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Thor (2007) (Collected Editions) #4-6
Thor By Kieron Gillen Ultimate Collection TP
Written by KIERON GILLEN Penciled by BILLY TAN, RICHARD ELSON, DOUG BRAITHWAITE, JAMIE MCKELVIE & NIKO HENRICHON Cover by MIKO SUAYAN Loki has woven his intricate scheming throughout every level of Th
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First published December 14, 2011
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About the author
Kieron Gillen
1,466 books1,903 followersKieron Gillen is a comic book writer and former media journalist.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
April 1, 2014
MINI-REVIEW: Asgard falls from the sky and very bad things wish to take the Norse Gods down. Somehow Loki continues to fool them all.
Don't chase fat, angry Norse Gods.
Disir are not nice beings. Hot goddesses will date mortal men with baseball caps.
The writer had a lot to tie up after Straczynski left so much unresolved and did an almost great to superlative job.
ARTWORK PRESENTATION: B plus to A minus; CHARACTERS/DIALOGUE: B to B plus; ACTION SEQUENCES: A minus; STORY/PLOTTING/PANELS: B plus to A minus; THOR MYTHOLOGY: B plus to A minus; WHEN READ: mid December 2013; OVERALL GRADE: B plus to A minus.
Don't chase fat, angry Norse Gods.
Disir are not nice beings. Hot goddesses will date mortal men with baseball caps.
The writer had a lot to tie up after Straczynski left so much unresolved and did an almost great to superlative job.
ARTWORK PRESENTATION: B plus to A minus; CHARACTERS/DIALOGUE: B to B plus; ACTION SEQUENCES: A minus; STORY/PLOTTING/PANELS: B plus to A minus; THOR MYTHOLOGY: B plus to A minus; WHEN READ: mid December 2013; OVERALL GRADE: B plus to A minus.
November 29, 2020
This rather large volume has a lot of good things going for it. Good art and an exciting tale are the primary foundations. It's sort of a two part story though.
The first part has to do with the Fall of Asgard. Dr. Doom is up to his usual tricks and is corrupting Asgardians, Loki is working in tandem with him. Thor, who is in exile for killing Bors, must come to the defense of Agard and King Balder. On top of this President Osborn sends HAMMER to assault Asgard. This story was really enjoyable and the artwork for it is rather good. My only issue with it, for such a big collection the actual events that led to the fall of Osborn are really not shown. It's as if it happened in another comic or another series and all we get is 2 pages of "synopsis" in the form of art. Ummm ok...that wasn't abrupt at all...one moment everybody is in an all out, knock down, drag out fight..and then viola! Two pages of artwork detailing events we are not told about nor are even explained and the war is over. WTF?
On to the Second part- this has to do with the Desir, Bor's version of the Valkyries, and a plot by Loki and Mephisto. Essentially, the Desir seek to feed on the souls of the gods, but due to an ancient curse they can't feed on the souls of gods going toAsgard or Hel. So when Hela loses Hel and gets a part of Mephisto's realm as hers, it opens up the chance for the Desir to attack. Meanwhile Thor goes to Hell and fights demons and such to get an ancient weapon to destroy them. I enjoyed seeing Mephisto, who if done well is a great character. Yet, once again, I am left with the feeling that I missed something. How did Loki die? When did Loki die? If this is a Complete collection..do they know what the word complete means?
It is for that issue of missing information that this is a 4 star, I almost gave it 3...but I did like the artwork and I did like the story that was presented. A Thor fan will enjoy this, but unless they are familiar with all the other series where the full story is explained then they will be left with this odd feeling of WTF?
