X-Men: Asgardian Wars

Recent posts of some of the artwork done in this collection from Arthur Adams is what persuaded me after all this time to dig it out and finally read it. This trade paperback collects X-Men and Alpha Flight #1-2, New Mutants Special Edition and X-Men Annual #9. The Norse god of mischief, Loki is the villain behind all of these stories. 

In X-Men and Alpha Flight, Loki offers both teams of mutants the chance of a lifetime- to finally be human. Of course, both teams don't realize that it's Loki who's working behind the curtains. So at first, most of the heroes are eager at the chance at being normal; especially characters like Cyclops, Puck and Nightcrawler, whose mutant abilities and appearances make any chance at a normal life impossible. Obviously, Wolverine smells a rat and some of the Alpha Flight team don't want to lose what makes them individuals. Thus, when things don't go perfectly, Loki reveals himself and has a massive hissy fit!

New Mutants Special Edition starts off with the newest generation of gifted mutants enjoying a day at the beach. At this point in time, Storm of the X-Men, has lost her powers. Yet, she valiantly leads the New Mutants with bravery and bravado. This very much intrigues Loki who kidnaps Ororo. While under her spell, Loki offers her all the powers of a god, as long as she'll become his betrothed. 

The New Mutants are dispersed all through Asgard and placed in ideal situations in hopes that the youth will enjoy their new surroundings and forget the whole thing about their teacher getting taken. It seems to work at first. But as memories of their past on earth start breaking through, the teens manage to find themselves. But the collective whole of the New Mutants just isn't enough to take on Loki and his newly juiced up bride-to-be Storm!

The New Mutants story continues in the X-Men annual. Somehow the X-Men have been alerted to Loki's plot and still angry over the Norse deity's actions with Alpha Flight, the mutants are looking for payback.

Chris Claremont penned all 3 stories. They're reflections of his skill as a writer as well as his annoying tendency to turn mutant tales into soap opera fodder. Paul Smith and Bob Wiacek were the artists on the X-Men and Alpha Flight. Adams penciled the New Mutants story and the annual. While Smith and Wiacek's art was good, Art Adams work was light years ahead. Let's face it, Adams is a master and if he only had a body of work that equalled Kirby or Ditko, he'd be a serious contender for Mount Rushmore of Artists contention. 

A good collection of stories. Some of your favorite Asgardians guest stars in these pages. But no appearance from everyone's favorite. That's right; Beta Ray Bill is nowhere in sight. Neither is this golden haired impostor named Thor.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Essential Thor Volume 5

I'm not really as big of a fan of the cosmic Thor stories. The ones I adore are those that delve into Norse myth or are the run-of-the-mill tussles with super powered baddies. I'm not sure why that is. But I really hated Thor: The Dark World and if it wasn't for the humor and use of the Asgardian goddess, Hela, I probably would've hated Thor: Ragnarok too!

Speaking of Ragnarok. The end of Asgard occurs at least twice in this book. One sees the fall of Odin. The other occurrence is a reprinting of a classic Stan Lee/Jack Kirby foretelling of the end of all things. 

Gerry Conway, one of my all-time favorite Superman creators, pens all of the original stories. Some instances were very good. But Conway sends Thor and company into space quite a bit in this huge 500 page plus volume. So, it was difficult to enjoy this collection thoroughly. 

I really got a kick out of the Marvel/DC crossover. Yes, 4 actual characters from the DC universe crossover into Marvel territory in a two-parter some 5 years before the Man of Steel will meet The Amazing Spider-Man. For some, this crossover might seem that much of a big deal. But if you were an avid reader of Justice League of America and The Brave and the Bold around 1968-1972, you'll get a kick out of the appearance of several minor but oh so import figures in DC history. 

Oh, wait, now that I think of it, there were 5 characters who crossed over!

The art by Sal Buscema, his brother John , Len Wein and others was amazing stuff. It's interesting how much the characters change when crafted by other artists and yet they still manage to look iconic too! 

