After the last volume, Thor is on his back foot as many believe he killed Roxxon CEO Dario Agger. However, instead of continuing the main story, the first two chapters of this volume deal with a crossover with Jonathan Hickman’s G.O.D.S.
Like Hickman’s recent Marvel series, the first two chapters of this volume feel both heady and uncertain with where things are going ultimately. Tyr has disappeared into one of The In-Betweener’s boxes and Thor must gather his siblings to rescue him. It actually took me aback as Thor’s other siblings who rarely show up in the comics made an appearance in these two issues. Have you heard of Hermod, Honir, and Vidar? Me neither, but it was interesting to see them and others show up for the first time since the ’70s, ’80s or for the first time ever in Marvel comics.
While Ewing previously explored the ideas of elder gods and the meta mythology of Thor, things change pace here as he delves into more traditional Norse mythology.
Art in these two chapters is provided by Valentina Pinti on the art and Espen Grundetjern on colors. While nothing stood out to me as “off” about the art, it matches the writing in that it feels like a different style/pace from the rest of the book. I believe this team would’ve been better utilized on Jed MacKay’s Avengers ongoing. For good or ill, Martin Coccolo’s art is what I’ve come to associate The Immortal Thor with the most, so anything that strays too far from his style doesn’t fit as well to my eyes. Again, nothing necessarily “bad” here but it just felt like a different visual tone to me.
Marvel Comics
The last three chapters of this Thor volume are a return to form for both the writing and art. Ewing gets back to the main ideas of the elder gods as well as The Wheel turning as a looming threat against all-father Thor. Loki even continues their trials against their brother. These chapters also welcome back Jan Bazaluda on art and Matt Hollingsworth on colors. Bazaluda being my favorite secondary artist on The Immortal Thor so far. Say what you will about G.O.D.S. and any tie-ins, but the final chapters of this trade have everything I’m looking for in Ewing’s Thor book. A guest spot featuring the Prince of Power, Hercules? Sign me all the way up – even if he and Thor don’t come to blows as they traditionally do.
Although Alex Ross continues to turn in sublime covers for The Immortal Thor, I feel like I need to point out some amazing covers included in this book. The two that caught my eye were a piece by Pablo Villalobos and a variant cover featuring Sif by Jessica Fong.
Ewing smartly weaves The Immortal Thor into his over-arching Marvel work with ties back to Avengers: No Way Home and his run on Guardians of the Galaxy. Although they aren’t necessary for understanding, I have to say it’s rewarding as a long-time reader of Ewing’s work. Interestingly to me (and maybe frustrating to some), the references to the events of those past works don’t include an editor’s note to point readers towards those stories.
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