Thor #619 – Review

by Matt Fraction (writer), Pasqual Ferry (art), Matt Hollingsworth (colors), and John Workman (letters)

The Story: Odin is greeted by a returned Loki and we learn some interesting facts about the World Tree courtesy of old One Eye before Balder and Tyr go on the attack.

What’s Good: I’ve been going on and on about Pasqual Ferry and Matt Hollingsworth’s respective work on this series and this is just as gorgeous as ever.   Big, lush artwork with smooth layouts is mixed with awesome, fantasy-perfect colors.  The characters look iconic and heroic and the environments are a perfect mixture of craggy fantasy and cosmic sci-fi.  The fight scenes are no less awesome, basically ending up as a dramatic explosion of violence.  I also continue to enjoy Ferry’s Odin, who is positively jacked.

With Fraction’s writing, I quite enjoyed his use of Odin.  The character reacts to his resurrection much as we thought he would, and his treatment of Loki was fun to read as was Loki’s subsequent reaction; it reflects well on Loki’s new form.  Odin also adds a new/old dynamic to the series: someone who can curse out Thor.  More than that though, because he’s able to come down on Thor, Fraction is able to use Odin to point out a bizarre habit of Thor’s lately: resurrecting anybody and everybody.  Fraction does a good job of showing how this is isolating Thor, and, more than that, I loved Odin’s bringing up the point that Thor simply must have trouble-makers about.  It highlights a very interesting character flaw that I hope is explored later.

Beyond Fraction’s Odin, I continue to enjoy child Loki, who really returns the character to his “trickster” essence.  It boils the character down a bit, but also shows a side of the god that is not only fresh, but makes perfect sense.  Thoth and his goons are similarly fun to read, let alone look at.  I continue to love the retro-sci-fi vibe they bring to the book.

Weekly Comic Book Review’s Top Picks

Dean’s Top Picks

Best From The Past Week:  Infinite Vacation #1 – Nick Spencer has launched another series with a neat concept and until he sends us a turd, we should all at least sample everything he launches.  The basic story in this issue is that you can buy/sell your reality with that of a “you” from a parallel universe by using a handy app on your iPhone.  Overslept for work?  You can change realities with another you who woke up on time for a fee.  Wanna be an astronaut?  That’s probably available too.  This has a lot of promise to dig into some interesting questions about “how much is enough happiness” and things like that.  The design on this comic is also very eye-catching.  Runner-up: Batgirl #17

Most Anticipated: Amazing Spider-Man #652 – I LOVED the first arc of Dan Slott’s run on ASM.  Of course, a big part of my love was due to Humberto Ramos’ art.  So, I’m curious to see how much I vibe on this new arc with new Marc Gargan Scorpion with Stefano Caselli art.  Honestly, it’ll be a tall order to make me not miss Ramos, but I’m hopeing that Slott/Caselli are up to the task.

Other Picks: Memoir #1, Morning Glories #6, Scarlet #4, Superior #4, 28 Days Later #19

Alex’s Top Picks

Best From The Past Week: Amazing Spider-Man #651 – In art and writing, there were technically better issues this week.  Amazing Spider-Man #651 was not thought-provoking high literature.  What it was, however, was a big bundle of upbeat fun and that goes for both the words and the pictures.  I always feel really good after reading an issue of Dan Slott’s ASM and that counts for quite a lot.

Most Anticipated: Invincible Iron Man #500 – I’ve been a huge fan of Matt Fraction’s Iron Man and this is the motherlode right here.  The slow burn Detroit Steel plot comes to a head, we’re coming off the shocking return of Ezekiel Stane last month and, suffice it to say, things are at a fever pitch – absolutely perfect for a giant sized anniversary issue like this one.  Here’s hoping that Marvel does Iron Man justice and that we don’t just get a standard issue bulked out by a reprint.

Other Picks: Morning Glories #5, Thor #619, Scarlet #4, Wolverine #5, DMZ #61, Brightest Day #18