The first part has to do with the Fall of Asgard. Dr. Doom is up to his usual tricks and is corrupting Asgardians, Loki is working in tandem with him. Thor, who is in exile for killing Bors, must come to the defense of Agard and King Balder. On top of this President Osborn sends HAMMER to assault Asgard. This story was really enjoyable and the artwork for it is rather good. My only issue with it, for such a big collection the actual events that led to the fall of Osborn are really not shown. It's as if it happened in another comic or another series and all we get is 2 pages of "synopsis" in the form of art. Ummm ok...that wasn't abrupt at all...one moment everybody is in an all out, knock down, drag out fight..and then viola! Two pages of artwork detailing events we are not told about nor are even explained and the war is over. WTF?
On to the Second part- this has to do with the Desir, Bor's version of the Valkyries, and a plot by Loki and Mephisto. Essentially, the Desir seek to feed on the souls of the gods, but due to an ancient curse they can't feed on the souls of gods going toAsgard or Hel. So when Hela loses Hel and gets a part of Mephisto's realm as hers, it opens up the chance for the Desir to attack. Meanwhile Thor goes to Hell and fights demons and such to get an ancient weapon to destroy them. I enjoyed seeing Mephisto, who if done well is a great character. Yet, once again, I am left with the feeling that I missed something. How did Loki die? When did Loki die? If this is a Complete collection..do they know what the word complete means?
It is for that issue of missing information that this is a 4 star, I almost gave it 3...but I did like the artwork and I did like the story that was presented. A Thor fan will enjoy this, but unless they are familiar with all the other series where the full story is explained then they will be left with this odd feeling of WTF?
March 12, 2021
The beginning of this book tries to wrap up what JMS started in his run. It was pretty jacked up what Doctor Doom was doing. Experimenting on Asgardians. That abomination he created was messed up. The stuff with Bill and Kelda was a nice touch. The Siege tie in stuff focuses on Volstagg doing his best to fight and protect Asgard. Pretty cool stuff there. Then at the end of the book, due to a deal Loki made, Thor and company have to help Hela fight off the Dìsar. Creatures that feed off the souls of dead Asgardians. This takes to Mephisto’s realm of Hell. This was decent. However, the revelation at the end of the book with Kelda and Loki, I didn’t get it.
August 5, 2017
This collection wraps up the JMS threads (as best as you can expect), ties into the siege event (with the return of the evil Thor clone) and sets things up nicely for Gillens Journey into Mystery run.
In the last part of the collection, you can see Gillen begin a style that he would take into his JiM run. It's worth reading this before it, I think.
And the Loki one shot that's in here, with art by Jamie McKelvie, is one of the best one shots I've read.
In the last part of the collection, you can see Gillen begin a style that he would take into his JiM run. It's worth reading this before it, I think.
And the Loki one shot that's in here, with art by Jamie McKelvie, is one of the best one shots I've read.
August 13, 2016
I've been a mad Kieron Gillen fan ever since I started reading his run on "Iron Man" back in 2012, so I was pretty excited to see his take on Thor. It was lovely, therefore, to be so thoroughly delighted.
Poor Gillen had an unenviable task while writing the "Thor" comic series. He took over writing the book from J. Michael Straczynski, who left the book *in the middle of an arc* -- which meant, as far as I can tell, that Gillen had to invent an ending to another author's storyline. Gillen then had to write the book as a crossover with the "Siege" storyline, as Thor was at the focus of "Siege" -- which meant that, once again, Gillen was strictly limited in the type of story he could hope to tell. His final arc before he leaves deals with both fall-out from "Siege" and seems to be setting the stage for the next writer to take over (or so it read to me, anyway) -- so, once again, he was limited by exactly what directions he could and could not take a story in.
And yet -- and yet! It's a mark of Gillen's talent as a writer, and particularly for his talent of writing strong characters, that he was able to still tell stories I enjoyed so much.
Much of the action in the first two sections focuses on characters other than Thor -- characters I don't even know that much about. But Gillen makes you _care_, because he's so good at adding little touches of insight or development or _goodness_ that make the characters, and their story, matter. He reminds me of Russell Davies writing for "Doctor Who," in that Gillen seems to remember that no character thinks of themselves as anything but the "main character" of their own story. Even the minor characters with little "screen time" get moments of insight and personality that makes them pop off the page. And, let me tell you: give me a little emotional investment, and my love for your story will grow exponentially. It's that simple.
