Thor The Mighty Avenger #5

I have to send thanks to my friend Pete for recommending this version of Thor - I had somehow passed it up, but luckily I was able to pick up the issues I'd missed in a single visit to ye olde comics shoppe.

Thor The Mighty Avenger is a series set in its own reality, so it arrives without the usual truckload of continuity behind it - instead, it's rolling out the story of Thor's adventures on Earth a little at a time.

And there are some key differences from the original Thor. For example, there's no Don Blake alter ego - when Thor first shows us at the museum where Jane Foster works (she's not a nurse or doctor here), his powers are gone and his memory is fragmented - he doesn't remember why Odin sent him to Earth.

I really like this story by Roger Langridge - it's a fresh look at the Thunder God (who seems much more down-to-Earth and less godlike in this version), his supporting cast and the other heroes and villains he meets. As the Ultimate universe shows (when it works), it's often liberating to lose all the history and start with a clean slate.

I also like the artwork by Chris Samnee. It's not a Kirby riff, but he has an energetic style with great layouts, terrific character designs and a real sense of fun spilling out of every page.

This issue involves a meeting with Namor, the Sub-Mariner, and it's loaded with surprises. And let me just say how happy I am to see a writer who has a grip on Namor's character - it's been far too long.

So, if like me you've been missing this one, you might want to give it a try. It's a comic that really captures the Silver Age sensibility with a modern storytelling style.

Thanks again for pointing this one out to me, Pete!

Grade: A

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