The Mighty Thor 4 review

It’s starting to feel like Jason Aaron’s Thor run just keeps getting better and better, and when it started out great, that’s saying something. So far in this new volume, Thor has been labelled a thief and a serious threat to Asgard. While the War of the Realms is raging on, Odin is obsessed with his own selfish rampage to the point where he’s trying Freyja for treason. Loki’s also involved, although his motives aren’t yet clear. The last issue left off with a massive attack on the realm of the light elves, in the middle of Thor’s talk with Loki.

This issue is split into two stories, but unlike most comics that do that, this one spends the first half exclusively on one, and then focuses on the other. This actually benefits the comic immensely, especially with how deep and complex both stories are. The first continues Thor’s confrontation with Loki, when Malekith, the Queen of the light elves and Laufey (Loki’s frost giant father) all show up. While there’s a touch of action here, the political intrigue takes over, and it’s actually quite fascinating, with a lot of manipulation going on and some great lines from both Thor and Loki.

The other story focuses entirely on Freyja’s trial, and it’s a good look at how selfish and obsessed Odin has become, while also highlighting what Asgard’s current atmosphere is like. Even without the riot scene or Thor crashing in at the end, it feels really intense. The comic’s ending promises an epic fight in the next issue, and at this point, it’s hard to tell where this is all going. That only makes it more exciting.

The art by Russell Dauterman is fantastic as usual. The few action moments in this comic feel huge, whether it’s Thor slamming into the ground with “Thoom” written into the debris, or the Destroyer acting as an anti-riot weapon of sorts. Everything in this comic is heavily detailed, whether it’s the queen of the light elves in her fancy outfit, Loki’s fur coat or the fancy throne room of Asgard with a variety of people rioting outside. Facial expressions do a great job at conveying emotions. The colouring by Matthew Wilson is also fantastic. Everything is bright, colourful and appealing. Seriously, this is some of the best art out there in comics.

I read some great comics this week, but this is probably the best of them. It’s fun, intense and surprisingly complex. Thor fans absolutely should check this out if they haven’t already. It might not star the original Thor, but it is every bit a Thor story.

9.5/10