WOTN Review: Thor #2 (Marvel)

The Trials of Gods and Celestial Beings in Thor #2

The long-awaited Thor #2 is finally here, and fans have been discussing this issue. This new series has handed off control to a new creative team, and they’re already taking massive risks with Thor’s character. It’s an exciting time.

The latest run for Thor holds true to all of the recent changes that Thor has faced. He’s still deeply affected by the War of the Realms – physically and emotionally. The fallout is still evident everywhere you look. But as weird as it may sound, that’s a good thing. This sense of permanency has revitalized Thor’s character and given him more to cope and deal with.

If you’ve spent any time talking about comics online recently, then the odds are that you’ve had some of this spoiled for you. I know I had it spoiled for me, and I was a bit frustrated by that. But I have some good news! The spoiler part (that I saw, at least) is only the beginning of the issue, so there’s still a lot for fans to be surprised by!

Writing

I don’t know how, but Donny Cates has somehow managed to up the ante again in Thor #2. I can’t help but feel like this is a plot he’s been chomping at the bit to do for quite some time because it is so polished – yet certainly still has teeth.

So, as I mentioned above, the intro to this issue has been all over the internet. (Spoiler warning) I had seen so many posts talking about Thor killing off the DC universe (while avoiding looking at the images myself). Honestly? That summary doesn’t do justice to what actually happened. What we were given is actually much subtler and more complex. Is it still obvious what happened? Yeah, but only if you follow DC enough to get the references.

What that scene did, though, was set the stage. Thor is facing something so big and terrifying here that it’s almost impossible to truly grasp. That opening scene defined the risk – and cost – of failure. So, while heavy-handed, it served a purpose. And it did it well.

Okay, I’m moving on from that spoiler, so you’re safe. The rest of Thor #2 was a surprising mix. Seeing Thor’s latest struggle has been fascinating, all the more so because of the new tasks and complications thrown at his door.

As a reader unsure how to feel about the changing of the guard, so to speak, I have to confess that I’m already really enjoying this new series. I can’t wait to see where this latest twist will lead.

Art

The best way to describe the artwork for Thor #2 is epic. The introductory sequence is on such a grand scale, showing a cosmic force of unbelievable proportions. It was truly epic, and if we’re being honest here, striking.

The rest of this issue also featured brilliant artwork, with Thor at the helm, as per usual. He’s taking on new challenges, and that resulted with some interesting fights and scenes this time around. It was a visually stunning issue to behold.

Nic Klein was the lead artist for this issue, with Matt Wilson providing the colors, and VC’s Joe Sabino doing the lettering. Together they’ve created something out of this world – literally. The scenes are fascinating, the colors stunning. It’s all perfect.

Conclusion

Thor #2 was a fascinating issue, much more than the spoilers promised. That’s saying something if you ask me. It proves that sometimes you need a scene in context to appreciate what is going on.

This issue put Thor in another new and unique circumstance while pulling old elements (and fan favorites) to the forefront. And I don’t know about you, but I am very much looking forward to seeing what happens next.

This review was originally written for Word of the Nerd, but has been ported over to Quirky Cat’s Fat Stacks now that the site has shut down.

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