Journey Into Mystery #646

As always, we're glad to provide reviews on request here at Chuck's Comic of the Day - and a few days ago we received this one from Dave Sopko:

Really interested in your take on Journey into Mystery with Sif. My daughter (12 years old) really liked what little she saw of the character in the Thor movie. Wondering how this is for her age group.

I like the depiction of Sif in the movie, too (I was especially impressed with her attack on the Destroyer), and I've liked the character since she first appeared in Thor's comic in the 1960s, replacing Jane Foster.

So as much as I enjoyed the stories about Loki in this title, I was glad to see Journey Into Mystery turned over to the adventures of Sif.

The issue is written by Kathryn Immonen, whose work I've enjoyed in the past - and she's off to a good start here.

Of course, any story that starts in a library (even one that's one fire) and centers around a book is already ahead of the game in my view. The story focuses on Sif's desire to become a better warrior - one able to defend Asgard better from the constant menaces it faces.

To do that, she must go on a journey that takes her across wastelands, into the presence of a dragon, and then into the fight of her life. The story seems a bit disjointed - it hops quickly from location to location and doesn't always make clear why - but it certainly doesn't drag its feet.

The art is by Valerio Schiti, whose work I'm not familiar with - but I like what I see here. The characters are nicely done, although the backgrounds seem a bit sparse.

As to whether or not this is appropriate for younger readers - that's a tough call. The story's a bit murky, so I'm not sure younger readers would find it compelling. The comic is rated "T+" (whatever that means - is it for teens who are positive?) and there are a few moments of violence, and the final page hints at something truly gruesome - though it remains to be seen how bad it really is.

Some younger readers might not bat an eye at this, while other may not like it - but there is some violence to contend with.

For older readers, it's a good start to this five-part story - here's hoping for more of the same.

Grade: B+

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