An enjoyable read of Thor stories. However, it's just not my favorite collection of them either. With only 1 Marvel Essential collection of Thor stories, I am thinking that I am not going to ever get to the Walt Simonson era. I guess I am going to have to start looking for color collections or possibly start collecting Thor single issues in order to get to that and close out the Odinson's original series of tales.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Thor: First Thunder

Relive the first year of Thor's return to earth in this 5-issue collection from Marvel. In terms of an origin story, there's not much being rebooted. But there's not much being rehashed to where I felt that I had read this story before. 

The real crux of this story is the relationship between Donald Blake and Thor. It answers a nagging question that I have had about Thor and Blake for a very long time- where does Blake go when Thor is summoned and vice-versa? 

Donald Blake's love-affair with Jane Foster is another key element that has matured somewhat in this retelling of Thor's origin. It's not that insipid soap opera drivel that Stan and Jack did back in the 1960s. Of the many things Stan Lee could do well, writing a love story wasn't one of them...

The one thing about this book that I had trouble with was the art. Or maybe it's the inks. Heck it could be both. Tan Eng Huat (Legion: Sox of X) is the artist. I admire some of his subtle nuances, like having Donald Blake's bad leg be atrophied. But when it came to noses, the artist gives everybody the same one- a long green bean of a thing. And for some reason, Huat liked to draw faces where you can see up their nose. 

The last quarter of the book is inked by a different person other that Huat ,who for the most part does double duty. The new inker's stuff looks much cleaner and more in the style of John Bryne or Sal Buscema. I like it better as the Huat pencils which also tend to look blurry. That would be okay for action scenes, but even the static ones look out of focus.

A good story with art and inks that need polish. 

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars.

The Astonishing Thor

The God of Thunder senses a cosmic force putting undue stress upon Midgard. These emanations remind Thor of an old flame, the celestial being Zephyr and the Asgardian seeks to stop her wraith upon the earth. While Thor locates Zephyr, he discovers that she is as much as a pawn in this astronomical event as he is.

The entire universe is in peril as the living planet, Ego has learned that he has a brother, Alterego! But this will not be a joyful reunion as both planets want to be the only child. Thanks to the prodding of the mysterious Stranger, who seeks to test out whether nature can survive future, it will take more as Asgardian willpower for Thor to save all of existence.

  This 2011 miniseries wasn't very well received when it first came out. That's probably why I found this book for a steal at my local comic book store. I've seen dozens of the collected hard back edition at so many used book shops that I have started to lose count.

  Honestly, I think the problem is that the cosmic adventures of Thor are his weakest. Case in point is the film Thor: The Dark World. It's got the worst rating on Rotten Tomatoes of any Marvel film made since 2000. I've gotta admit, I feel asleep during it. Thor may be a cosmic being but he belongs on terra firma.

Another problem with this book is the visuals. The artwork by Mike Choi is quite visually stunning with its watercolored effect. But on at least more than one instance, the art is actually recycled. That's unacceptible and really a trick that you only expect from fledgling independent publishers not a powerhouse like Marvel.

A good Thor story that's not without it's problems. I liked it but it's not going to be a keeper in my ever-growing collection.

Worth Consuming

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

 

Thor: Season One

Sometimes I get really lucky and I find a book that I've been wanting somewhere for a steep discount. That was the case here with Thor: Season One. My library had carried a couple of the books from this Marvel series that recounts the origins of some of it's most popular character's while giving them a modern twist and I enjoyed them.  Plus, I've really been getting into Thor a lot and he's grown into one of my favorite characters. So, to find this hardcover for less than $7- oh I had to jump on it!

   Here we learn what exactly got Thor in trouble with his father Odin, resulting in the Asgardian's exile to earth. We also see the early formations of the Warriors Three and experience Loki's discovery of his true heritage. But what really interested me in this story was the dynamic between Thor in his human persona of Dr. Donald Blake and his partner, Jane Foster.

   In this story, Jane is Don's equal. Both are doctors and together, they start a clinic right as Blake begins to uncover the truth of his past as Thor. Jane even knows Blake is Thor. Yet, every time Thor took over instead of Donald Blake, I kept hoping it would hurry up so we could get back to the good stuff. Yes, Donald Blake's ho-hum life as a crippled doctor was just that much more interesting to me and that my friends is a sign of great writing under the Marvel Comics banner.