Special mention must go to his writing of Loki. I spent much of the collection trying to figure out what Loki's true motivations were; when the truth is finally revealed at the end of the third arc, it's utterly heartbreaking. Gillen writes a Loki (and a Thor) with the same depth I've enjoyed about the characters in the Marvel movies, and this was exactly the sort of story I've been looking for. I can't wait to move forward with Gillen's run on "Journey into Mystery!"
Poor Gillen had an unenviable task while writing the "Thor" comic series. He took over writing the book from J. Michael Straczynski, who left the book *in the middle of an arc* -- which meant, as far as I can tell, that Gillen had to invent an ending to another author's storyline. Gillen then had to write the book as a crossover with the "Siege" storyline, as Thor was at the focus of "Siege" -- which meant that, once again, Gillen was strictly limited in the type of story he could hope to tell. His final arc before he leaves deals with both fall-out from "Siege" and seems to be setting the stage for the next writer to take over (or so it read to me, anyway) -- so, once again, he was limited by exactly what directions he could and could not take a story in.
And yet -- and yet! It's a mark of Gillen's talent as a writer, and particularly for his talent of writing strong characters, that he was able to still tell stories I enjoyed so much.
Much of the action in the first two sections focuses on characters other than Thor -- characters I don't even know that much about. But Gillen makes you _care_, because he's so good at adding little touches of insight or development or _goodness_ that make the characters, and their story, matter. He reminds me of Russell Davies writing for "Doctor Who," in that Gillen seems to remember that no character thinks of themselves as anything but the "main character" of their own story. Even the minor characters with little "screen time" get moments of insight and personality that makes them pop off the page. And, let me tell you: give me a little emotional investment, and my love for your story will grow exponentially. It's that simple.
Special mention must go to his writing of Loki. I spent much of the collection trying to figure out what Loki's true motivations were; when the truth is finally revealed at the end of the third arc, it's utterly heartbreaking. Gillen writes a Loki (and a Thor) with the same depth I've enjoyed about the characters in the Marvel movies, and this was exactly the sort of story I've been looking for. I can't wait to move forward with Gillen's run on "Journey into Mystery!"
August 26, 2012
Well, Gillen sort of inherited a mess. I think it's pretty well-known that Straczynski's excellent run was interrupted by Siege, leaving Gillen with a handful of half-cooked plotlines to try and salvage. Overall, he does a solid, if not amazing job. The first half of the book finishes up JMS's Latveria/Doom plotline. It's a solid effort, and there's no particular complaint, but it certainly lacks the charm of JMS's stuff.
When Siege kicks in, the book gets a little stronger, but of course all we have here are the commercial breaks from Siege, not the main events. However, there's a lot of good stuff in there focusing on Balder, Tyr, and Volstagg. And I really liked the return of the TerminaThor (I mean, Ragnarok), a plotline left dangling from Civil War a few years before.
Finally, in the aftermath of Siege, the Asgardians have to deal with some mummy valkyries, the Disir, who are attacking Hela's new base of operations, located in Hell. This has all the makings of a terrible plotline, but it ends up working surprisingly well: it's got a big, epic feel, lots of valiant sacrifices, and a resolution where Thor uses his brains instead of his brawn, if you can believe it.
Overall, Gillen has an excellent sense of what makes Thor's universe interesting and different--the Shakespearean, tragic sensibilities and the fatalistic characters. He writes a particularly excellent Loki, which is saying a lot after JMS's take on the character.
So I have to say I'm impressed with Gillen's work here: he does a really nice job of turning an above-average book that should have gone down the crapper when the writer quit in the middle of things into a different but still above average book. And I'm certainly willing to keep reading.
