Review: Jane Foster Valkyrie #6 Practices A New Type Of Medicine
by Tony Thornley
There are a surprising amount of medical doctors who are superheroes in the Marvel Universe. However, there are few of them who have actually teamed up, but when Death itself is dying, Jane Foster: Valkyrie #6 rallies the super-doctors to action!
Al Ewing, Jason Aaron, Pere Perez, Jesus Abuterov and Joe Sabino examine death in a very unique way…
Death is dying, and Valkyrie assembles the best medical minds she can find to stop it- Doctor Strange, Night Nurse, Cardiac, Faisa Hussein and Manikin. They dive into the realm of the dead, no idea what they might face. Naturally, it’s worse than anyone could expect…
On the surface this is an extremely standard superhero story, but Ewing and Aaron very quickly subvert expectations. They drench the story in mysticism and some great far-out ideas. However, it’s truly grounded by its characters. Jane remains extremely relatable, while each member of her makeshift squad gets a moment to shine, even Manikin, by far the most obscure of the bunch.
Perez is a great choice for this issue. His style fits with the Marvel House style, but he’s able to push the art into the more surreal and horrific as those elements come into the story. He gives the action a claustrophobic feel as well as the characters are overwhelmed by zombies (who, in a clever twist from the writers, are death’s antibodies, and not just a mindless adversary to stall the heroes).
It all comes together in a clever and unique superhero action story that remains one of my favorites month-in, month-out.
Jane Foster: Valkyrie #6 is available now from Marvel Comics.