   Matthew Sturges, whose work I've enjoyed in the pages of Vertigo's House of Mystery and Blue Beetle, is a master at back stories. He makes the person behind the capes and superpowers so engaging and so intriguing. That's exactly what Stan Lee did when he created the Marvel Universe over 50 years ago and I can tell from this book, that someone took notes and kept with the time-honored formula.

   The Season One books were all published in 2013. Now three years later and with Marvel's reboot of its entire universe for the first time ever, I doubt seriously that we'll ever see a Thor: Season Two. But this book was a masterpiece and is a classic that shouldn't be ignored. No matter how much you think you know the story of Thor, this book with art by Pepe Larraz (Star Wars: Kanan) will make the Norse gods new to you once again!

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Thor, Volume 2: Who Holds the Hammer? (Marvel NOW!)

 

  The saga of the female Thor continues in volume 2. The new hero has yet to give up her war against Roxxon and the Dark Elf, Malekith, who are divvying up the mineral rights to all of the nine realms. But Thor's most recent attack may have upset a clandestine SHIELD investigation by Agent Roz Solomon.

     Meanwhile, the Odinson is still seeking to discover the real identity of Lady Thor. With list in hand, the former God Of Thunder will revisit some old flames, ancient foes, and some painful memories.

    I am enjoying the new take on Thor. Essentially, the original Thor is still the same prideful powerhouse he once was, only he is without his ability to control the elements and his hammer, Mjolnir. But the title is called Thor and really the woman who now bears that title really shares the book almost equally with the Odinson.  I don't mind this. But I am surprised that more fans of the popular title haven't cried foul about it.
    
  One interesting thing about the change of Thor's is that it is hinted that Odinson might not even be the first God of Thunder. He certainly hasn't been the last what with Beta Ray Bill and Thunderstrike temporarily wielding Thor's hammer in the past. (By the way, if you have yet to learn who the new Thor is, you will get your answer by book's end.)

     Included in this volume is Thor Annual #1. It features a classic version Thor adventure, a first meeting between the Warriors Three and the new Thor, along with a tale of the Highfather Thor and his granddaughters. (Could this mean a return of Odinson to the mantle of Thor or does this take place in an alternate timeline?)

    Speaking of alternate time streams, this edition closes with a classic issue of one of my All-time favorite series from the late 70s. But I don't want to expound too much on just what is contained in the classic reprint least I give away the female Thor's true identity to those readers still not in the know.

    A good book that is in a sort of limbo for me as the Marvel reboot storyline Secret Wars takes place next. I really have no idea when I may return to this book since the Secret Wars series has yet to be completed due to numerous and lengthy delays.

    Worth Consuming

    Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Thor, Volume 1: The Goddess of Thunder (Marvel Now!)

 This is it! The most controversial storyline of the second half of 2014! When Super spy Nick Fury whispers a secret into Thor's ear, it causes him to drop the hammer Mjolnir and become unworthy to possess it. As the entire Asgardian populace is also unable to lift the hammer, the hammer rests where it fell on the surface of the Moon. But then a stranger comes along and picks up the hammer and thus begins the reign of Thor- Goddess of Thunder!

   Many fans cried foul when they saw that Thor was going to become a woman. I was one of those voices. But it wasn't sexism against a woman being Thor as that I am in the camp of instead of changing our beloved superheroes, create new characters. Well, after reading the first five issues of this new series, I changed my vote from nay to yea because at least 2 new characters have been created within the scope of this storyline.

   The first new character is Thor, the Goddess of Thunder. Though it's been spoiled within the past couple of months as to who she really is when this book first dropped, there was a list of suspects about as long as this book. (Though the clues are there as to who this Thor really is. Just focus on her internal monologues and you'll figure it out pretty quick.)

   This Thor wears a war mask, so it hides her faces. Also for some reason, the magics of Asgard cannot see who she is when she changes back from being Thor. This Thor can also make Mjolnir sing and do incredible feats. The hammer seems to talk to her and though she must maintain a physical contact with the hammer, the new Thor is not limited to only 60 seconds away from the hammer like her predecessor was.