When Siege kicks in, the book gets a little stronger, but of course all we have here are the commercial breaks from Siege, not the main events. However, there's a lot of good stuff in there focusing on Balder, Tyr, and Volstagg. And I really liked the return of the TerminaThor (I mean, Ragnarok), a plotline left dangling from Civil War a few years before.
Finally, in the aftermath of Siege, the Asgardians have to deal with some mummy valkyries, the Disir, who are attacking Hela's new base of operations, located in Hell. This has all the makings of a terrible plotline, but it ends up working surprisingly well: it's got a big, epic feel, lots of valiant sacrifices, and a resolution where Thor uses his brains instead of his brawn, if you can believe it.
Overall, Gillen has an excellent sense of what makes Thor's universe interesting and different--the Shakespearean, tragic sensibilities and the fatalistic characters. He writes a particularly excellent Loki, which is saying a lot after JMS's take on the character.
So I have to say I'm impressed with Gillen's work here: he does a really nice job of turning an above-average book that should have gone down the crapper when the writer quit in the middle of things into a different but still above average book. And I'm certainly willing to keep reading.
July 9, 2015
Incomprehensible without at least passing knowledge of Straczynski's run and the SIEGE event but in all a very solidly entertaining chunk of comics. Well plotted and essential reading leading into Gillen's wonderfully subversive and delightful JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY stint, particularly the Jamie McKelvie-drawn SIEGE: LOKI tie-in.
September 19, 2019
I liked this collection (which is volumes 4-6 of this particular run) more than the previous issues. The writing was better and Hela was easily the best part. However, the 3 different artists within the same book and the fact that a huge part of the story (Seige) is missing keeps this a 3 star read.
September 16, 2019
Thor, peklo, severská mythologie, honba za mečem a do toho zlé Valkyry. Tohle opravdu můžu a Gillen tu fakt zaválel. Škoda, že to není v OHC.
July 9, 2019
I don't really have an in depth, intense write up for this one. If you love Thor and Loki, you'll enjoy this. If not, or if you're new to their whole world and adventures, this is by no means a good place to start. Kieron Gillen is easily my favorite comic book author and he does a great job here for what he has to work with. He inherited this whole story halfway through an already existing arc, so he has to put his own spin on it while still keeping the threads of the previous story together. Less talented authors would flounder, but Gillen rocks forever and always. His Journey Into Mystery run is the thing that got me back into comics, so I'll always be a bit biased in favor of him.
We get a pretty fun story here. Loki is being sneaky and a shitstain as usual, Asgard is suffering because of it, there's a ton of special guest bad guys propelling the story and Thor is our badass good guy. It's a Thor story per usual, but written well and tons of fun. I would definitely recommend starting with a different, more readable arc if you're a new Thor fan, though I think it is possible to totally follow the story here for the first time; you'll just miss out on some of the backstory and references.
Blog / Twitter
We get a pretty fun story here. Loki is being sneaky and a shitstain as usual, Asgard is suffering because of it, there's a ton of special guest bad guys propelling the story and Thor is our badass good guy. It's a Thor story per usual, but written well and tons of fun. I would definitely recommend starting with a different, more readable arc if you're a new Thor fan, though I think it is possible to totally follow the story here for the first time; you'll just miss out on some of the backstory and references.
Blog / Twitter
March 23, 2017
I read a lot of this alongside Siege, and a good chunk of this volume would be pretty incomprehensible without that background. With it though, this gives some great side stories and background to Siege, most notably for Loki, for whom Siege is a major turning point. The ultimate revelation at the end concerning Loki and Kelda was a really good twist. A variety of art that was never bad, ranging from wonderful (Gillen's superbuddy Jamie McKelvie doing the Siege: Loki one-shot, Doug Braithwaite showing off the painterly style he'd bring later to Journey into Mystery) to the bold and pretty good (Billy Tan and everybody else).
