Thor: God of Thunder, Godbomb

It has become evident to me over the past year that Jason Aaron is one of the best writers in the history of Marvel's Thor. Seriously, he belongs in the upper echelons of great Thor writers, alongside [[ASIN:0785167838 Stan Lee]], [[ASIN:0785140298 J. Mike Straczynski]], and even the great [[ASIN:0785146334 Walter Simonson]]. I say that because, in the entire 11 issues revolved around [[ASIN:0785168427 Gorr, the God Butcher]], there isn't a single page that isn't riveting and wondrous to take in. The first half of this tale was fantastic, and I'm happy to say that Aaron and Ribic definitely delivered the goods in volume 2, Godbomb.

Anyone looking at Godbomb is undoubtedly familiar with the premise. The first volume featured a new villain in the Thor pathos named Gorr, a chilling, frightening foe with an unequaled hatred for all gods in the universe. Practically a god unto himself (but don't ever tell him that), Gorr spent thousands of years butchering countless pantheons across the universe, until Thor stood against and supposedly defeated him. Unfortunately, he accidentally gave him a newfound focus and grander sense of purpose instead. The story featured Thor at three different points in his life, all equally likable and with the same core personality but with enough subtle differences to make each version a unique character. Time travel is involved and the storytelling is actually sharper because of this and not in spite of it. Godbomb ups the stakes tremendously and progresses this tale to its inevitable, epic conclusion. Here we see all three Thors at the end of time, united through the magic of time travel, mounting one final assault on Gorr as he prepares his ultimate victory over every god through time and space. Epic!

I absolutely love Jason Aaron as a writer for Thor. He has a genuinely fantastic grasp on the pathos of Thor and what makes him such a unique and exciting character for a comic book and that is wholly evident while reading Godbomb. There's a perfect mix here of superhero tale, epic fantasy, and exciting Sci-Fi. The writing all comes together so well, making for a genuinely thrilling epoch filled with mystical wonder. Godbomb (as well as the first volume) contains a cinematic flair that makes the entire story an absolute delight to take in. The story flows very smoothly. There's a great amount of depth to reflect on. There's plenty of humor interspersed among the action and drama too, making for a perfect balance to the story. I'm also very happy to say that, despite intense build-up over many issues, the ending is incredibly satisfying. It just amazes me how well paced the entire story is over 11 issues, with every single one maintaining the same top-tier quality. That's super impressive. Aaron, if you ever read this, know that I both love and admire your work immensely. Your name deserves to be mentioned with glory in the dining halls of Valhalla, truly.

Esad Ribic returns for issues 7-11 and once again, he hit it out of the park. I've always loved Esad's [[ASIN:0785149686 past work on Thor]] as well as [[ASIN:0785117962 his other Marvel stuff]], and he is truly at the top of his game in these God of Thunder stories. His line work is just so sharp and organic, and the art is vividly colorful and pops out of the page. His powerful artwork rises to the cosmic grandeur of Aaron's writing beautifully. I really love this creative team for Thor.

Issue 6 almost feels out of place in the volume. Acting as an origin of sorts for Gorr's character, its writing is consistent with the rest of the volume, but it does feature a different artist. This can be a bit distracting, as the heavy-handed, gritty art style for this single issue is drastically different (and to be honest, inferior) than Ribic's fluid, painterly art. Really though, that's not enough to take down the volume's overall quality. It is worth noting, however.

All-in-all, Aaron/Ribic's first major arc with Thor is a triumph in storytelling. All 11 issues revolving around Thor's battle against Gorr are of the highest quality you could hope for from a Thor story. It just nails the Thor pathos so perfectly, while adding quite a bit to it as well. Godbomb acts as an awesome conclusion to the compelling tale of Gorr, a new Thor villain I hope to see again sometime down the road. If you have any interest in Thor whatsoever, I'd say buying both [[ASIN:0785168427 The God Butcher]] and Godbomb is a decision you won't regret. So what are you waiting for? Buy it, steel yourself for an epic adventure, and witness how Thor became the god of gods!

I have always wanted to be a Thor fan. As long as I've been reading comics, it always bothered me that I knew nothing about the Asgardian god of thunder. Sure, I tried to read the characters modern series, but the tone of the character changed so drastically from writer to writer, I just couldn't get a handle on him. I wanted to collect his older works, but I don't have Omnibus money, and don't have time to track the series down otherwise. Thankfully for me, and prospective Thor fans everywhere, Jason Aaron was kind enough to write an amazing series that doubles as a perfect starting point.

In this volume the three Thors must battle Gorr the god butcher, a truly fearsome foe. I had my younger brother and father read this volume and they felt that Gor was TOO fearsome, taking away from the overall experience. I see where they were coming from, but happen to disagree. Not so much so though that I won't mention it hear, as a warning. If you like your comics to have heroes easily overcoming every obstacle, look elsewhere; there be blood in these waters.

