Review: ‘Immortal Thor’ #9 Has Layers Like An Onion
by Tony Thornley
It took nine issues, but Immortal Thor’s mission has come into sharp focus. It’s fascinating to see what this series looks to become…
Al Ewing, Ibraim Roberson, Matthew Wilson, and Joe Sabino declare a mission statement.
After the setbacks they suffered at the hands of Xemnu and the Hulk, Roxxon has returned. But now, they have the added power of the Enchantress at their back. If Thor has any hope, he’ll have to act fast, but also remember the lesson Loki taught him recently. A lesson on the power of a story…
Just like its spiritual predecessor Immortal Hulk had several identities throughout its run, Thor is now moving into its next phase. After 8 issues that explored myth and legend as something scary enough to make a god tremble, this issue explores a lot of the same idea from a different angle. Ewing takes what he’d done with Loki several times already in this run and twists it into something evil and malignant.
Even better though, Ewing continues the melding of genres that he’s so good at. Shifting from cosmic horror, to mythology to this was a surprise. It’s hard to put a descriptor on it- it’s anti-capitalist meta-fiction, with a heavy sense of cosmic dread- but I ADORED it.
Roberson’s fill-in was seamless. He fits in so well with main series artist Martin Coccolo. The biggest difference is a heavier line and some stouter figures. He has a great sense of pacing, especially for the action sequences as Thor and the Executioner brawl through the issue. But as Amora’s spell begins to take hold on Thor, the issue slows, and his pacing becomes more deliberate, and pulls in on the characters until it ends with an unsettling, quiet splash page.
Wilson’s colors are fantastic. He alters his style just slightly to make Roberson’s line work, adding a little bit of grit to go with the slightly more realistic characters and scenery. He continues to fill the pages with light and color, showing why he’s been the definitive Thor color artist for years now. Sabino juggles multiple fonts and bubble styles to keep the dialogue and narration clear and easy to read while also making it visually distinct.
Immortal Thor #9 is available now from Marvel Comics.
Overview
Stories like this make me wish that I had gotten into Thor earlier than my thirties. The creative team gets that the Thunder God is one of Marvel’s best, and it shows.
