Thor: The Mighty Avenger

Thor: The Mighty Avenger #1-8

by Roger Langridge (Writer), Chris Samnee (Artist)

It's Thor as you've never seen him before! Eisner and Harvey Award-nominated writer Roger Langridge and artist Chris Samnee reimagine the God of Thunder! Thrill as Thor faces the mischievous machinations of his adopted brother, Loki, battles raging robots the size of cities and fights side-by-side with Iron Man for the first time! Gasp as he tames the mightiest sea creatures and tests his might against the Sub-Mariner! Swoon as he rescues damsels in distress from the vilest villains! And chuckle as the Son of Odin finds his way in a strange world - with Jane Foster as his guide! Featuring the Warriors Three and the fearsome Fin Fang Foom! Loki's machinations throw Thor and a World War II-era Captain America into King Arthur's court in a time-twisting tale of Camelot craziness! Collecting THOR THE MIGHTY AVENGER #1-8 and FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2011 (THOR THE MIGHTY AVENGER).

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Marvel, Superheroes, Fantasy, Graphic Novels Comics, Comic Book

216 pages, Paperback

First published March 5, 2013

About the author

Roger Langridge has been producing comics for over twenty years. Most recently, he has attracted critical attention for his work on the Harvey Award-winning Muppet Show Comic Book (Boom! Studios) and Thor: The Mighty Avenger (Marvel Comics); other works of note include Marvel's Fin Fang Four, Fantagraphics' Zoot! and Art d'Ecco (in collaboration with his brother Andrew), and the NCS, Ignatz, Eisner and Harvey Award-nominated comic book Fred the Clown. He currently lives in London with his wife Sylvie, their two children and a box of his own hair.

Reviews

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I am Thor!" (WHAP!) "Prince of Asgard! Son of Odin!" (THUD!) "By his authority I command you . . . " (KRAKK!) ". . . LEAVE JANE FOSTER ALONE!" (POW!) -- God of Thunder, takin' care of business

Now this book was just so much FUN - the style of artwork, the popping color palette, the special guest appearances by other MCU superheroes (illustrated in their mid-60's era outfits), and at the center of it all was the sweetly burgeoning relationship of Thor and Jane. Between the earth-shaking action scenes at least once an issue to the quieter moments (like the couple tenderly putting their arms around each other while viewing the Aurora Borealis) things did not take a wrong step. Even just the various, often wordless reaction shots of Thor and Jane to the craziness made it simply worth reading. It was as much a rom-com as it was a superheroics, but it worked both ways.

I suppose another reason I liked it was that Thor, responding to a compliment from a grateful citizen, can utter "I have been blessed with might . . . it is the duty of the mighty to protect those less fortunate, is it not?" and it does not sound silly at all, but completely appropriate and believable.

I'll go out on a limb - THIS collection should've been considered for the basis of the 2011 movie.

[Molly™☺ · Rating 3 out of 5]

You know what? Sometimes you just want to have some good, ol' light-hearted fun. Serving as a reboot origin story of sorts, it's a good introduction for those who want to know a little bit about Thor and what he's about. There's not much depth, but it does offer action, entertaining character interactions, and a short, yet sweet, narrative that's satisfyingly wrapped up. With wonderful art to match the family friendly tone, it's a read for all ages.

[Gavin · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's fine, decent art, a touch juvenile perhaps, storylines read like Thor is a teenager on Time-Out on Earth.
There's a few cool run ins with Ant-Man and Wasp, Iron Man, Captain Britain, and Cap. Apparently there was a planned Hulk run in too, but it never came to pass.
Loki is there, and keeps calling Odin "dad" so that throws it off...The Warriors Three go out drinking with Thor, and Thor gets his ass handed to him by Heimdall.

It covers a lot of ground, it checks a lot of boxes, and it's a solid collection for introducing Thor to new readers, younger variety.
As much as I loved Jason Aaron's God of Thunder run, it's not the right place to start, this does a good job, even if it's a little disjointed.
The main theme here is Thor and Jane Foster falling for each other.

Nothing spectacular, but certainly not a bad book.

[George Ilsley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thor is a golden-haired youth, a touch old-fashioned in outlook. Somehow, he ends up being stranded across "the rainbow bridge" in a place that turns out to be our Earth — Oklahoma, to be exact.

Thor is a sassy, endearing vixen, who is just charming enough to be almost appealing. He tries to do right, but as an impulsive hot-tempered young man, sometimes his ego and his ambition gets in the way. It must be a challenge for a superhero to always do right — even the best-laid plans can go astray.

