The Difference Between Being A Hero and A Valkyrie in Valkyrie #5
It’s safe to say that there’s been a bit of an adjustment period for Jane Foster. First, she was Thor, and now she’s Valkyrie. And Valkyrie #5 reminds us of all she’s been through – while showing us how much farther she still has to go.
The last we saw of Valkyrie, she had new allies on the horizon – a few of which were in danger. The issue was filled with cameos, which helped add to the credibility of her latest series. While also adding some extra tension. After all, the job of the Valkyries is to escort the dead to Valhalla..so…
Even with all of those ups and downs, something feels so right about the latest change to her character. In many ways, this is the plot her character has been building for years. And it’s nice to get a chance to see her shine.
Writing
Valkyrie #5 continued Jane Foster’s quest to improve her job (her words, not mine). But it’s so much more than that as well. She’s settling into the position, but mostly because she has to keep throwing herself head-first into danger. Learn by doing, right?
This issue bounced back and forth between highly tense moments and shockingly funny bits (thanks mostly to Mr. Horse and all of his glory). It was the right balance. A series that will potentially deal with so many deals has to find a way to level things out. And it seems like the creative team has found that balance here.
Al Ewing and Jason Aaron did a solid job writing about this issue. The threat was an interesting one – a clever counter to the work that she’s been doing. I love that they’re coming up with threats specific to Valkyrie (and her position) rather than just throwing the typical villain at her. Granted, in this case, it was a bit of both. But that’s okay.
Most importantly, they’re already building towards repeating issues for Valkyrie. Every true hero – whether or not they call themselves such – must have a repeat antagonist or two. And it seems like we might have found that for our Jane Foster here. Seeing how this plays out in the long run will be fantastic.
Art
As per usual, the artwork inside Valkyrie #5 is absolutely stunning. The creative team behind the series has a great grasp of what they can and need to show in this series. And the end result is something beautiful.
Cafu was the lead artist for this issue, providing the myriad of expressions and action scenes that have made this series what it is. Meanwhile, Jesus Aburtov provided the colors for this issue – hence all the brilliant colors that make the artwork come alive.
Finally, VC’s Joe Sabino did the lettering for this issue. His work is understated but exactly what the series needs. It tells the story but never gets in the way of the stunning artwork.
Honestly, my only complaint about this issue is the cover. I hope it isn’t the same quality, and dare I say it’s borderline clickbait-like in design? Without the phrase, it would actually probably be fine. But since it’s there…
Conclusion
Valkyrie #5 was a brilliant addition to Jane’s tale. I love where they’re taking her series. It’s been an intense and fascinating ride so far, and here’s hoping it doesn’t end anytime soon. This issue had the perfect balance of heavy and humor, which is really essential for this type of story.
And now I’m just left sitting here, looking forward to Valkyrie #6. Here’s hoping it holds up to the rest of the series.
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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