Thor #602 ( Marvel – Stracynski / Djurdjevic / Miki / Mounts )
“The cataclysmic, catastrophic events of THOR #600 have rocked Asgard. What unexpected way do his true friends figure out to help him? And what could possibly be the next step in the devious Loki’s sinister schemes and machinations? “.
First and for most I want to say how much I enjoyed the artwork of Marko Djurdjevic. I am an unabashed fan of Olivier Copiel’s work, but Djurdjevic game the Asgardians a grittiness that makes them all the more menacing and regal.
Story wise, this issue is just setting up trouble to come and seeing the return of a major player. I was hoping for a bit more from a book that is running so late. It looks to have some inconsistencies in the story as well. When did Loki ditch the Sif skin and start walking around in the old school green and gold complete with horny helmet? Why is Dr. Strange still sorcerer supreme when I picked up my New Avengers from three months ago that says gave up that title shortly after the Skrull Invasion? Why is mortal short order cook Bill the only guy around who remembers that Dr. Doom is a bad guy? All of these questions made me raise an eyebrow while reading. As for the trouble that’s brewing: Thor’s life-force is now bound to Mjolnir as it was needed for the repair. Sif has been taken out of the old lady and is back with Thor. Kelda has angered some of her people by falling in love with a mortal.
The art and the dialog are great, but unfortunately the book is beginning to suffer from it’s lateness and lack of any action. I believe in the last 12 issues, we’ve had two fights, when Thor treated Iron Man like cannon fodder, and when Thor killed his grandfather Bor. For a book that is about viking gods and one of the biggest butt-kickers in comics, I think the fans deserve a little more hammer time. Throw in the long wait and confusing story elements and I say the book is just treading water.
While I’m not ready to drop Thor anytime soon, it’s harder and harder to justify a book that just had a price increase when DC’s Blackest Night is coming out with lots of crossover books and Dark Horse is amping up it Aliens and Predator properties. Other things may be demanding my hard earned cash.
Grade:C+