For a long time I considered just picking this book up and starting with it to try to get to Journey Into Mystery, telling myself "this is where Gillen starts so that should work, right?" I am so glad I never did that, this book would be ridiculously confusing without having read JMS' run beforehand.
For a long time I considered just picking this book up and starting with it to try to get to Journey Into Mystery, telling myself "this is where Gillen starts so that should work, right?" I am so glad I never did that, this book would be ridiculously confusing without having read JMS' run beforehand.
January 30, 2020
This graphic novel is all about Loki and his plotting. Like the mythology, Loki comes up with his schemes and they turn out badly.
Thor is banished and comes to the aid of Asgard when it looks like there is no hope. He does this a number of times throughout the story.
All, in all, there are many other Asgardians besides Thor in the story and they all play a part in Loki's schemes.
The story is (mostly) self contained although there are references to other events as it links to the New Mutants series.
All in all, it's an interesting read.
Thor is banished and comes to the aid of Asgard when it looks like there is no hope. He does this a number of times throughout the story.
All, in all, there are many other Asgardians besides Thor in the story and they all play a part in Loki's schemes.
The story is (mostly) self contained although there are references to other events as it links to the New Mutants series.
All in all, it's an interesting read.
December 7, 2018
Not as strong as JMS part of this run but still has some good moments and fills in the gaps of the Siege event.
The first arc is about Asgard vs Doom and Balder’s shaky rule, then the genesis of Siege and how Osbourne engineered it so Volstagg would give the US a reason to invade Asgard, Loki’s deal with Memphisto and Hell, and an adventure and battle in Hell
The first arc is about Asgard vs Doom and Balder’s shaky rule, then the genesis of Siege and how Osbourne engineered it so Volstagg would give the US a reason to invade Asgard, Loki’s deal with Memphisto and Hell, and an adventure and battle in Hell
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 19, 2021
Somehow Gillen managed to string together a decent epic despite the chaos of a crossover event landing in the middle of it. It's at its best towards the end of the arc when the chains are loosed and he gets to go full death metal. The dialog is grandiose and witty throughout though.
The art is all over the shop and poor Kelda must be freezing cold the whole time. Certainly has its moments though.
The art is all over the shop and poor Kelda must be freezing cold the whole time. Certainly has its moments though.
January 3, 2018
This book is nicely tied with Siege crossover, so I recommend you read it afterwards. I think it's a mistake for new Thor readers to start with Aaron's run when both Straczinsky's and Gillean's are very well written and with an austounding artwork.
June 10, 2025
This was more like 3.5 stars. Some of the characters in this were well done, the dastardly deeds of Dr. Doom and Mephisto, specifically. However, some of the transitions were confusing and the end doesn’t make a ton of sense, specifically the revelation involving Kelda.
July 31, 2017
Thor kunne gjerne vert litt mer med...
March 18, 2018
Quality read! Enjoyed the story and the art.
July 20, 2018
Great wrap up to the story lines started by Stryzinski. The God of Thunder is always involved in great cosmic conflict. The price of being a god i guess.
July 28, 2021
Kieron Gillen was given the unenviable task of wrapping up both JMS's plot threads AND the Siege aftermath, and he did, overall, a very good job of it.
May 25, 2022
Really inconsistent art work and burdened with the siege event. It was never gonna be good.
November 6, 2023
A disappointing continuation of JMS's run both in art and story. My interest dwindled more and more the further I read.
July 25, 2025
Enjoyable, epic, features a lot of great characters and the ending was satisfying.
October 13, 2025
It was just ok
I really liked that all of a sudden, one issue turned into a bit of horror - unexpected, but cool.
the rest is meh, and looking back at Straczynski's run, this is just a filler.
I really liked that all of a sudden, one issue turned into a bit of horror - unexpected, but cool.
the rest is meh, and looking back at Straczynski's run, this is just a filler.
