor Odinson, God of Thunder Appreciation 2019

[Wall-Crawler]

Yes, people hate it so much that it's been one of the most successful Thor runs ever - a run that has sustained its popularity and critical acclaim over seven years. And it's going to lead in to a massive epic, pulling in the entirety of the MU, that will climax Aaron's run. What a failure!

Honestly, every run - no matter how popular - has its detractors (I'm sure there's people who think Ewing's Hulk run is ****, no matter how enthusiastically it's been received by most) but trying to dog Aaron's Thor run as anything other than the massive success that it is seems incredibly feeble and myopic.

I know for a fact that some fans were overjoyed when Dan Slott left ASM but, like it or not, his Spidey run was historic and defined the character for many fans. Aaron's Thor run is no less than that for Thor. It may not be your Thor but it is Thor for many others.

One of the most succesful ? Yeah, I think not, that's not the case, this run has been selling the same numbers as Gillen and Matt Fraction runs did, maybe a little more, but it's selling less than JMS and Jurgens run, not to mention this book has the extremely little (sarcasm) push of the MCU behind it, if it was as good as, say the JMS run, with Thor's current popularity it would be selling twice as much, yet not even with the increase in popularity has the book surpassed other notable Thor runs in terms of sales.

Yes, I don't doubt many people like Aaron's run, and I may sound presumptous but from what I have seen and gathered, even from letters in the very same issues, most of those are new readers that hopped on in recent years and have little knowledge of what came before and the Thor mythos and worldbuilding.
Many of the long time Thor fans I have talked to or interacted with, they all dislike this run, and on most forums I see more people disliking it than people praising it, and the ones who praise it all say the same, that he is reinventing the mythology, but how is that a good thing is beyond me, he is changing fundamentally all the elements that made Thor, well, Thor.

And your comparison with Slott's Spider-Man was perfect, yes it sold pretty good yet not as good as previous notable runs (JMS and Bendis) and most of the fandom wanted Slott out of the book.
Check, Check and check.
Let's hope the trend continues and Thor finds his Nick Spencer to redeem him.

[Prof. Warren]

Listen pal, some liked it and others didn, going around calling people myopic and feeble just because they dont praise this run seems a bit presumptuous...... had this been the first issue I read of thor as a child it would certenly also been the last, I can see this edgier stuff appealing to aldults loking for dark and controversial writing, but if they are going to survive comics need also to appeal to a younger audience.... don't have time to elaborate ...I just feel like ,When it comes to thor ,all sense of wonder and fun has been lost for a while noW.

To you say you don't like this run is entirely fair. Everyone has their own tastes and nothing is universally loved.

But to say that this run that, from any objective standpoint has been a sustained success for the character, is actually one of the worst Thor eras ever and is hated is nothing but a feeble attempt to portray a widely embraced and much cherished run as a failure.

You know, just say you hate it. Nothing wrong with that. I don't like what Tom King's doing with Batman. It's not for me. Judging by the comments it receives on these boards, it's not for a lot of other fans. But hey, someone likes it. A whole lot of someones, in fact. So I'd never say that his run is a failure because it clearly isn't. It just doesn't appeal to me.

[Prof. Warren]

One of the most succesful ? Yeah, I think not, that's not the case, this run has been selling the same numbers as Gillen and Matt Fraction runs did, maybe a little more, but it's selling less than JMS and Jurgens run, not to mention this book has the extremely little (sarcasm) push of the MCU behind it, if it was as good as, say the JMS run, with Thor's current popularity it would be selling twice as much, yet not even with the increase in popularity has the book surpassed other notable Thor runs in terms of sales.

If this is selling in the same numbers or more that runs from years ago did, that's actually a notable achievement.

Also, the JMS run was a handful of issues. Twelve issues and change, maybe? Fraction's run was barely more than that. Something like a little over twenty issues.

Aaron has been on the book for seven years. You can't even compare what Aaron's done with JMS and Fraction.

And trying to play the hypothetical game of "if so and so was writing it now it would sell twice as much" is just peddling a lot of meaningless bs.

Yes, I don't doubt many people like Aaron's run, and I may sound presumptous but from what I have seen and gathered, even from letters in the very same issues, most of those are new readers that hopped on in recent years and have little knowledge of what came before and the Thor mythos and worldbuilding.
Many of the long time Thor fans I have talked to or interacted with, they all dislike this run, and on most forums I see more people disliking it than people praising it, and the ones who praise it all say the same, that he is reinventing the mythology, but how is that a good thing is beyond me, he is changing fundamentally all the elements that made Thor, well, Thor.

I'm sure there's fans of Aaron's Thor who have been reading the character since the '60s and also people who never read an issue of Thor before Aaron who fell in love with the character through this run. It doesn't matter how long you've been reading for how much your opinion counts. If people are reading a book and liking it and continuing to support it year after year, that's all that matters.

And your comparison with Slott's Spider-Man was perfect, yes it sold pretty good yet not as good as previous notable runs (JMS and Bendis) and most of the fandom wanted Slott out of the book.
Check, Check and check.
Let's hope the trend continues and Thor finds his Nick Spencer to redeem him.

"Most of fandom" did not want Slott off the book. If "most of fandom" did, the book would have tanked and Slott wouldn't have been allowed to have a ten year run on it.

People don't automatically buy a book that they hate. Certainly not over a sustained period of time like, you know, a decade. Or in the case of Aaron's Thor, seven years.

They'll actually check out pretty quickly if they're not enjoying it.

And again, comparing sales from the '90s or early '00s to today is meaningless. It's a different market, a different world - one in which digital and trade sales are factored in a way that they weren't then - and no matter what the creative team, you're not going to see monthly sales match the same numbers on a title from ten years ago or more.

[Rosebunse]

One of the most succesful ? Yeah, I think not, that's not the case, this run has been selling the same numbers as Gillen and Matt Fraction runs did, maybe a little more, but it's selling less than JMS and Jurgens run, not to mention this book has the extremely little (sarcasm) push of the MCU behind it, if it was as good as, say the JMS run, with Thor's current popularity it would be selling twice as much, yet not even with the increase in popularity has the book surpassed other notable Thor runs in terms of sales.

Yes, I don't doubt many people like Aaron's run, and I may sound presumptous but from what I have seen and gathered, even from letters in the very same issues, most of those are new readers that hopped on in recent years and have little knowledge of what came before and the Thor mythos and worldbuilding.
Many of the long time Thor fans I have talked to or interacted with, they all dislike this run, and on most forums I see more people disliking it than people praising it, and the ones who praise it all say the same, that he is reinventing the mythology, but how is that a good thing is beyond me, he is changing fundamentally all the elements that made Thor, well, Thor.

And your comparison with Slott's Spider-Man was perfect, yes it sold pretty good yet not as good as previous notable runs (JMS and Bendis) and most of the fandom wanted Slott out of the book.
Check, Check and check.
Let's hope the trend continues and Thor finds his Nick Spencer to redeem him.

I am a newer fan. I came in on the tail end of JWS's run.

Aaron's Thor has been my Thor and I have been happy with it. The fact is, you older fans need to accept that we newer fans are just as important to the medium as you are. We may not have the same memories of these characters, but we new fans are building those memories and how we interpret and remember the characters has as much validity as what older fans experience.

[zoch]

I really dislike what has become of thor and odin, these are not the characters I grew up with, crossing my fingers for a new ragnarok to come and wipe it all away

I dislike what Aaron has done to Thor in my opinion he is one of worst writers Thor ever had I really hope get someone like Hickman be next writer of Thor.

[GodThor]

I have a feeling who ever writes Thor next, it will be entirely new writer.

[charliehustle415]

Agreed, this run is every bit as key as those others.

And yes, there's totally redemption coming for Odin. This issue set him on the path to admitting his problem and seeking help.

Aaron's Thor never disappoints for me but this was an especially strong and touching issue.

I don't understand the negativity Aaron has been writing Thor for more than half a decade, if people don't like it why keep reading it?

I remember when people were so mad at Bendis for having Spidey and Wolverine on the Avengers, but look now; without his run we wouldn't even have the MCU.

People really gotta relax, there is no version of a superhero, in the words of Grant Morrison superheroes are fake.

[Frontier]

Aaron's Thor has been my Thor and I have been happy with it. The fact is, you older fans need to accept that we newer fans are just as important to the medium as you are. We may not have the same memories of these characters, but we new fans are building those memories and how we interpret and remember the characters has as much validity as what older fans experience.

I wonder if it's too much to hope for that the writer who takes over after Aaron might be able to reconcile the differing takes on Thor, old Thor and Aaron's Thor, and the fandom.

[Rosebunse]

I wonder if it's too much to hope for that the writer who takes over after Aaron might be able to reconcile the differing takes on Thor, old Thor and Aaron's Thor, and the fandom.

That would be a tall order, but if they can, then they are truly great.

[GodThor]

If this is selling in the same numbers or more that runs from years ago did, that's actually a notable achievement.

Also, the JMS run was a handful of issues. Twelve issues and change, maybe? Fraction's run was barely more than that. Something like a little over twenty issues.

Aaron has been on the book for seven years. You can't even compare what Aaron's done with JMS and Fraction.

12 chapters of JMS is, like, way better than Aarons 40 or 50.

Jurgens' run had over 70 and it's one of the best runs.

honestly, my gut is telling me people mostly read Aaron's run with Jane because of Dauterman's art.

The fact is, you older fans need to accept that we newer fans are just as important to the medium as you are.

no kidding.

except this is sacrificing old fans for new fans.

I feel myself as a victim now

[Rosebunse]

You guys aren't being sacrificed. There's plenty to enjoy in this book.

[Snoop Dogg]

aaron thor = big wee wee

everyone else this century except for the disassembled tie-in arc and the samnee stuff i haven't read yet = tiny wee wee

[Daedra]

You guys aren't being sacrificed. There's plenty to enjoy in this book.

Crearly some people , me included, disagree.....

[616MarvelYear is LeapYear]

Although not everyone enjoys the depiction of Thor in the comics, I believe this is not the case when it comes to the character's depiction in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

[616MarvelYear is LeapYear]

Thor #161 Feb 1969
"Shall a God Prevail?"
Thor drives Galactus away from Ego, the Living Planet;



Ego then allows the homeless race of Wanderers to settle there.
Appearance by the Recorder.

Script by Stan Lee, pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Vince Colletta