Thor #8 Review

The reveal we’ve all been waiting for is here.  Place your bets on the identity of the new Thor!  Your Major Spoilers review of Thor #8 awaits!

THOR #8
Writer: Jason Aaron
Artist: Russel Dauterman
Colorist: Matthew Wilson
Letterer: VC’s Joe Sabino
Editor: Wil Moss
Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Price: $3.99

Previously in Thor:  “After Thor Odinson found himself no longer worthy of wielding Mjolnir, a mysterious woman was able to life the hammer and became the new goddess of thunder!  While Odinson may have given Thor his name, he hasn’t given up on discovering her TRUE name, and Odin the All-Father hasn’t either.  Offended at this affront to his omnipotence, Odin sent the fearsome Asgardian weapon known as The Destroyer, piloted by his brother Cul, to put an end to the new goddess of Thunder.  Realizing Thor’s predicament, Odinson and Freyja the All-Mother defied their family ties, and called upon the entire roster of women Odinson suspected to be Thor.  This new army has arrived at the Roxxon oil fields to help Thor defeat the Destroyer, but the also all want to know who is the woman beneath the mask…”

AND THE BATTLE IS JOINED

Okay, kids: Spoilers ahoy!  Our battle opens with an army of lady warriors, Freyja, Thor and Odinson facing down The Destroyer, a sequence which seems designed to be a checklist of people who AREN’T under the helm.  It’s nicely handled, though, and the characters work even sets up future events (such as Karnilla the Norn Queen having something to lord over Thor), while giving us lovely moments here and there.  (Spider-Woman and Captain Marvel’s fun friendship also gets a panel that elicited a snort from me.)  Freyja, who is not Thor, faces down The Destroyer and speaks directly to her angry husband about what his pride has wrought, which finally brings the confrontation to an end.  Cul’s quiet subtle taunting to keep Odin angry is wonderful, but perhaps the crowning achievement of the issue is the All-Father missing the point entirely, blaming Freyja for making him the villain of the piece.  Soon enough, the army disperses, and Thor is left alone with Odinson, who lets the other hammer drop. “I know who you are,” he tells her, explaining that there’s only one name left on his list of possible suspects: Rosalind Solomon, Agent of SHIELD.

COMMUNISM ROSALIND WAS JUST A RED HERRING

And, with perfect timing, Rosalind herself flies in to confront Thor for her actions in a previous issue.  It’s a great moment, made even moreseo by the utterly dumbfounded look on Odinson’s face, a shock so deep he’s practically gibbering “Homina homina homina.”  Thor takes her leave, with Odinson more confused than ever (and he’s kind of a blockhead, so that’s quite confused indeed), leaving us with quiet housekeeping moments, reminding us of the state of the cast (Dario Agger, Malekith the dark elf, Odin, Freyja and more) before launching into next month’s big ol’ Secret Wars crossover thingama.  It’s only on the very last pages of the book that Thor returns home, and lets her hammer go, reverting to her mortal form…

…Doctor Jane Foster.

THE BOTTOM LINE: DID YOU GUESS IT?

And the timing of the crossover really sucks, by the way.  The gravely-ill Jane remarks that being Thor is slowly killing her, but that she’s doing it because the world needs a Thor.  I really enjoyed this issue, but I’m really quite annoyed that this reveal will be followed by the ‘Thors’ series and presumably a relaunch for Thor in the newly-minted Marvel Universe to come.  Still, that doesn’t change the facility of this issue, which skillfully unravels the mystery without making it the ONLY good or interesting thing about the issue.  Thor #8 is well-done overall, and while the reveal isn’t completely unexpected (Jane was my first choice, but the story convinced me otherwise) lovely art and some cool character bits earn it 4 out of 5 stars overall.  The big question I have is, where will the story pick up when the regular Thor title returns/relaunches?