Thor hooks up with a museum administrator, who of course is sexy and gushing. Who wouldn't have a crush on Thor? Even his bros are man-crushing, and there are bromances galore.

Guest starring many others from the Marvel universe. Rounded up to 4 stars, because when I was a kid, I never liked Thor that much, but now he's okay.

[Rituraj Kashyap · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

A lighthearted take on the origins of the mighty avenger, featuring his first encounters with some of the Marvel heroes.

[Nerdish Mum · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a brilliant book. I really enjoyed the writing and I loved the story. There are some great moments between Jane and Thor and with cameos from people like Mr Hyde to Namor you just can't ask for more. The only thing I wasn't keen on was the art, but not to the point where it took anything away from my enjoyment of the whole thing. A definite recommendation from me if you fancy trying out some Marvel or Thor.

[Abby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four (stars) for Thor !!!

[Natasha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Randomly picked up at the library without knowing it was a different universe. Fun but kinda boring at times.

[Emmett Spain · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this with my 7-year-old and she loved it. Just some good, lighthearted fun with Samnee’s art nailing the tone of it all beautifully. Well worth a read.

[Mika · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a bit shorter than a normal book, but I will count it as I am very behind. Anyways, it was really good! I especially enjoyed the multi-plot lines, though it was a little annoying that the plot wasn’t resolved. 7.2/10

[Aaron · Rating 3 out of 5]

I remember hearing a lot of great things about this series as it was still coming out each month. There were a lot of things said about how original of a take on Thor it was, how well-written and human it was, how great the art was. I mean, none of those things are wrong. But I think what all that hype boils down to is people viewing this series through the filter of longtime comic book enthusiasm.

Yes, the book is a very different take on Thor, but it's not a very different take on superheroes in general. Yes, it's kind of sweet, but the characters are also pretty uneven and largely one-dimensional. I think people are just attracted to the fact that this is not your typical Thor, but unfortunately for me that's not enough.

This Thor is Superman-friendly and has a Spider-Man/Mary Jane relationship with Jane Foster. This Thor does not transform into a human, but is always Thor (much like in the films and in the Ultimate universe). He doesn't know why he's been banished to earth, but wants to get back to Asgard. To me, that's all pretty standard superhero faire. There are touching moments and a few interesting issues plotwise, but overall it just kind of feels like a cartoon, and is not helped by the fact that it got canceled too early to really get into its larger storylines.

Don't get me wrong, it's not a BAD book, it's just not as amazing as I was led to believe. Maybe I'm just a grumpy old man.

[Danny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Update 3/15/25- A very fun read intended for the yoyng and young at heart. Good morals, I laughed out loud at one point, and the romance was cute. I just wished I could occasionally breath what with how fast each self contained story resolved. Oh and I know this was canceled early but I wish the stakes were a touch higher.


It was a nice comic that gave me the origin of how Thor and Jane Foster met. Their romance was very fun to watch bloom. The superheroics were just ok. Nothing too special about them. The villain isn't anything special, but the story does have some fun chapters. But I didn't really understand what was Thor's purpose. You think it is about him being stranded on earth trying to get back to Asgard. But then, it leads to somewhere else and that thread never comes up again. Great art by Samnee that is very readable. I enjoy how he uses simple cartooning to draw the faces to make the emotions characters are having look understandable. Also the humor is really a standout.

[Shaun · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my third time through this comic (although my first with this edition of it) and the charming approachability is still there after multiple readings. This is a book I would classify as an all-ages superhero comic. But one that does not suffer for lack of complexity or cut corners on the art. Thor: The Mighty Avenger is just a pleasure to read.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the first collection of comics that was just plain fun to read, that I've encountered in ages. It reminded me of older comics, especially the humour that was included. I adored the art and the stories were nice and self contained, yet fit really well into the overall arc. I was actually bummed that it ended when it did. I'd love to read more.

[Randy Lander · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best Thor comic I've ever read, and yes, that includes the Simonson run. It breaks my heart that we won't ever see the follow through on the stories Langridge and Samnee had to tell here, but I'm glad to finally get a full-sized collection that does justice to what was published.

[Faith Erin Hicks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This comic was so great. I wish more superhero comics were like it. One creative team, perfectly in sync and a story that ends. Plus Chris Samnee draws the cutest Thor.

