Thor #5. Spoilerific review.

[Dr. Banner]

Well, I still find this book ''fun'', if only for having a new dynamic with the new Thor and beautiful art. The writing and the dialogue, though, are mediocre (and, sometimes, bad), but that's kind of expected with Aaron.

[Link]

Overall I enjoyed this issue and continue to enjoy Aarons run on Thor however there were a couple of things I didn't like. First being Titania, it seemed odd she was all about girl power, but whatever, I'll overlook that however She gave herself up and Thor still knocks her out?! That's not really heroic now is it? That's on the same line as police brutality. Second thing I didn't like and I knew it was inevitable for it to be brought up was Odin on the search for new Thors identity...ok hear me out, incoming rant.

I personally hate it when identities in comics are kept a secret from the reader for long periods of time. It gets drawn out and when the 'big reveal' finally happens, fans have already guessed the identity. Think Red Hulk and Mutant Zero. Next and final thing I didn't like was Odinson bringing up the whisper...same thing applies. These two mysteries are gimmicks, they're attempts to keep people interested in the story...You know what I say? Write a good story and leave out gimmicks like this. Going back to the identity and whisper mystery, it gets annoying and repetitive when someone brings it up and someone comes crashing through a window and interrupts them...these are story cliches and very tired ones at that.

Other than those three things I'm still on board, like I said I am enjoying Aarons run on Thor and I like the mythos hes left beind so far the art work has been pretty amazing for a long time too.

[EuphemismForSex]

Great issue. Why are people so miffed about Odin, the guys been a dick since Fear Itself (longer, but I remember FI at least). This seems right up his alley tbh.

[John Ossie]

since when has Titania been about girl power? She picks fights with She-Hulk all the time, and She-Hulk is one of Marvel's most girl power characters out there.

While I largely enjoyed the issue. And the run so far as a whole. That scene did bug me a little bit as well. Could've done without the preachy part as well, but I'll let that pass as it didn't take away my enjoyment of the issue as a whole lol.

[Darkspellmaster]

I'm going to have to take a look at that scene, because from what I've seen of Titania she's not at all the type to just give her self up. The more accurate way would have been having her slug Crusher with a harsh line like "Well that takes care of that jack..." then looking at Thor and smirking, while punching her fist to her palm, "Now let's see if that little hammer of yours really makes you worthy." Or maybe something like, "I don't care if you are a woman I'll still take you down." Something to indicate that, while she doesn't agree with Chrusher's view she's still not going to just up and surrender to just anyone, woman or not.

I'll have to get this issue when I pick up the rest of my books.

[Cinnamon]

Fourth wave feminism: the comic.

You lost me Jason.

[Kirby Krackle]

Fourth wave feminism: the comic.

You lost me Jason.

Third wave. There is no fourth.

[numberthirty]

So, I'm the only one whose issue had a second half of why Titania was throwing that fight?

[yet another]

Okay, so why is the new thor hanging out on the moon so much? has she had any time to go back to her civilian identity (whatever it is?)

I had the impression she was just about to switch back when Freyja appeared.

And the main character herself still has virtually 0 character development (other than the annoying continuation of her speaking in old english and thinking in modern). Even if you ignore his soapboxing, it feels like Aaron just doesn't have much of an idea where to take things.

I wouldn't say she has had 0 development, but it sure seems Aaron that plays the long game here and goes for a slower, organic character development. Which he can well afford to do since the book is already so full of previously known and well fleshed out characters.

[teepee]

I think this issue may have been it for me. It's bizarre just how wildly everyone's characters have shifted from last series to this one, even with the same writer. Basically, everyone except for Freya and the new Thor are complete dicks, which would be okay if they were at least entertaining also, but they are very dull, droll buffoons.

And the main character herself still has virtually 0 character development (other than the annoying continuation of her speaking in old english and thinking in modern). Even if you ignore his soapboxing, it feels like Aaron just doesn't have much of an idea where to take things.

This. I reckon Disney is trying wacky stuff out to see if it would make for a good movie. That's now the primary corporate function of the comics. Testbeds. We're a big focus group.

[Fokken]

Tremendous issue, yet again.

