I don’t talk much about Jason Aaron’s run on Thor: God of Thunder, Thor, and The Mighty Thor for one reason: I tend to buy them in oversized hardcovers, and those come out on a slow schedule. But it’s an awesome run and well worth checking out.
The first two arcs of Thor: God of Thunder form one long story. Someone is killing gods. Over the course of millennia, the Odinson investigates. We see him as an angry, young man; the (in 2013) present day Thor; and as Old Man Odinson, the last Asgardian. Thor and Gorr the God Butcher clash over and over until, at last, Gorr’s true plan comes to light: he’s building a bomb to eradicate every god throughout time.
At its core, these two arcs are about the God of Thunder as a leader. His young self raids and parties with vikings. His aged self feels the weight of ruling more heavily than that of Mjolnir. And in the present, Thor not only has to save his fellow gods—he has to unite and lead myriad pantheons against Gorr. Jason Aaron interweaves these narratives in a way that is not only clear, but which shines a spotlight on the Odinson’s growth and development as a hero over thousands of years.
Thor: God of Thunder is a beautiful comic. Esad Ribic’s lines are smooth and realistic figures—along with White and Svorcina’s painterly colors—give the story an ethereal vibe, as though at any moment, the world might fade into the mist. Guest artist Butch Guice’s lines and Tom Palmer’s inks for #6 give their issue—Gorr’s origin*—a much rougher, more violent feeling that fits the character's past.
Jason Aaron and company’s run on Thor is one of the crown jewels of Marvel’s offerings right now. There are few books that I regret reading in trade instead of single issues, and this Thor saga is one of them—no, I don’t only mean this volume, but everything that comes afterward with the new Thor. If you have any interest in the character, you should pick it up from the start with God of Thunder.
*The Gorrigin, if you will.
Collected in
- Thor: God of Thunder, Vol. 1: The God Butcher (#1-5)
- Thor: God of Thunder, Vol. 2: Godbomb (#6-11)
- Thor: God of Thunder, Volume 1 (#1-11)
Credits
Writer: Jason Aaron | Pencillers: Esad Ribic (1-5, 7-11), Butch Guice (6) | Inkers: Esad Ribic (1-5, 7-11), Tom Palmer (6) | Colorists: Dean White (1), Ive Svorcina (2-11) | Letterer: VC’s Joe Sabino | Covers: Esad Ribic | Assistant Editor: Jake Thomas | Editor: Lauren Sankovitch