Thor Odinson, God of Thunder Appreciation 2019

[underfist]

After Last days of Midgard.

I'd argue that particular storyline, while passable in a vacuum, showcased, in the treatment of Galactus, how Aaron would later behave with Thor and Odin. Galan is, simply put, out of character; his stated motives for coming to eat Earth run directly counter to the friendship he shares with more than a few Earth based heroes (including Franklin Richards who we know will survive to the end times) and the promise he willingly made to spare the planet. Likewise Odin's characterization was revamped because otherwise he cannot be the foolish, senile tyrant to oppose Jane's progressive paragon.

I'd hazard the guess that, since in King Thor #4 Thor is poised to be the cause of the destruction and subsequent rebirth of the universe, Galactus, whose entire purpose in the cosmic order was exactly that, had to be removed by poisoning via Necrosword. To be honest I'm glad Cates' upcoming run, Immortal Hulk, and History of the Marvel Universe (where Galan lives and is in the process of achieving his role) have relegated that future to alternate timeline and thus separated it from 616 Galactus altogether.

[CaptainMar-Vell92 of the Kree]

I'd argue that particular storyline, while passable in a vacuum, showcased, in the treatment of Galactus, how Aaron would later behave with Thor and Odin. Galan is, simply put, out of character; his stated motives for coming to eat Earth run directly counter to the friendship he shares with more than a few Earth based heroes (including Franklin Richards who we know will survive to the end times) and the promise he willingly made to spare the planet. Likewise Odin's characterization was revamped because otherwise he cannot be the foolish, senile tyrant to oppose Jane's progressive paragon.

I'd hazard the guess that, since in King Thor #4 Thor is poised to be the cause of the destruction and subsequent rebirth of the universe, Galactus, whose entire purpose in the cosmic order was exactly that, had to be removed by poisoning via Necrosword. To be honest I'm glad Cates' upcoming run, Immortal Hulk, and History of the Marvel Universe (where Galan lives and is in the process of achieving his role) have relegated that future to alternate timeline and thus separated it from 616 Galactus altogether.

Galactus suffers from the same issues as Thanos. They ignore his character development and nuances. Quite a few people think Galan doesn't have a character beyond busting planets.

[Frontier]

I feel like Aaron's run was a deconstruction that went on far too long. The mystery of the whisper went on too long and was unsatisfying, Jane concealing her identity went on too long. He spent so much time deconstructing Thor that he forgot he had to build him back up, and he did, but he did it in such a way that undermined his own story. Thor didn't feel like himself again until he got the hammer back. If he was trying to tell a story about toxic masculinity through thor, he missed the point. Aaron's thor is just as insecure as when he first became unworthy.

I think Aaron spent so much time building up Jane that he forgot to also do right by the character who's name she took on.

[Overhazard]

I think Aaron spent so much time building up Jane that he forgot to also do right by the character who's name she took on.

When Jane was Thor, she didn't do anything OG Thor wouldn't do. She acted just like him, so if Thor was his usual self, the fans would just say she's redundant, so Aaron had to amplify Thor's worst qualities so that she'd look better by comparison. Aaron made him into a fratboy defensive lineman who tore his acl before the big game. I hate Fratboy Thor. The meandering, the self loathing, the drinking, he was so despondent that he didn't even feel worthy of his own name so he gave it to Jane. Some say that made Thor more relatable, I don't see how.

[Intothevoid]

When Jane was Thor, she didn't do anything OG Thor wouldn't do. She acted just like him, so if Thor was his usual self, the fans would just say she's redundant, so Aaron had to amplify Thor's worst qualities so that she'd look better by comparison. Aaron made him into a fratboy defensive lineman who tore his acl before the big game. I hate Fratboy Thor. The meandering, the self loathing, the drinking, he was so despondent that he didn't even feel worthy of his own name so he gave it to Jane. Some say that made Thor more relatable, I don't see how.

That's one of the things that irks me with some people, not EVERYTHING needs to be relatable. Thor is an immortal Asgardian god, there is very little that makes him relatable to your average human. Obviously Thor has emotions like everyone else so we can relate to him in the way he goes through his relationships with his friends and lovers, we can all relate to happiness or loss on that level. But i don't want or need to see a god go around moping and whining about how he no longer feels like a God and how everything sucks... That just kills the character for me. There was certainly a better and more interesting way to explore a potential Unworthy Thor story line than what we had got.

[CaptainMar-Vell92 of the Kree]

When Jane was Thor, she didn't do anything OG Thor wouldn't do. She acted just like him, so if Thor was his usual self, the fans would just say she's redundant, so Aaron had to amplify Thor's worst qualities so that she'd look better by comparison. Aaron made him into a fratboy defensive lineman who tore his acl before the big game. I hate Fratboy Thor. The meandering, the self loathing, the drinking, he was so despondent that he didn't even feel worthy of his own name so he gave it to Jane. Some say that made Thor more relatable, I don't see how.