September 5, 2021
After the disappointing cliffhanger of JMS's run, I was hoping to get some closure by reading Gillen's run. I didn't quite get the ending I wanted - we'll never see the true conclusion of what JMS intended - but I found a pretty decent run on Thor in its place.
The first two storylines of Gillen's run are all right, if a little underwhelming, but that's not Gillen's fault. Right as he inherits the book, he had to finish out JMS's Latveria storyline and tie into the Siege event. Not a lot of room to make your own mark on a book. There are some good moments, like Balder facing his failures as a leader and Tyr's struggles during Siege. Otherwise, it's pretty by-the-numbers. What's good about it, however, is how Gillen uses the first two arcs to plant seeds for his third.
Gillen's third arc, which is thankfully the longest, is where he finally comes into his own as a Thor writer. The Disir are intimidating, terrifying antagonists, and it's a blast to watch Thor, Tyr, and Hela scramble to defeat them. After so many deaths in Siege, having to defend the souls of the dead from beings that devour them is both a logical extension of preceeding events and a fight with clearly defined stakes. Thor fighting his way through Hell all by himself? *chef's kiss*
None of the artists of Gillen's run made as much of an impression as Oliver Copiel, but I didn't dislike any of their work. I wish we'd gotten to see what a longer run by Gillen would've been like, but what we got was pretty solid, and I've heard great things about his Journey into Mystery run that he left to write. If you're a Thor fan (like I'm becoming), definitely check this out after the JMS run.
The first two storylines of Gillen's run are all right, if a little underwhelming, but that's not Gillen's fault. Right as he inherits the book, he had to finish out JMS's Latveria storyline and tie into the Siege event. Not a lot of room to make your own mark on a book. There are some good moments, like Balder facing his failures as a leader and Tyr's struggles during Siege. Otherwise, it's pretty by-the-numbers. What's good about it, however, is how Gillen uses the first two arcs to plant seeds for his third.
Gillen's third arc, which is thankfully the longest, is where he finally comes into his own as a Thor writer. The Disir are intimidating, terrifying antagonists, and it's a blast to watch Thor, Tyr, and Hela scramble to defeat them. After so many deaths in Siege, having to defend the souls of the dead from beings that devour them is both a logical extension of preceeding events and a fight with clearly defined stakes. Thor fighting his way through Hell all by himself? *chef's kiss*
None of the artists of Gillen's run made as much of an impression as Oliver Copiel, but I didn't dislike any of their work. I wish we'd gotten to see what a longer run by Gillen would've been like, but what we got was pretty solid, and I've heard great things about his Journey into Mystery run that he left to write. If you're a Thor fan (like I'm becoming), definitely check this out after the JMS run.
March 19, 2013
Kieron Gillen first hooked me with Journey into Mystery. I was a newbie to comics and that was suggested as a good point to begin. I enjoyed that series so much that I decided to jump back in the timeline (but not too far). Since I wasn't too keen on Civil War, I decided to start with Straczynski's Thor, which had so many positive reviews, and work toward Siege. Gillen's Thor Ultimate Collection follows on Straczynski's storyline and continues into the aftermath of Siege.
One challenge of this collection is that it spans around the Marvel event Siege - meaning it includes material that happens before and after that pivotal story. But, the editors did a fantastic job organizing the structure. About two-thirds of the way through, there is a separation page of panels that simply say "The Monster's Rampage. The Traitor Redeemed. The Traitor's Doom. The telling Strike. The Final Strike. And the Villain Apprehended." Siege in a nutshell! This was very effective. Those who wish could put the book down, go to Siege and return. However, it isn't absolutely necessary. I was already familiar with the basic plot of Siege and was able to continue without any confusion. A testament to the skills of the author and artists is presenting the stories.