Thor continues to CRUSH. The art is tremendous, as per usual, and I say if people felt the dialogue was preachy(?), well PREACH ON, Preacher Man. Its funny.

<brushes off appointed soap box and nods>

People were wildly opposed to Thor's lady bits.
Why not address that same opposition within the story? Its not like it isn't true. Its not like these opinions don't exist.
I found it both entertaining and fitting.

[JKtheMac]

Some thoughts on the feminism in the context of the series.

Firstly we head into this issue with Thor God of Thunder having passed on his mantle to Thor Goddess of Thunder. Obviously anyone carrying the hammer is worthy but how is Jason Aaron reading the famous inscription? Is it only the 'Power of Thor' that is imbued by the hammer?

Over the course of the entirety of Thor comics what exactly happens when you pick up the hammer has changed, been retconned and generally played around with by the writers. This has led to very interesting stories and quite a complex knot to unravel when it comes to what the hammer can do. Clearly Jason Aaron wants us to reflect on this and he is using the feminine as a point of departure from previous stories.

Everything in this series hinges on the moment when Odin shouts at Freya "it is time you remembered your place". Our gods, even the Asguardian gods of Marvel, are a reflection of us. Their stories are about us. Odin the All-Father is a reflection on how the world used to be. Let’s put the whole quote out there:

"And You. The Fleeting age of the All-Mother has passed. Asgard will be again as it was for centuries.. With Odin alone above all. It is time you remembered your place in that world Freyja."

Her response, eyeing the hammer and talking to herself is "Yes... Perhaps it is."

She clearly sets a plan in motion but we are not fully aware what that plan is.

The next thing we see is the ‘S’ appear when the new Thor picks up the hammer. It doesn’t appear before, it is not there when others are attempting to lift the hammer, but it does appear as the new Thor picks it up.

Odin wrote that inscription, the hammer was forged to Odin’s specifications and the magic of the inscription is a working of Odin’s will. Clearly the S is a working of Freya’s Will. It is a defiant act and a clear statement on how she believes the future of Asgard should be. She has not rewritten the inscription, she has not totally gone against Odin’s will, she had added her own perspective to it.

As a feminist statement this is a subtle one. It is a statement aimed squarely at Odin. She is seeking to teach the god of men and the father of all, a lesson about his place. Is a patriarchal deity above every other god, or does he take his place alongside the matriarchal deity?

The outworking’s of this feminist point of departure are actually less preachy and less obvious than they might appear. For a start we have Absorbing Man. This isn’t an accidental choice, Absorbing man is tied to Asgardian lore. Loki gave him the power that he possesses, and his first major use of that power was to absorb the properties of the hammer. So his threat to Thor in this issue is both a real one and a challenge to the new Thor’s source of power. Thor’s increased control of the hammer is a direct answer to this challenge.

Now to Titania. For a start, how could Aaron resist using Titania in the lead up to Secret Wars? She was introduced in that series and very quickly established herself as Creel’s love interest. She was given a backstory loaded with female power issues. Admittedly in a clumsy 1980’s manner roughly contemporary with the era that Dazzler spent more time in the shower or in states of undress than on stage.

Titania was a kid picked on for being small, made tall and powerful by Doom. Comics are full of that crazy power fantasy thing, and Titania is straight out of that tradition. She is also tied to the Serpent story that Aaron is picking up the threads of. She was one of his ‘worthy’ picking up one of the seven hammers. If any female villain has an insight into what it means to be Thor it is her.

[Sea Hound]

Honestly, I thought it was the weakest issue so far in what's been otherwise a really good series.

I really thought Aaron spent far too much time self-justifying his choices, and the pontificating damaged the story. (Like Titania handing herself in admiration for lady Thor....really?). For me when writers address their critics more or less directly in the middle of fiction it completely shatters my suspension of disbelief.

The best way to answer all the unfair criticisms, (and some of them have been) would have been to write an amazing story. Like how G. Willow Wilson was faced with all sorts of aggression and accusations of pandering before a word of Ms Marvel was released and then wrote a smashing story which has been a big success.

Admittedly I've always hated having a heavy handed moral pushed down my throat in any sort of fiction; so Aaron has nailed one of my pet peeves.

