The Saga Continues
The Mighty Thor, by Jason Aaron, continues to be the standout title in Marvel's catalogue. While this is technically the first volume of The Mighty Thor, I wouldn't recommend this as the place to start for newcomers.
Jason Aaron started the current Thor saga in 2012. This isn't even the beginning of the female Thor's saga; that would be Thor (2014) Goddess of Lightning. Aaron has been building the current "War of the Realms" storyline for years, so those jumping in here won't get the full pleasure of the story. With that said, this is the defining Thor story of our generation, and shouldn't be missed. Slight story spoilers below.
My favorite aspect of this book is the new Thor. Super hero stories should give us strength and role models. Heroes represent the highest aspirations of humanity. The lead in this book, Jane Foster, is battling cancer and undergoing chemotherapy. This is the exact type of person who needs a heroic story told about them. She is the hero here, and she faces all her challenges head on. There is a large supporting cast, but Jane isn't a helpless protagonist. Although other characters do heroic things, Jane is the hero of this story. It takes a lot of confidence to completely remove the star character of a series, but Jason Aaron did it and never looked back. This volume sees the return of Loki to his mischievous ways. He's most interesting when his motivations aren't clear, as is the case here. In fact, the third chapter is my favorite because it features Thor and Loki's conflict. Loki from different eras all appear to taunt Thor, and to also bicker with each other. Seeing Thor and female Loki fight is truly a treat. Lesser writers would perhaps try to ignore the other incarnations of Loki to streamline the story, but Aaron embraces it, enriching the narrative in the process.
Malekith the Accursed is the main villain here and, with help from the Roxxon CEO Dario Agger, their plan is to conquer every realm on the World Tree. Having modern war tech used in the context of high fantasy is visually very interesting. I really like the Dark Council that Aaron has brought together. There is certainly no shortage of Thor villains.
Speaking of villains, Odin also plays a very antagonistic role here. Friction between Thor and Odin builds throughout the book, and when the brawl finally happens it is very satisfying and brutal. The Serpent (who is Odin's brother, the God of Fear) is one of my favorite Thor villains from recent history, and is featured as basically the secret police of Asgard. His showdown with Thor is a ton of fun.
With Thor facing enemies on so many fronts, he needs some allies. The Warriors 3, Balder, Sif, and Odinson's mom Frigga all have Thor's back. Frigga in particular has a prominent role here, as she's opposed to her husband's tyrannical rule, and is a very strong character in her own right.
On art, Russell Dauterman drawings knock it out of the park. Everything he draws is very detailed and is realistic. If Marvel prints the book in a hardback, you can bet the art is the best of the best. Highlights of the book are the battle on the rainbow bridge, multiple Loki's and the Light Elf world. Environments, faces, and character models are all perfect. The only negative I can think of is Loki's beard; it's basically pubes. Color Artist Matthew Wilson is also brilliant here. The rainbow bridge specifically looks gorgeous.
Who is this for? If you're current with Thor, this book continues the trend of excellence. Read it. If you're looking for a jumping on point for Thor, start with the 2012 Thor series and catch up. This is one of the best tales being published.
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