Ragnarok #6

By Walter Simonson, Laura Martin, John Workman

Ragnarok is mean. Why do we have to wait so long between issues? We don’t want to hear that “Simonson is a genius and needs time” nonsense. We demand more Ragnarok!

Seriously, this series is amazing. Imagine taking a large amount of hallucinogenic drugs and staring at the cover of a metal album for hours. Reading Ragnarok is kind of like that, but somehow even more badass.

Anyways, so Zombie Thor now has knowledge because he ripped out his eye (so metal) and replaced it with his dead dad’s (even more metal). This allows him to make the trip back to Asgard. When he arrives, that’s when Ragnarok steps its game up. Simonson allows Thor to be weak and reflect on a past that is long gone. There are even panels of him weeping (not so metal). It’s nice to see the character in such a vulnerable state. It adds a ton of depth to the character.

When Thor is not mourning the destroyed state of his home or fighting pro wrestler demons (the most metal), the story switches to Regn and Drifa. In past issues, this part of the story would occasionally lose some of its charm. The characters were written well, but they weren’t consistently interesting. Issue six fixes the problem. Like Thor in Asgard, their characters are pressed forward and exposed. Their journey has finally brought them to a more intriguing place, so much so that they might be on equal footing with Zombie Thor.

Simonson is a master artist. Over the years, the man hasn’t lost a step. Every panel is full of texture and polish. No wonder this book takes forever between issues…Simonson’s detail is insane. Speaking of detail, Laura Martin is somehow getting even better too. During Thor’s fight with the pro wrestler demon, there are some very powerful reds that must blend with Mjolnir’s blues. Naturally, Martin nails it.

Also, John Workman deserves some praise. Lettering is an underrated talent, so Workman should be called out for his stunning work on Ragnarok. Every word is perfectly placed and enhance the story tenfold. Even if you have no desire to read this (shame on you), you owe it to yourself to at least flip through a copy and see what this guy is doing. This series is proof that some people just get better with age. Simonson? The man still has it. Martin? Even just the colors are worth the price of admission. Plus, everything is so metal.