And these stories are excellent. I won't deny that Loki is my favorite villain and he figures prominently in this collection. This is fitting since he is the architect of Siege, though other villains take center stage for that conflict. But, I think Gillen has a particular flair for writing the Trickster. His machinations and schemes are par for the course, and made for very entertaining reading, but I was surprised to see a different side to him. Frankly, it was awesome to see Loki kick some a@@ "You have no idea what I am. No one does." And, it was also great to see him express regret - when no one is around to see it (e.g. not manipulation). The scene with Kelda is quite moving. Gillen gave the character a new dimension that lends credence to why Thor is willing to forgive and even miss him when he is gone. But, this is a Thor book and there is no shortage of amazing fights and noble acts of courage and sacrifice to keep a reader enthralled. And Volstagg throws a bit of humor into the chaos when he starts throwing his, ahem, weight around! Moreover, this Thor showed more wisdom than I am accustomed to seeing, and his journey through Mephisto's realm is an exciting way to end the collection. Gillen deftly continues Straczynski's story, carries the reader through Siege, and sets them up for Matt Fraction's Mighty Thor.
Finally, the production values of this book are top notch. The cover is thick and glossy, as are the pages. The colors are vibrant, the text legible, and the book is logically laid out with no bubbles creeping into the spine, and with section breaks with recaps to help orient the reader. Overall, this is an amazing collection and I cannot wait to jump into Siege. And, I hope to read more of Gillen's Marvel stories in the future.
One challenge of this collection is that it spans around the Marvel event Siege - meaning it includes material that happens before and after that pivotal story. But, the editors did a fantastic job organizing the structure. About two-thirds of the way through, there is a separation page of panels that simply say "The Monster's Rampage. The Traitor Redeemed. The Traitor's Doom. The telling Strike. The Final Strike. And the Villain Apprehended." Siege in a nutshell! This was very effective. Those who wish could put the book down, go to Siege and return. However, it isn't absolutely necessary. I was already familiar with the basic plot of Siege and was able to continue without any confusion. A testament to the skills of the author and artists is presenting the stories.
And these stories are excellent. I won't deny that Loki is my favorite villain and he figures prominently in this collection. This is fitting since he is the architect of Siege, though other villains take center stage for that conflict. But, I think Gillen has a particular flair for writing the Trickster. His machinations and schemes are par for the course, and made for very entertaining reading, but I was surprised to see a different side to him. Frankly, it was awesome to see Loki kick some a@@ "You have no idea what I am. No one does." And, it was also great to see him express regret - when no one is around to see it (e.g. not manipulation). The scene with Kelda is quite moving. Gillen gave the character a new dimension that lends credence to why Thor is willing to forgive and even miss him when he is gone. But, this is a Thor book and there is no shortage of amazing fights and noble acts of courage and sacrifice to keep a reader enthralled. And Volstagg throws a bit of humor into the chaos when he starts throwing his, ahem, weight around! Moreover, this Thor showed more wisdom than I am accustomed to seeing, and his journey through Mephisto's realm is an exciting way to end the collection. Gillen deftly continues Straczynski's story, carries the reader through Siege, and sets them up for Matt Fraction's Mighty Thor.
Finally, the production values of this book are top notch. The cover is thick and glossy, as are the pages. The colors are vibrant, the text legible, and the book is logically laid out with no bubbles creeping into the spine, and with section breaks with recaps to help orient the reader. Overall, this is an amazing collection and I cannot wait to jump into Siege. And, I hope to read more of Gillen's Marvel stories in the future.
