Thor Appreciation

[superchick]

How did you not mention Walt Simonson's Thor? It's the best by far.

Its not a conventional starting point and sometimes depends on previous stories to make sense

[Yaggi_Rck]

You know the standard 'fannish' response to that, eh? It may not be valid for comics fans, who seem to be more readers than into the creative end of things (well, it's easier, when the stream of created stuff just keeps coming every month) but most media fans I've known would say, "write it!" Or at least play with the ideas and see where they go. Hey, that's where Simonson got his start...

Believe it or not, I've been trying to write something like that for a while! Who knows, maybe now's the time to do it!!!

[superchick]

So... Thor #13. A mixed bag. A step up from Fraction's latest plots because it seems focused on bringing something out of the lead (or second lead, whatever).

Fraction is using Messner Loeb's Thor-in-3-pages origin as the basis of his Donald scenes right down to the little brunette sister and the outfit little Don wears.



They match up pretty exactly. But while Messner Loebs was refocusing on Donald as Thor, Fraction is now trying to vaguely explain how that fits into Thor and Donald being two separate people. It doesn't fit and he knows it doesn't by the last page. We are not told how or why they seem to be separate people or when it happened. What is funny is that the synopsis this story models itself on is written when Thor and Donald aren't 'together'. The Donald identity had been gone for years and it was Thor recounting his life before onslaught. So there, its Thor recounting his life, here its Donald recounting his. In fact, Thor even says to Jane in that issue when she says that she can't get over the fact Donald was never real 'He was, with you', in one of the sweetest lines ever written in a Thor comic. She made him feel human. Now, I'm not sure how its going down. There are no hows and whys about Donald now seeming to be a sentient entity. There is no reason given as to why Donald would have Thor's memories if they are indeed separate entities unless they were at one point the same as alluded to when Donald describes his youthful stupidity.

Just merge them already and be done with it.

As for the Thor part of the comic. Thor is told to open a chasm Odin sealed just to see what he's keeping locked inside and he does it! The ensuing imaginary fight is too long and a distraction from the more important and interesting part of the story.

[The_Ronin]

Has Thor ever approached Bill Foster's family? Of course, it was Ragnarok the clone who killed him-- but considering Thor's strong issues with personal honor, he'd seemingly want to offer condolences..

Wow, yeah that would be a good scene.

[The_Ronin]

The references to past continuity and complete misinterpretation of Donald didn't confuse you?

Well, I guess if you read the JMS stuff alone the Donald stuff makes sense, its just when you put it in perspective it doesn't. When you went back didn't you take a step back and go 'Hmm...this isn't the same as it was with JMS!' ?

That segragation ruins the JMS run for me because according to JMS when we are spending time following Donald and learning about his life and his dilemmas its nothing to do with Thor so it doesn't help Thor's character at all. He's just the sullen, monosyllabic warrior. Its such a downgrade.

No didn't confuse me at all. Seemed pretty simple to me, Donald and Thor are twosides of the same coin, the Donald persona was released to Earth after Thor 'died' and by touching the hammer brought Thor back.

Wether it matched up with the previous stuff didn't matter because I had not read it. And it introduced me to the character and concepts wonderfully and I really enjoyed it.

See I didn't interrupt Thor and Donald was separate people, but as two versions of the same man. Maybe I read the wrong thing into it, but it worked for me at the time.

[Reinos]

Hi, I'm another one wanting to get into Thor for the first time. I just want to make sure I've got it right. The Thor Essentials (there are five total on amazon), then the Walter Simonson run (this thing), then the JMS issues, and Thor: The Mighty Avenger at any time (since it's out of continuity)?

[plushbug]

Hi, I'm another one wanting to get into Thor for the first time. I just want to make sure I've got it right. The Thor Essentials (there are five total on amazon), then the Walter Simonson run (this thing), then the JMS issues, and Thor: The Mighty Avenger at any time (since it's out of continuity)?