   Speaking of the old Thor, he too has become a new character- Odinson. His presence is very much felt in this book and thankfully, they didn't kill him off. But now more humble, more determined, and a little weaker, the old Thor still has his birth name but no longer his birthright.

   The combined team of Jason Aaron and Russell Dauterman have made the characters of Asgard fresh and even more interesting and that's an impressive feat considering some of these characters are thousands of years old. Sprinkle in some Ice Giants, Malekith the Dark Elf, the mega-corporation Roxxon, and a newly returned Odin and you've got an action-packed set of five issues. However, if you've been just reading the trades and are confused by the return of Odin and Roxxon's discovery of a giant skull, you are not alone.

   Volume 4 of Thor: God of Thunder stopped at issue #24. But there was an issue #25 before that series was cancelled. Why it wasn't included in Volume 4 is beyond me. So, I'm on the hunt for that issue in hopes of bridging some important plot gaps.

    I really enjoyed this volume and though I hope the original Thor will get his hammer back, I look forward to some new adventures with the Goddess of Thunder. The art in a couple of areas is a little rough with the over-sized sound effects. Sometimes, it got so crowded, I couldn't figure out what was going on and who was doing it. But for the story itself, it's fresh, fun, and full of mystery.

   A masterful work by Marvel who got it right for a change.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Thor: God of Thunder, Volume 4: The Last Days of Midgard (Marvel NOW!)

   The days of Asgard on earth are numbered when Roxxon declares war on Thor after he assists SHIELD in shutting down one of the corporation's illegal operations. After a small absence from the earth, Thor returns to Broxton Oklahoma only to find that the big business has bought up the entire town, evicted it's residents, and covered the city in smog and  pollution. Thor can normally deal with any sort of physical assault, but he's never dealt with an army of slimy corporate lawyers before. How will the god of Thunder survive on the battlefield known as the US Court of Appeals?

    Meanwhile, in the distant future, King Thor makes one last stand for planet earth when Galactus arrives to feed on its desolate husk. When the old god seeks assistance with a damned sword it will take combined might of his three granddaughters to save his soul. However, when a forbidden tome is unearthed in the libraries of Asgard, it appears that the present-day Thor's time of being worthy to wield Mjolnir are coming to a close.

   This exciting issues for many changes for the god of thunder as well as the entire realm of Asgard. Frigga, the Warriors Three, Jane Foster, and Ulik contribute in a story that feels a lot like a swan song for the god of Thunder. There's even a small glimpse of the female Thor that's been a controversial subject as of late. Oddly, the only major player not involved in this story is Loki for some reason and that's weird because he's been such a presence in the story of Thor since the very beginning.

  I'm sure he'll rear his ugly head sometime soon before the reign of the new Thor ends.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Guardians of the Galaxy, Volume 2: Angela (Marvel NOW!)

  I've got to get my hands on the crossover event 'Infinity.' With completing volume 2 of Guardians, that will make it 4 'Infinity' tie-ins that I have read. If there's one thing I can tell you about that storyline is that I know Thanos is involved and he has his sights set on earth. Other than that, I am at a loss as to what that series really is about.

   Marvel's done a fantastic job getting just about every one of their series to tie-in together. The bullpen of the 2010s have built upon Lee and Kirby's philosophy established during the Marvel Age of Comics in the 1960s and exceeded that vision to the Nth degree. Events in this volume relate to important storylines in the various Marvel NOW! Avengers titles as well as Iron Man. I give major kudos to the editors at the House of Ideas for keeping all of these threads straight. I know I've would've made a few knots if that was all up to me.

  In this volume, the bounds of reality have continued to crack throughout the Marvel Universe. Star-Lord is plagued by a terrible vision of all his possible realities and now he seeks out his biggest enemy for answers. Meanwhile, the rest of the Guardians attempt to exercise some R & R  but when an Asgardian princess from an alternate universe that shouldn't exist attempts to kill Gamora, the most dangerous woman in the universe, it's back to business as usual. For the Guardians, that means rescuing SWORD from the clutches of Thanos' armies and eventually saving the earth from the Mad Titan himself.