December 1, 2014
I remember picking this up right when it came out. I was reading the Thor ongoing + the Journey into Mystery Spin-Off and was just beginning to dip my toes into Thor's impressive back catalogue of issues. It can't have been easy to have to pick up where JMS left off without so much as a note. Well, I for one really like where the new team took this story. Whereas the JMS Omnibus whetted my appetite, it was this book that really hooked me. A big part of that were the villains. I'm usually more a shining hero fan, but the continuing interaction of Loki and Doctor Doom was just so much fun, I simply didn't want it to end. They're both such interesting, intersting characters and remain my top favourite Marvel super villains. I'm also a sucker for villains having to support the heros against an even greater evil, and this book delivers nicely. Complete with some delicious thoughts on redemption. That's drama to my liking! And while that is going on there is a mean spin on immortal/human romance which is also something that is almost always highly relevant to my interests. And even though this got hijacked by Siege (as happens with event comics), the bits and pieced of the event we're presented here do come together to make a whole. It's still a coherent narrative, and not just that, it's a dramatic, interesting narrative. I enjoyed the focus on Loki. As I said, the villain is one of my favourites.
April 22, 2021
I read it just after completing my reading of the Thor Omnibus by Straczynski and the Siege crossover. It was maybe not as fluid and well executed as the former, but it certainly covered everything that was missing in the latter (such as Loki's or Volstagg's whereabouts during the siege) and thus was very enjoyable.
The most curious thing is that the actual Thor, whose name is on the cover, only pops up now and then, making the book more about Asgard and Hel than about Thor himself. But it does make his interventions more memorable, and allows us to explore a lot of different places without Thor having to be all over the place.
In conclusion, pick it up if you want to know the full extent of what was going on during the infamous Siege, especially Loki's full scheme all the way to the end.
The most curious thing is that the actual Thor, whose name is on the cover, only pops up now and then, making the book more about Asgard and Hel than about Thor himself. But it does make his interventions more memorable, and allows us to explore a lot of different places without Thor having to be all over the place.
In conclusion, pick it up if you want to know the full extent of what was going on during the infamous Siege, especially Loki's full scheme all the way to the end.
March 25, 2016
Definitely an Ultimate Collection! I've read a few of the more recent Thor comics so have a vague sense of what the heck is happening. But I've never really gotten into the story. This one held my interest but still didn't convince me to become a fan. There was almost too much going on...
First of all, the art work and coloring were superb! There was a large collection so the artwork varied for the different arcs but overall I think it was a great showcase of talent in the art department!
Next, this Collection covers the Siege of Asgard...which is in Oaklahoma? This is one of the reasons I stopped reading the newer run. :p However, Loki is up to his usual mischief making readers question who's side he's on while everyone has condemned him already.
So with a touch of Ragnarok and a ton of Siege and Post-Siege action I guess this was a nice piece to a Thor-reader/fan...but for me it was only okay.
First of all, the art work and coloring were superb! There was a large collection so the artwork varied for the different arcs but overall I think it was a great showcase of talent in the art department!
Next, this Collection covers the Siege of Asgard...which is in Oaklahoma? This is one of the reasons I stopped reading the newer run. :p However, Loki is up to his usual mischief making readers question who's side he's on while everyone has condemned him already.
So with a touch of Ragnarok and a ton of Siege and Post-Siege action I guess this was a nice piece to a Thor-reader/fan...but for me it was only okay.
April 15, 2015
Overall this is a really fun compilation of Thor comics. It is a combination of Thor, Siege: Loki and New Mutants that works really, really well together. The story is driven mostly by Loki's mischievousness, which plays out over and over again throughout the story. There are also some interesting Asgardian/underworld politics that play out throughout the story and some great lore is unpacked. The story also spans at least three universes and the range of characters is expansive enough to fill those three universes.
I've also decided that Niko Henrichon is one of my new favorite comic book artists. (He did the art in New Mutants #11, which is close to the end of the book.) His art is really rough and surprisingly expressive in a way that comic book art isn't always. Plus, he made an absolutely killer set of armor for Dani Moonstar.
I've also decided that Niko Henrichon is one of my new favorite comic book artists. (He did the art in New Mutants #11, which is close to the end of the book.) His art is really rough and surprisingly expressive in a way that comic book art isn't always. Plus, he made an absolutely killer set of armor for Dani Moonstar.
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