Originally Posted by
Panic
But Aaron has given us Thor in flashbacks, and he is much the same as Aaron writes the "depowered" Thor. Again, Aaron hasn't explored Thor Odinson, he's simply shaped him into the version he wants, imo.And what he's shown us is that Thor isn't much without his hammer, whilst a mortal manages to be everything Thor was and more. And he's stretched this out across years.
As others have said, the story of Jane with the hammer was actually quite compelling, but his short-changing of Thor and Odin has been pretty awful. Normally when a hero is separated from their weapon or power it is about reminding the reader that these things are not what makes them a hero, and it gives the writer a chance to show how clever, resourceful, and skilled the hero can be without his or her bag of tricks; Aaron has failed to do this to any meaningful extent.
Indeed it is a question of taste. I think Odin is one of the most interesting mythological figures, being smart, mysterious, cunning... Aaron's Odin is a punching-bag of backwards values, and seems emblematic of Aaron's imo chauvinistic view of Asgard. I can't see this Odin staying at the top, he's just too stupid and unlikable to follow, which will mean him being replaced permanently, probably by a ruler more like Simonson's Odin - because you need someone the reader respects if the hero is to follow their lead. There just isn't much mileage to be got out of Aaron's Odin.
Readers drift away from comics for a variety of reasons, suggesting Odin had to be dumbed-down into Aaron's version to be relevant is a big reach. Readers want the things they like to stay the same or get better - one of the reasons Simonson's Odin is popular with many in this thread is that he's an upgrade from Lee's version, with more mystery and magic to him.