    'Angela' sees the end of Iron Man's tenure with the team. But I suspect that with the appearance of the assassin of Asgard, the Guardians are going to have a new teammate albeit probably only for a short while. Having two deadly women on one team will make for some killer moments but eventually there's only going to be room for one alpha female.

   The art is dynamic and it matches the might of this action-packed volume. The array of variant covers is stunning as well. But I must say that as an EC Comics fan, I just adore the Weird Science variant covers the most.

   Now to get my hands on that Infinity book I mentioned earlier...

  Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.
 

Thor: The Dark World

I was thoroughly disappointed with this film. The film movie was excellent and while very little took place in Asgard, I think director Kenneth Branagh did a fantastic job of making the movie seem mystical and ancient all at the same time. This sequel was lacking that leadership and it showed from the very beginning.

I DVR’d this movie and during the first scene, I was pretty sure I accidently recorded Lord of the Rings. Not only that, for a while, I was pretty sure that whoever made this movie thought this film was LOTR or the Hobbit. The scenes of Asgard looked like someone was using the sets created for Rivendell and the costumes of the Asgardian warriors looked like that of the elves in the Two Towers. The first Thor film seemed to be a unique part of the Marvel Universe but that cohesion and ambiance was sorely lacking here.

While most of the cast of the first film are in the sequel, their use is squandered too! The great Christopher Eccleston of Doctor Who fame was the main baddie, the Dark Elf Malekith. However, over ¾ of his screen time is spoken in Elven gibberish and his powerful British voice is lost between reciting them and me trying to read the subtitles. When he does speak English, it’s not for very long and I’m pondering “Why is he speaking English now and not for the reason of the freakin’ movie?”

Then we’ve got the Warriors Three and Lady Sif, the most loyal friends of Thor. Sif is used mostly for the unrequited love angle. It’s paltry for someone of her caliber, especially since she kicked major booty in the first film and an episode of Agents of SHIELD last year. Then we’ve got Volstagg who for some reason is absent from important battle scenes at the beginning of the film. I know he’s a bit of a wimp but it’s not address whether he was cowering in a corner or stuck home babysitting his massive brood of young’uns. Lastly, there’s Hogun who leaves Thor’s group after his people are freed from slavery. Ok- I get that the actor who played him probably had other commitments and you had to write Hogun out. But during the climatic scenes between Thor and Malekith, why is Hogun’s face flashed for like 2 seconds and never addressed again.

Perhaps the character most underused is Loki who spends half of the film locked in an Asgardian jail cell. Things do get a little more exciting when Loki and Thor team up to defeat Malekith, with some great sibling rivalry and banter. But it takes forever for that dream team to ever form!

It’s pretty bad when the most interesting characters in a movie about Norse ‘gods’ are the humans. Jane Foster played by Natalie Portman is okay. She’s the romantic angle and sometimes her lines are pure drivel. But when she becomes infected with an ancient cosmic power called the’ Aether’ she does some serious damage. But it’s her former mentor and intern who really make this story interesting. They add a much needed boost of humor and are more interesting in their humdrum lives than the characters of Odin and Frieda (the parents of Thor.)

The cosmic adventures of Thor are some of his most interesting and vital to the DC Universe. But, there’s a disconnect somewhere. The first movie established that the Asgardians were aliens but they were still ancient like the legends of old. Here, it’s like Star Wars meets Excalibur and I just don’t think it works.

With a slow plot, drastically altered set designs, poor story editing, and more subtitles than a Russian film festival, Thor the Dark World is just that, in the proverbial dark compared to the other films in the Marvel film series. That’s really tragic if you ask me, since Thor and Loki are such great characters. If you make a three movie, I urge Marvel to not use Alan Taylor as your director. Get Branagh back. He obvious had a clear understanding and respect for the source material.

  I was upset that I missed this movie in theatres. I was disappointed when I missed renting or buying it OnDemand. But, now after I’ve seen the finished product, I’m actually glad I didn’t waste my money on this. Now, if only I could get a refund on the 2 hours I wasted watching this train wreck.

