This is amazing. I've been reading the new JMS revival of Thor and it's been really flat. Then, all of a sudden, it got good in the last issue (number 7). This month's issue (8) is even better-- art, story, prospects for the future, everything.

I encourage any on the fence to go get issues 7 and 8. Forget all the ones before that -- you don't even need to read them.

I will return to this thread to post more about what I like about it.

But for now, sound off!

Do you like it? Do you have questions? Are you on the fence?

I said I'd return and I have.

By issue 7, Thor has returned many (but not all) of the traditional Asgardian players to life. It turns out they were walking the earth as people, but really were gods waiting to be awakened (Neil Gaiman, anyone?). Asgard itself is no longer perched somewhere in another plane in space, but rather in Nebraska (or Oklahoma, I forget). It still has to involve other dimensions.

Anyway, in issue 7 Thor enters "Odinsleep" to visit the underworld, and begins a profound conversation with Odin in the Land of the Dead. As it turns out, Odin believes Thor was instrumental in his death, and that Thor was destined to kill his father and supplant him as king of the gods, just as Odin killed his father Bor.

As we move to issue 8, Odin tells the story of his adoption of Loki and things start to get very fascinating.

Meanwhile, Don Blake (separated from Thor while is in Odinsleep) is looking for Sif, who has not yet been located among the people walking the earth.

He visits Jane Foster, who professes that she may still love Blake . . . .

Trust me, it's good. Just get issue 8 if you can't find issue 7. Not much has happened until now.

I'm going to read issue 8 now. I'll be back.

Thor good.

Preceding issues haven't been bad, just slow. Except the Iron Man smackdown, of course, which was fun. But now the series is getting very good. I hope they sustain this level.

Okay, Thor is very good. I've been enjoying it all along, with the exception of issue 2, but 7 and 8 are definitely the strongest issues so far.

I bailed after three issues. It seemed to be going nowhere. I might check back in a bit.

Check back now. The time is now. Issues 7 and 8, or at a minimum, 8. On stands now.


That's now.

The pacing is still a bit slow for me.

And let me put that in perspective: I love Bendis. And the pace is slow for me.

False. Not on Issue 8. You have:

1. The exposition by Odin of his status in the Land of the Dead
2. The telling of the adoption of Loki
3. The explanation of how Odin has to fight that guy every day
4. Thor and Odin teaming up to fight that guy
5. Thor coming out of Odinsleep
6. Don Blake finding Jane Foster
7. Jane Foster catching Don Blake on her personal life while he was gone
8. The establishment of a major new plotline (with cliffhanger reveal) relating to Jane Foster

I'm afraid you're brining up age-old complaints about issues 1-6.

Stan and Jack could have done all of that in a page.

In a panel!

In a caption or thought balloon!

In the copyright information!

In the corner box on the cover!

I'm enjoying it. I enjoyed it just as much when it was published the first time as Camelot 3000.

I like this relaunch of Thor, but they need to move quickly into the fighting and the thunder god throwdown, because he needs a break from the weight of the world. He's Thor, not Atlas.

Jason

Hmmm. I was just about to drop it... I'm gonna trust you Jay. I hope the pace picks up. Still not grooving on the new costume either.

The last two issues were marked improvements to be sure. While the art has been good from the start, the featured artist in this two issue arc was perfect for Thor. That made a big difference for me. JMS also racheted up the story a bit, which was refreshing. That said, there is an air of gloom and depression the seem to cloud this book... enough already! Let's have soom action and adventure.

Also, I still don't care for the new outfit.

I think every issue but #2 has been awesome

#2 felt like 1/3 of an issue.

...but then you're a contrarian, right?

THAT'S what it reminds me of. Thank you, Jason.

It is good though.

I told my LCS to drop it on the day I picked up Issue 7 -- then the next week I took it back.

When you were "about to drop it," what issue had you read?

The pace is slow, but I like the myth world he is creating, or recreating.

I'm also happy sales, so far, have been strong after years of Thor's sales being in the gutter no matter what was done