Thor's Day 4: Though Hel Should Block the Way

This is coming on Saturday instead of Thursday and for that you can blame my current writing project Long Hot Summer. I am still working on finishing the saga ASAP, and my other writing is falling by the wayside, such as last week’s edition of this column. I will try to get back on track over the next few weeks.

We open where we left off last issue, with Thor, Bill, and Sif flying through space on Thor’s magic chariot. The demons they seek to stop have already ravaged the fleet. Sif stays to defend the fleet as Bill and Thor move onward to find the demons’ source, only to nearly be sucked in to that portal.

Meanwhile, the DOOM! hammering continues for the fourth month running. That’s a lot of DOOM! Volstagg finishes his tale and leaves the young would-be assassin in the care of Hogun the Grim.

Sif teams with Bill’s semi-sentient ship Skuttlebutt to try to lead the demons away from theh fleet. The two hammer-wielders eventually destroy the portal and banish the demons.

They return to Asgard and a celebration, but Bill is there with a heavy heart. Sif tells Odin about Bill’s secrets. Odin creates a solution to Bill’s loss of his own identity. He leaves the land alongside Lady Sif, ready to continue the search for a new home for his people.

In the end, Thor has leaned a lesson in humility, and has started on a new path he has never traveled before. And the first story-arc of Walter Simonson’s run comes to an end.

But the action has not, as a familiar dragon-like creature rises from the waters of the Atlantic Ocean...

This was probably the weakest of Walt’s run so far with the development limited to a few bits at the end of the story. Sif’s characterization seems the most rushed, as though Walt (still early in his writing career here) didn’t quite know how to get her to the point he wanted her at the end of the story. The art remained solid throughout, even through epic battle scenes. The synergy of his work is growing even here and will surely strengthen as the saga continues.

Next: “The Past is a Bucket of Ashes!”

Thor's Day 3: Something Old, Something New...

Mighty Thor 339 starts out on a slow note as the returned Beta Ray Bill and Thor both collapse. In the aftermath, we visit several voices of Asgard, including Lorelei, as they discuss the new bearer of Mjolnir.

Odin visits with Bill upon his recovery. Bill does not want Mjolnir and denies his claim to it. But Odin swears that he will aid Bill and his people. Odin visits Eitri, greatest of dwarf blacksmiths. Eitri places Odin with another challenge. He will fulfill Odin’s mysterious request if a female can beat the dwarves’ greatest warrior.

Sif goes to answer the call, even as the convalescing heroes watch her go. Oh, and apparently injured Asgardians wear furry slippers.

Sif quickly finds herself in battle with Throgg the dwarf, who doesn’t seem very small.

As the fight continues, we briefly return to Volstagg, still atop Balder’s would-be attacker. We also return to the DOOM! as the mysetrious smith continues his work. Then we go to Quebec when a lighthouse worker named Rene Baroque runs afoul of a nasty looking demon in search of vengeance.

We return to Sif’s battle with Throgg. Sif proves to make short work of the gigantic dwarf. Eitri agrees to go to the forges and complete Odin’s wishes.

After much work, the project is finished. Bill travels with Odin to the forges. At Eitri’s command he reached in to the molten fire, aided by a protective glove. His hand rises with a hammer of his own in hand... Storm Breaker.

With both Thor and Bill returned to full power, Thor insists on accompanying Bill back in to space, in hopes of aiding his new friend and rival. Thor summons two powerful rams, Toothgnasher and Toothgrinder to drag his chariot in to space. Sif stops the heroes and declares her right to join the journey. The three heroes fly off in to space as this issue ends.

This chapter shows the first true hints that Simonson has something truely epic planned for Thor, despite the fact that Thor barely takes much action personally. Still after three explosive issues, it is clear that the God of Thunder’s adventures are only beginning.

Next: Though Hel Should Bar the Way!

Thor's Day 2: Mighty Thor 338

We pick up right where we left off last issue with a mortal Donald Blake lacking his hammer. But while Blake laments the loss of his weapon, Beta Ray Thor battles the gods of Asgard. Odin brings a quick stop to the battle and summons the true Thor to Asgard. Odin convinces Beta Ray to calm his aggression and the three go off to discuss Beta Ray’s history and why exactly he can lift Thor’s hammer.

Meanwhile, Lady Sif walks through the high seat only to see Thor kissing last issue’s edition to Asgard, Lorelei. After getting mad at her former love, she stomps off. “Thor” reveals he is actually Loki and laughs at his success with Lorelei, sister of the Enchantress.

Bill gives the history of his people and his current form. Odin declares that he must now face Thor in mortal combat to determine the true holder of mighty Mjolnir. The brutal battle commences on the barren plain of Svartheim.

We go back to the subplots as Balder and Volstagg walk through the city of Valhalla. A young warrior named Agnar stops them and challenges Balder to combat. Balder refuses combat as he now embraces only peace, but Agnar will hear none of it. He attacks, only to be stopped by the girth of Volstagg.

The battle between Bill and Thor continues in epic fashion, as few but Walter Simonson can draw it. The fight finishes and Bill is left standing... barely. But he disobeys Odin’s order, and returns from the barren realm with the still living Thor in his arms. He claims the hammer as the issue comes to an end.

We still are clearly very much in build mode right now. The subplots are starting to gain momentum, if slight, as the Beta Ray Bill story continues to move in quite the opposite direction of previous Thor stories. For Thor to be beaten blow by blow was a rarity when this story came out, but Bill proved his power in this one issue by beating Thor fairly.

Next week: Something old, something new...!