Not Worth Consuming

Rating: 3 out of 10 stars.

Fred Hembeck Destroys the Marvel Universe #1

  This book came out in 1989 and I wasn’t sure what to make of it. As a kid, one of the highlights of collecting Marvel Comics were the awesome Fred Hembeck cartoons that would occasionally be sprinkled in select issues. He also had a rotating segment in Marvel Age: the official Marvel magazine that was pretty funny. But some of his humor was contained of inside jokes that unless you were older and really knew about the goings on of the comics industry, you wouldn’t understand.

 I found this book recently in a bargain bin and since it was cheap and I remember owning it as a kid, I decided to make it a part of my collection again.

  In this one-shot, Hembeck crafts a tale in which Death is tasked with killing off all of the characters of the Marvel Universe in one day. Nobody is safe from Hembeck’s poison pen. Lawn work becomes Ant-Man’s biggest nightmare while Asgard succumbs to the metal sounds of Ragnorok & Roll music. Daredevil learns the difference between a sigh and a sai while the X-Men face their most dangerous foes ever- Ninja Sentinels!

  The book is absurd but it’s really fun. The art is classic Fred Hembeck- cartoony and I suspect with everyone’s bulbous eyes and oval heads, an influence on Matt Groening’s Simpsons. As the cover says, this romp is a ‘Marvel Massacre’ but I didn’t feel that my time, money, or intelligence was victims to Hembeck’s skewed view of the Marvel Universe.

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Last Hero Standing #4

With Loki finally identified as the instigator of the Last Hero Standing war, a small group of heroes led by Captain America venture to Asgard to seek the help of Thor.

This chapter is awesome. The scenes of Asgard in the future are breathtaking and how Asgard would be governed and ruled in the future is smartly plotted. Plus, you can see glimpses of the foundation that was to be laid for the Thor revival and movie that came out a couple years after this mini.

A very good chapter that is full of great art, storytelling, and butt-kicking action.

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars

Marvel Fanfare #37

A little Asgardian Algebra. There are 3 Warriors Three. Each got their own issue of Marvel Fanfare. Yet, this is chapter 4? How’d that happen?

Well, the answer is with chapter four, the trio finally groups up and is joined by loyal fellow warrior, Thor to bring an end to Loki’s mischief. With the fate of Asgard in their collective hands, reader’s of this conclusion are in for an exciting ride.

With a very funny ending splash page, this Warriors Three epic was in a word…EPIC. Fantastic art. Amazing watercolors.

Plus, this issue concludes with a time-bending story featuring Mr. Fantastic. Essentially it's the film Multiplicity only about 8 years earlier It’s a very funny classic.

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Marvel Fanfare #36

Chapter 3 is devoted to the dashing Fandril, whose been tasked to save the groom-to-be by taking him to a magical island inhabited only by celibate ladies devoted to an Asgardian goddess. Of the 3 chapters thus far, this issue probably has the most character depth to it. There’s actual consequences to his lusty actions and it helps this issue just ooze pathos.

Featuring still more fantastic Charles Vess art, this issue is Worth Consuming.

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Marvel Fanfare #35

Grim Hogun stars in chapter 2 of the Warriors Three tale. What’s unique about this tale is that it’s pretty much chapter one (MFF #34) but in the perspective of the mother as opposed to the bride-to-be. It’s a little like Run Lola, Run and this came first- so that’s pretty awesome.

 

Artist Charles Hess’ artwork continues to stun. It’s quintessential Warriors Three. Excellent Stuff.

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Marvel Fanfare #34

Fanfare #34 is devoted entirely to the opening chapter of a Warriors Three tale. The warriors must act alone in order to prevent Loki from keeping a doomed couple from getting married, least Ragnarok is unleashed on Asgard. The star of this chapter is the voluminous Volstagg.

It’s a very good story. Extremely clever and fun. The art is absolutely phenomenal. I loved every panel. This is one of those stories you just want to go on forever and thankfully Marvel decided to make this a 4-part story.

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars