Al Ewing is taking the “Immortal” adjective to Thor after an incredible — possibly the best ever — Hulk run. It’s a bold choice since Immortal Hulk is so iconic and groundbreaking, but with Martín Cóccolo drawing, how can this series not impress? Throw in the fact that Thor could use a revitalization now that he’s the All-Father, and we have the perfect jumping-on-point for longtime Thor fans.
The Immortal Thor #1 opens with darkness. The captions remind us there are ten realms, and the gods are creatures of story. Utilizing a metaphor about cave walls and shadow puppets, Ewing points out something must cast the shadow and can also block it out. A looming threat at the start rears its head by the end that suggests there is something that may be able to blot out the gods. Ominous.
As the story plays out, though, Ewing reminds us Thor is a jovial type with a big smile and a love of smiting baddies. The main conflict at the start of the book has Thor fighting some ice giants, and he uses his ability to control the weather to scare most of them off. His powers over the storm smartly come into play by the end of the issue, similar to the captions. Ewing helps establish Thor’s perceived power of the storm and proposes that there may be other beings — or even gods — that surpass his abilities.
There he is!
Credit: Marvel
It’s nice to see Thor less concerned about taking over his father’s place and more concerned about doing his best in the new role. There’s also a nice reminder of how Earth is one of his favorite places. In a key scene, we see Thor after a long day of helping folks out on Earth, and he wants to wrap it up by taking a dangerous thunderstorm away. What he faces, and the damage dealt, is striking and a big kickoff to a new threat to vanquish.
Martín Cóccolo captures the awe and inspiring moments of Thor wonderfully. A double-page layout of Thor soaring through the air after arriving on Earth is dynamic and joyful. This is a Thor who loves getting adulation but isn’t letting it get to his head, either. Scale is a big part of why this book works visually, from the moment Thor soars into the villain at the end. The play of light and shadow is also well done by the always impeccable Matt Wilson.
Fans of Loki will delight in their presence in the issue, especially if you were a fan of Ewing’s run on the character. One can imagine this is a new chapter in Ewing’s approach to the gods of Asgard, as seen by the captions referring to storytelling, but also Loki’s inclusion. Something is up, and you’ll be dying to know how Loki fits within the mystery of a new threat.
At its core, this issue seems to suggest Thor is in a good headspace but might be misunderstanding how comfortable he should be or even how powerful he is as the All-Father. It’s a little early yet, but I did wonder what the internal conflict will be since this issue doesn’t explore it. Instead, Thor seems well-adjusted and ready for anything.
My only gripe is that for an extra-sized issue, it doesn’t feel like it’s maximizing the pages. There are really only three scenes, not counting montages. The issue utilizes many of its pages to create a storybook feel via captions, which may need a second read when you finish to fully grasp its purpose. There’s an olden-time feel to them that happens to make the read a bit slower in general.
The Immortal Thor #1 will get you excited for what comes next as Thor faces something more powerful than anyone can imagine. Casual fans and classic Thor fanatics will adore the dynamic art and the promise for an exciting new chapter of Thor.
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