Why aren't writers more versatile with Thor's powers?

[adey]

What do people think about how current writers at Marvel portray Thor and his powers ?

Surely Marvel must understand that readers who are fans of the characters and neutral ones are bored with how little versatility he uses in his book and others he guest-stars in.

What does everyone else think ?

[XPac]

Part of the reason I think Thor isn't as versatile as he could be is because I think Thor is a character that kind of likes throwing down hand to hand. Even if he can be more of a long range shooter, I think he prefers getting in close and mixing it up hand to hand. He's a warrior, and I think it's a matter of personal preference.

The other issue is that Thor at high levels is essentially a bit of a plot device. And that's not necessarily something you want in a story if you're a writer. I think writers like when the hero is challenged, and like a lot of powerful characters that often means not always writing them at their full potential.

[OJSlaughter]

He is a powerful character. Powerful characters are usually only well used in their own books, not in others. I don't read Thor's own book, so I cannot be sure.

[Whirlwind Dinamo]

What does everyone else think ?

Thor has Godpower inside him but at his heart he's not versatile. he doesn't invent stuff and run companies, he isn't a philosopher who searches galaxies and explores wormholes, nebula. Thor at his core is very primitive, he likes a battle, likes to drink, likes to f*ck, likes to brawl.....he's very close to ancient viking culture

leave versatility to people like Stark, Surfer or the trickster Loki

[Omega Supreme]

Thor is victim of something i call the "Hawkman Syndrom".

Long story short : he's getting dumber and dumber. Once he was this proud and noble warrior, now he's just a wild and silly Conan wannabe.

That's what happened to Carter Hall. Now his comics name is not even "Hawkman" anymore, but "Savage Hawkman".

Do i need to say more ?

[Songbird/Diamondback]

There's a reason Thor is always either dead or beaten.

"THE HOOD IS ATTACKING!"
KRACKABOOM!!!!
"...oh, thanks Thor."

I mean, how much of a chance does the Red Skull have in Uncanny Avengers?

[Lord Bravery]

Because Marvels main writers don't have the imagination and creativity of the likes of Lee, Kirby, Simonson and Busiek.

[chisob]

It turns him into a walking plot device and makes the rest of the Avengers look pretty useless. Happens to all super powerful and versatile characters. They job when they are in a team setting. How else can you justify Thor hanging around hawkeye, widow and cap?

Colossus, and Rulk get taken down by hope's blast along with characters who have human durablity. That's another example. If rulk and Colossus are taken down the others ought to be dead.

[Lord Bravery]

It turns him into a walking plot device and makes the rest of the Avengers look pretty useless. Happens to all super powerful and versatile characters. They job when they are in a team setting. How else can you justify Thor hanging around hawkeye, widow and cap?

Colossus, and Rulk get taken down by hope's blast along with characters who have human durablity. That's another example. If rulk and Colossus are taken down the others ought to be dead.

To me that's just a poor excuse. Good writers can make heavyweight characters work in a team without writing them incorrectly. Busiek managed it pretty well back on his Avengers run. Thor was a true bad ass mudda.

[Songbird/Diamondback]

To me that's just a poor excuse. Good writers can make heavyweight characters work in a team without writing them incorrectly. Busiek managed it pretty well back on his Avengers run. Thor was a true bad ass mudda.

Yes, but then they have to fight mega threats each time. It's only going to get worst now that everyone thinks Hulk has always been there.

[Lord Bravery]

Avengers should be fighting mega threats each time. Not frigging ninjas and generic mooks. Avengers are not a street level super team. They should be fighting alien armies and time travelling despots and inter dimensional war lords.

[chisob]

To me that's just a poor excuse. Good writers can make heavyweight characters work in a team without writing them incorrectly. Busiek managed it pretty well back on his Avengers run. Thor was a true bad ass mudda.

It's similar to the flash in the Jla. He moves faster then the speed of light. In that time that Bats winks, flash would have had done the dishes and googled up his opponents weakness on the net and probably catch a quick nap. Realistically, before batman could do anything Flash would have unleashed his infinity mass punch a thousand times on whoever they are fighting. Street level characters fighting along side gods is really not all that realistic. So expect herald level people to job in team settings with street levelers.

[Lord Bravery]

It's similar to the flash in the Jla. He moves faster then the speed of light. Batman lifting a finger would look like years to the flash. Realistically, before batman could do anything Flash would have unleashed his infinity mass punch a thousand times on whoever they are fighting.

Yea that's true. But still, Flash did get ridiculous showings, like disarming a load of bombs before Superman realised what happened. Clearing out entire cities before a bomb went off etc.

Thor? He just shouts and screams and hits people with his hammer or calls down some lightning before getting taken out. He's used as basically, a measuring stick for the threat these days.

[Hulk_Is]

I liked the Rob Rodi Thor miniseries books. He had Thor doing all kinds of things like hiding in pocket realms and staring down the literal unraveling of the universe.

[chisob]

Yea that's true. But still, Flash did get ridiculous showings, like disarming a load of bombs before Superman realised what happened. Clearing out entire cities before a bomb went off etc.

Thor? He just shouts and screams and hits people with his hammer or calls down some lightning before getting taken out. He's used as basically, a measuring stick for the threat these days.

I agree with you there they definitely should play up the versatility of Mjolnir more.