[teepee]

Let's break it down

Bad stuff:
Clumsy feminism - Titania throwing a fight out of respect.
Thought bubbles - They are an outmoded device which reflect the inability to show the story through dialogue or visuals.
Bad characterisation - Lady Thor is a cypher. Odin is being stupid. Odin's brother - also a cypher.
Lady Thor - not a particularly good character idea in and of itself, though it may lead to some good stories so judgement reserved.

Good things
Good characterisation - Thor is in character and more interesting than usual. Ditto Sif
Odin - he's always been a tyrant. About time this was exposed.
Feminism - gender politics in Asgard are inherently quite interesting, although clumsy exposition may render that false.

All in all the bad outweigh the good at the moment and it feels like a corporate agenda to diversify the 1950s characters with half an eye on the movies (which itself may be no bad thing on other occasions, but not so much here.) But let's give it time.

[Ceebiro]

Some thoughts on the feminism in the context of the series.

Firstly we head into this issue with Thor God of Thunder having passed on his mantle to Thor Goddess of Thunder. Obviously anyone carrying the hammer is worthy but how is Jason Aaron reading the famous inscription? Is it only the 'Power of Thor' that is imbued by the hammer?

Over the course of the entirety of Thor comics what exactly happens when you pick up the hammer has changed, been retconned and generally played around with by the writers. This has led to very interesting stories and quite a complex knot to unravel when it comes to what the hammer can do. Clearly Jason Aaron wants us to reflect on this and he is using the feminine as a point of departure from previous stories.

Everything in this series hinges on the moment when Odin shouts at Freya "it is time you remembered your place". Our gods, even the Asguardian gods of Marvel, are a reflection of us. Their stories are about us. Odin the All-Father is a reflection on how the world used to be. Let’s put the whole quote out there:

"And You. The Fleeting age of the All-Mother has passed. Asgard will be again as it was for centuries.. With Odin alone above all. It is time you remembered your place in that world Freyja."

Her response, eyeing the hammer and talking to herself is "Yes... Perhaps it is."

She clearly sets a plan in motion but we are not fully aware what that plan is.

The next thing we see is the ‘S’ appear when the new Thor picks up the hammer. It doesn’t appear before, it is not there when others are attempting to lift the hammer, but it does appear as the new Thor picks it up.

Odin wrote that inscription, the hammer was forged to Odin’s specifications and the magic of the inscription is a working of Odin’s will. Clearly the S is a working of Freya’s Will. It is a defiant act and a clear statement on how she believes the future of Asgard should be. She has not rewritten the inscription, she has not totally gone against Odin’s will, she had added her own perspective to it.

As a feminist statement this is a subtle one. It is a statement aimed squarely at Odin. She is seeking to teach the god of men and the father of all, a lesson about his place. Is a patriarchal deity above every other god, or does he take his place alongside the matriarchal deity?

The outworking’s of this feminist point of departure are actually less preachy and less obvious than they might appear. For a start we have Absorbing Man. This isn’t an accidental choice, Absorbing man is tied to Asgardian lore. Loki gave him the power that he possesses, and his first major use of that power was to absorb the properties of the hammer. So his threat to Thor in this issue is both a real one and a challenge to the new Thor’s source of power. Thor’s increased control of the hammer is a direct answer to this challenge.

Now to Titania. For a start, how could Aaron resist using Titania in the lead up to Secret Wars? She was introduced in that series and very quickly established herself as Creel’s love interest. She was given a backstory loaded with female power issues. Admittedly in a clumsy 1980’s manner roughly contemporary with the era that Dazzler spent more time in the shower or in states of undress than on stage.

Titania was a kid picked on for being small, made tall and powerful by Doom. Comics are full of that crazy power fantasy thing, and Titania is straight out of that tradition. She is also tied to the Serpent story that Aaron is picking up the threads of. She was one of his ‘worthy’ picking up one of the seven hammers. If any female villain has an insight into what it means to be Thor it is her.

I'm going to thank you for this post. It's very well thought out and actually made me look at why Thor uses Thor-speak, when it would seem that she's not Asgardian.