A Battle of the Gods in Thor #4
Thor has been forced to deal with quite a lot in recent years, and it seems Thor #4 will continue that tradition. Here, we have a god who has lost an arm, gone through the trials (and loss) of worthiness, and even a War of the Realms. Now, he’s facing a completely different sort of threat.
One thing is certain: this latest run of Thor is not afraid to take risks. All while following an entirely new path. Determining where this path will lead in the long run is hard. But I, for one, am highly curious to find out.
Thor has become the King of Asgard for those who haven’t been keeping up, but his job certainly hasn’t ended there. Now, he’s a herald on top of everything else, racing against the clock. It’s just another day and battle for Thor. Or is it?
Writing
Thor #4 was an issue absolutely full of shocking twists and moments. In many ways, some of these moments have been hinted at since the very beginning of the series. But in other ways, there was no way for us to predict or prepare for what would happen.
Donny Cates has really run away with this series once given creative control. It makes me wonder how long he had been working on this plot. There’s no doubt that the core of this plot is truly epic, showing off a grand scale.
It would have to be following the War of the Realms. Yet it’s still impressive and shockingly full of raw power and emotion. And that’s not taking into account any of the secondary elements, such as the Loki subplot (which will hopefully be delved into further at a later point)
As things considered, I think my only disappointment about this series thus far is that they don’t seem to be keeping some of the biggest (physical) changes made to Thor. That’s a minor quibble, I know. It was also inevitable. But I personally loved the weight that those changes added. The sense of permanency.
Speaking of weight, this issue concludes with a heavy and somber tone. It’s a moment that will live on with fans for years, for good or bad. It was thematically appropriate, and yet it was still so intense and unbelievable at the same time. It will surely make the wait for the next issue all the more difficult.
Art
The artwork inside Thor #4 is truly impressive. It lives up to the epic and grand quality of the writing and plot. This issue had to portray massive scales of power, raw emotion, and massive destruction. Yet the artistic team did it all unflinchingly.
Nic Klein was the lead artist for this issue, providing the lines and inks that set the foundation for everything else. There was a real sense of gravity in how our characters moved – like you could almost feel their power coming off each character’s skin.
The expressions were another highlight in this issue, which I’m grateful for. Much was happening here, and much of it was raw and close to the surface. Thus, the ability to portray those emotions was vital.
Matt Wilson was the colorist for Thor #4, and they did a brilliant job as well. The colors went above and beyond to show us the power scale, which is easier said than done.
Finally, Matt Wilson provided the lettering, and their work carried us throughout the panels. Specifically, a few panels are worth checking out because of his work.
Conclusion
Thor #4 was an intense and thrilling read that brought about many changes and surprises. It’s hard to say how far-reaching the impact of what just happened will be. But I, for one, intend to stick around and find out.
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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