By Jason Aaron, Russell Dauterman and Matthew Wilson
There are few comics that have come out in the past year that have been met with as much criticism as Thor #1. This mostly has to do with the gender swapping of the title character to a female lead and Thor being left powerless. Many have been vocal about their dislike for the change, but there are just as many who are intrigued. If anyone can make this work, it has to be Jason Aaron, who has done a bang up job on the title.
Even though the new Thor is on the cover, don’t be misled. This book is very much about Odinson and him coming to terms with the loss of his powers. Jason Aaron does a good job of showing Thor’s struggle and his desperation as he feverishly tries to lift his hammer. Aaron also lays a few mysteries as to who will be donning the new mantle, as there is a clear eyebrow raising panel featuring a familiar female. We do see a battle and there are some consequences from this that will have a lasting impact moving forward. Aaron really has become very good at writing many of these characters, and it clearly shows in this issue, especially with Odin returning to his old rude self. As the series progresses, it will be great to see how he writes this new character.
Russell Dauterman is a phenomenal talent and he is coming off some great work on Cyclops. His style works well for this series, but there are a few off panels. Dauterman shines on his very detailed close panels, such as Thor looking heart broken over his power loss. The colors are done by Matthew Wilson, which are good for the most part, but there are some odd color choices in certain panels that don’t seem to fit. While the art as a whole is very good, the most important thing to mention is that the last page looks amazing. Dauterman and Wilson did a great job hooking the reader for next month, which is extremely important. The art really helped the story this issue and will hopefully continue as the series moves forward.
Whether you were for the new Thor or against it, Jason Aaron should have earned your trust if you read the series on a regular basis. The dialogue is solid and the art is great, so don’t pass up on this issue and give it a fair chance!
Enjoyed your input. I’m really excited to read this.