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
Stan Lee
,
J. Mike Straczynski
, and even the great
Walter Simonson
. I say that because, in the entire 11 issues revolved around
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
past work on Thor
as well as
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
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!
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