[Mario · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review originally appeared on my blog, Shared Universe Reviews.

I’ve been a big fan of Chris Samnee’s work since I read a story arc he drew in Greg Rucka’s Queen & Country as well as the Vertigo Crime graphic novel Area 10 written by Christos Gage. This is the first time I see his art coloured and it’s also the first time I see him draw a superhero comic. The reason I picked this up is mostly because of appreciation for Samnee’s art. It also helps that it was rather well received during its initial monthly publication.

Roger Langridge and Chris Samnee have made a relatively dense comic. At least, if you compare it to other superhero comics published at the time. It’s a very good thing because it allows them to tell an engaging story with a lot of depth but it a way that isn’t overly dense (like an Alan Moore comic, for example). Most pages have roughly 7 or 8 which is just slightly more than what you would normally find in a Marvel comic but it’s enough to make it feel more substantial. There is a lot that happens in these nine issues and it’s a result of an impressive collaborative effort. Langridge's ability to tell single issue stories with an overarching story is what allowed for interesting things for Samnee to draw. From sea monsters to other interesting characters from both Thor's Marvel comics mythology as well as from other corners of the Marvel Universe.

The first few issues the comic seems to be more about Jane and this new visitor in her life but as the story goes on the focus shifts slightly which is perfectly fine. It's called Thor: The Mighty Avenger not Jane: The Museum Curator. This comic is about Thor’s exile from Asgard by his father, Odin. He threw his son off the Rainbow Bridge and onto Earth with the hopes of teaching him humility. Odin denies Thor the knowledge of what he did that resulted in such a punishment. Unfortunately, the series was cancelled before the story could progress to a point where the reason for Thor’s exiled could be revealed. Thus, we are left to think that Thor was a big jerk and Odin may have slightly overreacted by casting his son out of Asgard. As a whole though, it doesn’t really matter. What matters are the lessons Thor learns while on Earth.

Thor’s been on Earth before, many, many years ago. Everything has changed now since a lot of time has passed since his last visit to Earth. He can’t recognize anything and he’s lost. He can’t even interact with modern people because even social interactions have had time to change and evolve. It takes Jane Foster’s eternal patience and compassion to give Thor a chance to interact in anything resembling a normal fashion. Once Langridge is done setting up Thor’s situation, he quickly creates new situations for him and Jane that force Thor to learn new lessons about himself, about humanity and about what it means to be an all-powerful Asgardian. He does this mostly in done-in-one issues, telling a single tale or adventure which sometimes has its beginnings in a previous issue and often has story threads leading into the next issue. This volume collects a total of nine issues and they all tell a single story but they’re also all connected (with the exception of the Free Comic Book Day issue which is a genuine single issue story). It’s impressive that Langridge makes it look so easy because it seems to be one of those many lost comic book talents since we’re increasingly bombarded by overly decompressed story that take several issues to come to any kind of resolution or story progression.

By choosing to tell a done in one story each single issue, Langridge allows for Thor to develop and grow as a character every issue. Langridge tries to have Thor learn a new lesson each issue and something he fails or something he doesn’t learn his lesson until the next story. Either way, it’s nearly guaranteed character development each issue. Thor learns to make a new friend, learns about what it means to be human, learns to be selfless and leans how and why he should help out. He also learns about love and caring. All of these lessons have their roots in Thor’s relationship with Jane Foster.

Jane Foster was a delightful character. You get a sense that she was well rounded and define individual before Thor popped up in her life. She’s not just a female interest for Thor. In fact, Langridge sets it up the other way around. Jane is the main character in the first and maybe second and third issues as well. It’s not until the Boys Night Out story in issue #4 that Thor really comes to the forefront. More than that, when Langridge has Thor do something Jane is generally also doing something be it something by herself or with Thor. In that same Boys Night Out story, Thor goes on an adventure with his friends, The Warriors Three. Upon his return, we find out Jane also went out with some of her friends. She didn’t sit around at home waiting for Thor to come back home. Her life doesn’t revolve around him. You could argue that Thor’s new life on Earth revolves around Jane. We get a scene where Jane is at work and Thor is bumming at her place sitting on the couch and watching Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Jane is a well-developed character and not just another damsel in distress or a sultry superheroic supermodel in frilly garments mean to be an object of lust and desire for both the male protagonist and the male readership. Well done, Langridge and Samnee.