Stan Lee introduced the ''relatable'' thing with Spider-Man and it defined most of the other Marvel heroes as insecure individuals who see their powers as a curse rather than something Wonderful. Like when Ben Grimm in the early days of the FF kept whining about being turned into a rock monster.

The side effect of relatability in superhero comics was damaging the appeal of the more powerful and fantasy themed heroes. Take a shot every time you find a guy who thinks Superman is a boring Mary Sue.

[Frontier]

When Jane was Thor, she didn't do anything OG Thor wouldn't do. She acted just like him, so if Thor was his usual self, the fans would just say she's redundant, so Aaron had to amplify Thor's worst qualities so that she'd look better by comparison. Aaron made him into a fratboy defensive lineman who tore his acl before the big game. I hate Fratboy Thor. The meandering, the self loathing, the drinking, he was so despondent that he didn't even feel worthy of his own name so he gave it to Jane. Some say that made Thor more relatable, I don't see how.

It just feels weird to me that Aaron felt like he needed to make Thor more relatable and "unworthy" by amplifying his flaws or making him more "human" but that didn't stop him from making Jane such a paragon of heroism by contrast. Sure she had her cancer and her human side that made her "human," but compared to other Marvel protagonists she was as pure of heart and character as Steve Rogers.

I'm not trying to argue against that take for Jane, but the disparity in character portrayals is part of my issue with Aaron's handling of the mythos.

[your_name_here]

I still stand by that the whole thing could have been redeemable or “better” if the final fight was between Thor and Gorr. Thor had learnt, through Jane and his own experiences, what it means to be worthy again...and relifted the hammer. Thus, proving Gorr wrong and essentially defeating his greatest fear.
People may still have disliked the whole Thor/Jane stuff, but in-story it all would lead to a crescendo where Thor becomes a better hero/god than ever before. It all cements Gorr as the biggest Thor villain.

[CaptainMar-Vell92 of the Kree]

I still stand by that the whole thing could have been redeemable or “better” if the final fight was between Thor and Gorr. Thor had learnt, through Jane and his own experiences, what it means to be worthy again...and relifted the hammer. Thus, proving Gorr wrong and essentially defeating his greatest fear.
People may still have disliked the whole Thor/Jane stuff, but in-story it all would lead to a crescendo where Thor becomes a better hero/god than ever before. It all cements Gorr as the biggest Thor villain.

Gorr is just a darker and edgier version of Desak.

[Brice]

That's one of the things that irks me with some people, not EVERYTHING needs to be relatable. Thor is an immortal Asgardian god, there is very little that makes him relatable to your average human. Obviously Thor has emotions like everyone else so we can relate to him in the way he goes through his relationships with his friends and lovers, we can all relate to happiness or loss on that level. But i don't want or need to see a god go around moping and whining about how he no longer feels like a God and how everything sucks... That just kills the character for me. There was certainly a better and more interesting way to explore a potential Unworthy Thor story line than what we had got.

Seconded. Thor is a centuries old warrior god who has been killing and experiencing things that most people cannot even fathom. His teammates included. He should be the wisest, most well-adjusted member. Now, I am all for a little self-reflection and doubt now and then -- it builds character. But this? I don't know why they are doing this, but I want them to stop.

And don't even get me started on Odin...

[CaptainMar-Vell92 of the Kree]

Seconded. Thor is a centuries old warrior god who has been killing and experiencing things that most people cannot even fathom. His teammates included. He should be the wisest, most well-adjusted member. Now, I am all for a little self-reflection and doubt now and then -- it builds character. But this? I don't know why they are doing this, but I want them to stop.

And don't even get me started on Odin...

With the exception of Ewing, i think current Marvel authors don't know how to write epic fantasy characters.

[Brice]

With the exception of Ewing, i think current Marvel authors don't know how to write epic fantasy characters.

Yeah. I kinda like Odin and I wish to see a writer do right by him. He should be a uber powerful, but wise old god of wisdom, not some drunken washout moron who keeps getting humiliated at every turn.

[The Cool Thatguy]

With the exception of Ewing, i think current Marvel authors don't know how to write epic fantasy characters.

As much as I like Ewing, I think he too has some issues.

Lately, too many writers are concerned about being meta, 'Are Gods Gods or stories' (usually going with the second), undercutting the concept of, ya know, Gods.

Did God create man or Man create God can be an excellent story yes, but is a moot point in the MU, where Gods exist as fact and flesh

[hulkling]

As much as I like Ewing, I think he too has some issues.

Lately, too many writers are concerned about being meta, 'Are Gods Gods or stories' (usually going with the second), undercutting the concept of, ya know, Gods.

Did God create man or Man create God can be an excellent story yes, but is a moot point in the MU, where Gods exist as fact and flesh

I prefer something in between. The Asgardians were just aliens until the first Ragnarok. Then they became stories and ascended as gods.

[CaptainMar-Vell92 of the Kree]

I prefer something in between. The Asgardians were just aliens until the first Ragnarok. Then they became stories and ascended as gods.

Since when the asgardians from the 616 universe were aliens?