THOR #615 Review!

Thor is the only super hero where you can write his name in all caps and you don't look like you left caps lock on by accident. He's a big Norse god and carries a massive enchanted hammer that can summon lightning. Writing his name in all caps shouldn't just be accepted, but mandatory. For the rest of this review, I will be writing THOR's name in all caps. AS IT SHOULD BE!

THOR #615

Remember how when I reviewed Fantastic Four #583 the other day and I said how you needed to read two trades worth of material to really appreciate it? Well you don't have to with this issue of THOR. That's mainly due to the recap page at the beginning of this issue, that sums up what has happened in THOR's life for the past few years. It's simple, direct, and gets you where you need to be. It's a great issue for jumping on.

Matt Fraction has taken over as writer for this book, and comic fans are rejoicing. Fraction has built quite a resume for himself over the past few years at Marvel, including Invincible Iron Man, Uncanny X-Men, and Iron Fist. He's a fan favorite writer for a reason. This issue of THOR leads me to believe that this will be another successful run for Fraction.

This issue asks the question "If Asgard is here now, vacating their own dimension to come to us, then what moved into their spot?" If you guessed angry, red, monster-people with a penchant for murder, then you guessed right! Granted, that's what I usually guess for every question. It's an interesting concept to explore, and certainly makes the title feel fresh. Fraction's take on THOR is a welcome change from the brooding THOR of JMS's run. He's made him a more gruff and human with his interactions. It feels lighter in tone, which also let's the book be funny. Having Volstagg be the "most brilliant scientific mind" of Asgard was a great choice as well. Those scenes were particularly enjoyable. There were a lot of good writing choices in this issue. Thor fans should be pleased with them.

Pasqual Ferry takes up the art chores and fills in the other half of this great creative team. Since the writing has a lighter tone than previous issues, it only makes sense for the art to adopt that principle. Ferry's lines are crisp and expressive. Every character shows tons of emotion, you wouldn't need the words to figure out what was happening on each page. It's good to see that Ferry kept with the re-designed outfits for the Asgardians. He makes his own tweeks to them, which is expected, but it's not nice to see he kept the modern look. The book feels like it has a lot of energy due to the art and makes for an exciting read.

Overall, the book was a great introductory issue for this new creative team. The characters are represented well. The idea that a new mysterious, evil force is lurking amidst realities is intriguing. I'm looking forward to see how THOR handles this new threat.

CAPS LOCK WAS MADE FOR THOR!!