It has always been my opinion that the darker the villain the greater the heroes get to shine, and that is certainly the case here. All three Thors are absolutely essential in overcoming this foe, and it will take everything they have to do so. This series captures the epic cosmic feel that so many before it failed to grasp. Thor FEELS like a god and Gorr is a villain that you simply can't see Iron man or Hawkeye being able to defeat.

The art is picture perfect. Dark, moody, yet vibrant and kinetic. The battles practically leap off the page, while the quieter moments have the impact they're supposed to. If you're a fan of Thor you should absolutely buy this. If you want to be a fan of Thor then this is required reading. This book is a must buy.

My expectations were set very high with the first Volume of Thor: God of Thunder, and Godbomb absolutely blew those expectations away. The story's arc is superb, with the three different Thors (Viking Thor, Avengers Thor, and King Thor) coming together to battle the God Butcher and all of his creations. The almost unstoppable villain is perhaps the least of their problems though, as The God Butcher has created a gigantic Godbomb, which would supposedly kill all gods throughout all times in the entire universe. There are so many amazing things about this book, but to talk too much about them would mostly likely spoil the graphic novel. Nevertheless, I will say that the art once again matches the amazing story, and together they form one of my favorite Super Hero stories that I've ever read. I'd love for the third Thor movie to be this storyline, but I doubt it would be possible to portray everything in this book on the the big screen. I would definitely recommend starting with the first Volume as this one would be very confusing on its own, but that being said everyone that loves comics should check out Marvel Now's All-New Thor: God of Thunder.

In this series' second volume, Jason Aaron and Esad Ribic continue what might be the single greatest Thor story arc since writer/artist Walt Simonson's classic 1980s run. If you're old enough to remember Simonson's glorious tenure, take a moment to let that comparison sink in. If you're not, be prepared to see a Thor tale unlike any you've seen in a modern comic book.

The enigmatic Gorr has slaughtered entire pantheons of gods across the cosmos, and Thor, Norse god of thunder, is determined to end Gorr's bloody campaign. Thor has fought Gorr before, though, and is destined to fight him again: the story of their epic confrontation unfolds worlds apart, in three different time periods. Their centuries-long battle culminates in the distant future, on a desolate world where Gorr's immortal slaves have been forced to build the very means of their ultimate destruction. The finale virtually redefines the "cosmic epic" approach to comic book storytelling; it transcends the superhero genre and charts bold new territory somewhere between grand science fiction and ancient mythology.

This series has an incredible sense of scale. Aaron and Ribic use the infinite possibilities of the medium to maximum effect. They don't overlook the power of the quieter moments, though; the series is populated not just by grand heroes and villains, but also with colorful supporting characters who are instantly enjoyable and memorable (my personal favorite is the so-called Lord Librarian). THOR, GOD OF THUNDER must be read to be believed.

This is a well written and beautifully drawn book, but there's a huge problem at the core. Dramatic intensity is created, but as the end draws near, we start to see hackneyed devices used to create the oh so predictable happy ending. The cliches are used with some originality, and I give the writer credit, but it becomes a bit too much. Thor, the greatest of the gods? Thor the superhero, fine, but this is really too much. It sinks to teenage mush. It's good though, if you don't mind the entire universe revolving around Nordic gods. Amazons got it at a fair price.

This is part 2 of the God Butcher storyline. Its cool seeing the interactions between King Thor and Current Thor.

THUNDAAA CATSSS HOOOOOO

I can't really review this properly without giving away spoilers but I can say it is easily one of the best comic runs I have read in 20 years. While I am a fan of Thor, especially the Walt Simonson years, this run was just spectacular and sets up a great background for a huge event in the Marvel Universe. Artwork is top notch, I have re-read this book several times.

Thor Vs. Gorr is an epic rivalry shattered throughout time and space. this is probably my go to Thor story.

As I said about the first part of this story, this is an excellent conclusion too. (The God Butcher tale is the first part.)

Aaron's writing is great, especially across the multiple facets of Thor's personality from youngest to modern to old (yes, there's more than one Thor -- Time Travel is involved -- but it works in nearly every way). Aaron captures Thor's motivations, hopes, fears, arrogance, doubt, and determination throughout the story. This is true of the villain as well, we can empathize with him, understanding his motivation, and also his ultimate fatal flaw.

Ribic's art is equal to Aaron's writing, which is saying a lot. Great physicality, style, color and action.

Even if you aren't a fan of Thor (that's me, too), this is easily worth reading. It might make you go out and buy a foam Mjolnir, too (not that I did that… =])