Thor: Who Holds the Hammer?, Jason Aaron et al

Normally I would list all the creators working on a particular comic, but there’s seven listed on the front and nine on the back.

This is a bit of a bitty comic, which annoyed me. There’s a couple of issues dealing with the ongoing story, but there’s also a lot of extra stuff — a short one about Thor sometime way in the future, a side story with Thor’s friends, one about Thor having a drinking contest, and then a “what if” about Jane Foster finding Mjolnir originally. That last one is especially difficult if you’re not familiar with Thor’s canon, because it really requires comparison with the original/referenced issues of Thor. (And it ends kind of weirdly, with Odin marrying Jane after Thor goes off with Sif.)

There are some awesome bits, like when the All-Mother gathers a whole army of women (plus the original Thor) to back the new Thor up in a fight. The fight between the All-Father and the All-Mother continues, and Frigga continues to hold her own and demand respect. And of course, there’s Thor going up against the Destroyer.

But, with all the extras, it didn’t feel like a satisfying progression. The main question it answers is a simple one: “Who is Thor?” Which… wasn’t a surprise to me, at all. And then it just leads into Secret Wars, which I’m not all that interested in, although most of the comics I follow are having tie-in issues. Ah, well.

Also, will someone please give the male Thor a shirt?

Rating: 3/5

Ms Marvel: Crushed, G. Willow Wilson, Mark Waid, Takeshi Miyazawa, Elmo Bondoc, Humberto Ramos

Ms Marvel continues to be fun and cute, though I have to say this volume felt pretty fragmented. First there’s the Loki stuff, then a brief dodge back to the Inhumans plot, and then to an unrelated incident in Kamala’s school. Kamala’s geekiness and enthusiasm is still awesome, and the glimpses into her interactions with her family, but with the first bit dealing with Agent of Asgard stuff and the last dealing with SHIELD stuff (Coulson! <3)… I felt that the Inhumans plot was the only thing of substance, and it was over so fast.

I like most of the art in this volume, but the Loki section definitely isn’t my favourite style. And despite not being that fond of Wolverine/X-Men in general, I kind of miss that weird mentor relationship he had with Kamala in book two — there’s no sign of him!

It feels weird to me the way comic and movie-verse are collapsing together. This seems to fit in with what I know of Agents of SHIELD canon; does that mean it fits into the MCU too? Does that mean young!Loki is going to be a thing? Sometimes I long for the simplicity of a book series you can just read in order.

Rating: 3/5

Thor: The Goddess of Thunder, Jason Aaron, Russell Dauterman, Jorge Molina

This version of Thor is really fun. I’m not really Thor’s biggest fan, either in the MCU or in the comics; give me half a chance and I can give you a whole list of examples why Steve Rogers should wield the hammer instead of Thor, or at least be able to. (I would also be happy with Sif or Freyja, two possibilities that Thor considers in this volume.) But this version got my attention because of the decision to give another character the powers of Thor. Now, I’ve read the spoilers, so the hints here at the reveal aren’t for me to judge, but there are some hints.

I think if there was a female author at the helm of this comic, the angry reactions would have been even more prevalent. It explicitly takes on “damn feminists are ruining everything” and makes a joke of it; it challenges the assumption that Asgard needs the All-Father by having Freyja stand up to him, declaring herself the All-Mother; Thor absolutely wallows in self-pity; Hel, Mjolnir takes on whole new life in the Goddess of Thunder’s hands. How much must male rights activists hate this?

I think it’s pretty well done, though. The art is gorgeous, and it captures a lightness of heart and goofiness that always improves Thor’s reception with me. I love that the new Thor revels in her powers, that she enjoys learning to wield them. For all that it’s taking a bunch of traditionally masculine things and putting them in the hands of women, and it hangs a lampshade on that every so often, the fun is certainly not lost.

Rating: 4/5