Thor Odinson, God of Thunder Appreciation 2019

[Panic]

For me it's about whether the character is performing the function for which he was created: is he a hero, a stand-in for the reader, someone you aspire to be? Aaron's Thor is not, at least to me. You generally fine-tune a long-running hero to match what is considered 'cool' at the time of writing; Aaron's Thor is a patronising caricature of a Viking warrior, not an intended improvement on the Lee/Kirby model, imo.

[Username taken]

Could you say that about Batman? Would we as a modern audience be okay with the Golden or Silver Age Batman? His characterization was so ridiculous and it was Frank Miller who pulled him to the present (1980's) and from then on his characterization has changed with the times.

Times change as well as attitudes, Thor needs to move forward; I mean look at Hickman's X-Men; Moira has been turned into a life jumping mutant, and instead of being a analogue for race relations in America the X-Men have turned into a analogue of humanity vs technology.

Good point. Especially about the X-men.

Although with Batman, it was more like Miller and Co re-directing the character back to the darker era which the character started out in. That being said, Batman was actually moving toward darker stories pre-Dark Knight returns, some of the stuff from the 70s was really rough.

[The Cool Thatguy]

For me it's about whether the character is performing the function for which he was created: is he a hero, a stand-in for the reader, someone you aspire to be? Aaron's Thor is not, at least to me. You generally fine-tune a long-running hero to match what is considered 'cool' at the time of writing; Aaron's Thor is a patronising caricature of a Viking warrior, not an intended improvement on the Lee/Kirby model, imo.

Which is weird, because we know he can write what should be the 'actual Thor'. His Thor wasn't bad in his Original Sin 'Tenth Realm' mini, but now...

[Frontier]

Which is weird, because we know he can write what should be the 'actual Thor'. His Thor wasn't bad in his Original Sin 'Tenth Realm' mini, but now...

Or how he wrote Jane as Thor.

[charliehustle415]

I mean, I see consistency from era to era myself, but that's just me. Simonson and JMS Thor feels like the same character to me, if at a different period in his life.

Aaron's Thor just feels at times like a complete reconceptualizing of the character.

But, that is so subjective to make a larger claim on the character for the larger audience would be jumping into a fallacious reading of the character. A subjective reading on a character by definition cannot be translated into a universal reading of a character.

Because couldn't Aaron say the same thing i.e. My Thor is the same as Simonson and JMS?

Good point. Especially about the X-men.

Although with Batman, it was more like Miller and Co re-directing the character back to the darker era which the character started out in. That being said, Batman was actually moving toward darker stories pre-Dark Knight returns, some of the stuff from the 70s was really rough.

True; however, Year One and Dark Knight Returns dictated the character for decades and it is only now that writers are turning away from the grimdark reading of Batman (see Morrison's or King's Batman).

DKR was so influential it single-handedly brought down a cinematic universe with Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.

[The Cool Thatguy]

Or how he wrote Jane as Thor.

Yeah, her as well

[Frontier]

But, that is so subjective to make a larger claim on the character for the larger audience would be jumping into a fallacious reading of the character. A subjective reading on a character by definition cannot be translated into a universal reading of a character.

That's true. But it's just how I personally feel.

Because couldn't Aaron say the same thing i.e. My Thor is the same as Simonson and JMS?

He doesn't really read like it.

[GodThor]

She is currently ruling her realm whith her wife and co-ruler the Norn Queen and tormenting Malekith
I

she was swallowed by a Black Hole after that though.

[Rc1ca]

In which book ? I only read Thor, Loki , Valkyrie and the Avengers so I’m not as up to date in the other marvel books.

[GodThor]

In which book ? I only read Thor, Loki , Valkyrie and the Avengers so I’m not as up to date in the other marvel books.

in GotG.

/10

[Wall-Crawler]

"A boy and his All-Father" is very conflicting for me.

In a vaccum, it is one of the finest issues I have read, it's honestly excellent, and the theme resonated a lot with me and I'm sure with many others, I even thought about buying the issue and giving it to my father, but didn't, that's another topic though. The subject at hand is the issue and its quality, which is undeniable, everything from the writing to the art, composition and pace were excellent...........in a vaccum

The problem lies in the fact that this story does not take place on a vaccum, they are not original characters that Aaron can twist to fit their views, there was always rivalry and Thor's need to prove himself worthy to his father, but their relationship was NEVER the way it was portrayed in this issue or in the entirety of Aaron's run, it spits in the face of the wise, harsh but ultimately kind and benevolent father we've had for decades.

For that reason, I can't place it as a great Thor issue.

[Frontier]

"A boy and his All-Father" is very conflicting for me.

In a vaccum, it is one of the finest issues I have read, it's honestly excellent, and the theme resonated a lot with me and I'm sure with many others, I even thought about buying the issue and giving it to my father, but didn't, that's another topic though. The subject at hand is the issue and its quality, which is undeniable, everything from the writing to the art, composition and pace were excellent...........in a vaccum

The problem lies in the fact that this story does not take place on a vaccum, they are not original characters that Aaron can twist to fit their views, there was always rivalry and Thor's need to prove himself worthy to his father, but their relationship was NEVER the way it was portrayed in this issue or in the entirety of Aaron's run, it spits in the face of the wise, harsh but ultimately kind and benevolent father we've had for decades.

For that reason, I can't place it as a great Thor issue.

I feel like that's my issue with a lot of Aaron's Thor run to where it feels like to enjoy it I have to divorce my experience with past continuity and characterizations and just take this as it's own individual thing.

[Wall-Crawler]

I feel like that's my issue with a lot of Aaron's Thor run to where it feels like to enjoy it I have to divorce my experience with past continuity and characterizations and just take this as it's own individual thing.

Pretty much, in order to enjoy most of what Aaron did on the book, one needs to forget what came before, and that's not a good way of writing IMO.

[GodThor]

[Frontier]

Loving the new Thor design! Looks so much cooler then Gold Thor in my opinion .