Hi, Reinos! If you're asking about sequence for continuity purposes, yes, that's right.

*chuckling* at the "this thing" hyperlink. Yes, that thing.

So... Thor #13. A mixed bag. A step up from Fraction's latest plots because it seems focused on bringing something out of the lead (or second lead, whatever).

Fraction is using Messner Loeb's Thor-in-3-pages origin as the basis of his Donald scenes right down to the little brunette sister and the outfit little Don wears.

<plushbug snips image for brevity>

They match up pretty exactly. But while Messner Loebs was refocusing on Donald as Thor, Fraction is now trying to vaguely explain how that fits into Thor and Donald being two separate people. It doesn't fit and he knows it doesn't by the last page. We are not told how or why they seem to be separate people or when it happened. What is funny is that the synopsis this story models itself on is written when Thor and Donald aren't 'together'. The Donald identity had been gone for years and it was Thor recounting his life before onslaught. So there, its Thor recounting his life, here its Donald recounting his. In fact, Thor even says to Jane in that issue when she says that she can't get over the fact Donald was never real 'He was, with you', in one of the sweetest lines ever written in a Thor comic. She made him feel human. Now, I'm not sure how its going down. There are no hows and whys about Donald now seeming to be a sentient entity. There is no reason given as to why Donald would have Thor's memories if they are indeed separate entities unless they were at one point the same as alluded to when Donald describes his youthful stupidity.

Just merge them already and be done with it.

As for the Thor part of the comic. Thor is told to open a chasm Odin sealed just to see what he's keeping locked inside and he does it! The ensuing imaginary fight is too long and a distraction from the more important and interesting part of the story.

Profound thanks for the summary. Urghh, I'm so glad to not be reading this thing.

[superchick]

Its impossible to find actual Thor in the Thor tag on tumblr these days. Its just Loki fans.

This is all I have memed:



Sorry straight boys

[Aguja]

Oh that is a very nice image though!

Also the discussion on where new fans can jump in has been really helpful. I've always loved Thor but I've never read him in anything outside of his Avengers appearances.

[tigerkaya]

Heres something thats been bothering me. If Asgardians are either sent to Hela's domain why are the others sent to Limbo? Then theres Thor. He gets sent to an ark to be devoured by Atum. Are writers always this consistent with placing the fallen of Asgardians?

[plushbug]

Heres something thats been bothering me. If Asgardians are either sent to Hela's domain why are the others sent to Limbo? Then theres Thor. He gets sent to an ark to be devoured by Atum. Are writers always this consistent with placing the fallen of Asgardians?

Seems like it. Gets even worse when one tries to mesh it with the original notions of Hel(a) ruling Hel/Niflheim as a place of cold mists reserved for anyone dying the "straw death" of old age or illness, half those dead in battle being chosen by Odin to go to Valhalla and stand by as einherjahr to fight at Ragnarok, the remaining half being chosen by Freya (not to be confused with Frigg(a)) to come and camp out in her flowery meadow of Fólkvangr, and everybody else potentially ending up comfortably settled in their nearest "holy mountain"...one could say the MU just continues the tradition of keeping things confused.

I'm still reeling over the bit about getting Odin back from Limbo by breaking a coffin he can't ever have been in.

[superchick]

Trying to apply continuity to Thor is like staring into a pit of eternity. It will drive you mad.

[tigerkaya]

I've been reading through Mighty Thor and for some reason I feel Marvel may have put the wrong writers on the title.
Gillen seems much better with Thor while balancing his cast. Fraction on the other seems more vested in the Thor's supporting cast while writing Thor like an idiot. What do you say does Fraction seem better off on Journey Into Mystery and Gillen on Mighty Thor?

[tigerkaya]

Next one is did anyone read Astonishing Thor. I just got the free Astonishing Thor #1 on the Ipad, is the whole story worth getting?

[tigerkaya]