The Consequences Are Heavy in Thor #7
Thor has gone through so much in recent years – both in the comics and movies. And from the looks of things, his journey is far from over. Thor #7 is about to bring even more change and surprises.
Let’s be honest; it has been a hot minute since somebody other than Jason Aaron wrote for Thor. That made Donny Cates stepping up an interesting moment, with everyone waiting to see what he would do.
Seven issues in, it’s still clear that Cates is having fun with the character and doing his best to develop new and unique plots. The latest series has been taking a lot of risks, and yet they all seem to feel right for the character. That includes this most recent twist.
Writing
Thor #7 is the first issue in a new plot arc, starting with a bang. Almost literally, as the case may be. It looks like we’re in for another crazy ride, proving again that Thor can’t catch a break.
Granted, lots of breaks would make his series mighty dull. And this issue is anything but. It’s packed to the brim with commentary about everything happening and a little more. References to prior events galore, naturally.
Despite the overall heavier plot tone, there’s also a surprising amount of humor to be found here. It breaks the tension and allows everything to flow smoothly overall, making it easier to read.
While there’s no doubt that this issue references many events from Thor’s past (not to mention several other characters), so far, the series continues to be approachable to new fans as well. Almost every reference is explained, even if only briefly. And when it isn’t explained, it’s easy to follow via context. So do not let the history scare you away.
Art
The artwork inside Thor #7 is impressively done and, on more than one occasion, really does carry the plot. The artistic team did an excellent job of sneaking in subtle moments, all while sticking to classic elements that make Thor’s series what it is.
Aaron Kuder (artist), Matt Wilson (colorist), and VC’s Joe Sabino (letterer) all worked together to bring this adventure to life. And boy, did they succeed on that count. This issue portrays many characters and locations, all feeling distinct and almost alive.
In fact, the emotions shown in this issue seem to almost pop right off the pages. Not just Thor’s but the secondary and guest characters as well. At times, it’s done to increase the tension of a moment, but at other times, it is clearly designed for the sake of humor. It’s the perfect balance, no matter how you look at it.
When portraying the God of Thunder, the colors are vibrant, as they should be. Or an ally he feels like messing with, as the case may be. I loved how the color palettes seemed to change depending on the scene; it made the transitions sharp and clear.
Conclusion
Thor #7 began yet another arc for Thor, and it did so with style. It blended many thematic elements in Thor’s latest few runs, but it did so uniquely. The writing uses those moments as building blocks, cleverly combining them as a foundation for something more. And yet, I am strongly looking forward to seeing where this latest arc will go. It will be hard to predict, and that makes it all the better.
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.
Quirky Cat’s Fat Stacks | Quirky Cat’s Comics | The Book Review Crew | Monkeys Fighting Robots | Storygraph | Bookhype | Bookstagram | Twitter | Tumblr | Reedsy
Quirky Cats Comics 
Leave a comment