While reading, I was constantly surprised by the choice of having Samnee draw the book. Not because he isn't good, he is, he's excellent, but his art style doesn't make me think he'd be good at drawing fantastical elements. He proves me wrong throughout the entire book. Maybe I feel this way because my introduction to Samnee’s work was in a comic that is more grounded in reality. It was clearly an excellent choice because a big part of my enjoyment of Thor: The Mighty Avenger was due to the art.

You can tell Samnee isn’t used to drawing a comic that is meant to be printed in colour. He shades and texturizes things more than you would expect him to. He seems to like adding a lot of shading on the characters but he also shows restrained, reserving it for scenes that take place in areas with poor lighting. Otherwise he doesn't add any shading on the faces, leaving them open and expressive. Because of his art style, a specific kind of colouring is needed. Matt Wilson uses a lot of flat colours because Samnee's inks tend to be thick. It's a different story for the faces though. Wilson uses gradients to indicate lighting and to add some shading but not always. The use of gradients appear here and there throughout the work, more often than not on some of the more fantastic and superheroic elements. Still, the use of gradients remains minimal throughout all nine issues.

Samnee is pretty good at drawing faces and facial expression. Some facial expressions are rendered rather cartoony but that's fine by me. I'm just impressed by how expressive some of his characters can be. Expressive faces are a good thing to know how to draw, Langridge writes a fair amount of humorous scenes that really on the art to carry the punch line.

There is a lot that happens in these nine issues and it’s a result of an impressive collaborative effort. Langridge's ability to tell single issue stories with an overarching story is what allowed for interesting things for Samnee to draw. From sea monsters to other interesting characters from both Thor's Marvel comics mythology as well as from other corners of the Marvel Universe. In issue #5, Samnee draws a Jack Kirby sea monster. The Kirby influence is clearly there but he keeps it in check with the overall style of the Thor comic. His lines are thinner than Kirby’s but he still manages to uses dark, inky shadowing for texture and that blocky look associated with Kirby’s art.. It works very well and the sea monster looks awesome. Samnee gets another chance to draw a Kirbyesque monster when Heimdall transforms into a creature that kind of looks like Fin Fang Foom.

Thor: The Mighty Avenger could and probably should have been one of the few great superhero comic book runs but alas it was cut short due to poor sales and Langridge being unhappy working for Marvel. The sketchbook section at the end of the collection offers a small glimpse of one of the stories that could have been in the works. Samnee draws a sketch of the Hulk. I’m certain Langridge and Samnee would have given us a unique and thrilling encounter between Thor and Hulk but we’ll have to content ourselves with the sketchbook section. If you like accessible, well written and superbly drawn superhero comics with as much brains and heart as there is brawn and creative costumes, do yourself a favour, pick up a copy of Thor: The Mighty Avenger and savour the brief glimpse into a grand story that could have been.

[Silvis Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adored this little series. It's a self-contained story that doesn't require branching out to tons of different comic titles to understand the plot. It's a bit of a remake and update of a Thor origin story. The characters are both drawn and written in a very cute and amiable way that had me grinning like a dork through the whole thing. It was a bit like the 2011 Thor movie premise with Thor and Jane's meeting and his being an odd Asgardian not knowing what's going on with Midgard and Jane helping him out, but it was much more natural-feeling and likable than how that situation was attempted in the movie. I believe this meeting is really what I'd always sort of wanted in a Thor story, so I'm delighted to finally have found it.

Often, I'm more interested in Loki's character because Thor comes off as more one-dimensional compared to him. I think a lot of writers over time have been unsure of how to handle a character like Thor. But this story did a really great job of giving him a good personality.

This book also had Hank (original Ant-man) and Jan (The Wasp) in it and they finally seemed to have a healthy relationship in this version of events, which also made them more enjoyable to follow.

After all of the angst and drama I've been reading about in other comics (and enjoying as well), this was a breath of fresh air and a very nice break. I highly recommend it if you want a more friendly, fun, and cute story to read in a short amount of time.

~Shay

[Jesse · Rating 2 out of 5]

I expected to really like this.... but it just didn't do much for me. The art was cute, in an early Samnee way. I did like the relationship between Thor and Jane. But it just didn't add up to much. The stories were fun but didn't lead anywhere. They kept playing up the mystery of Thor's circumstances, but never explained them. If that wasn't the point, then I wish they hadn't mentioned it so much. Oh well.

[Jen · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was really hyped up, but I can't say that I was super impressed. Jane was all swooney over Thor before she even began to know him, we never found out who the super-villain is, and there wasn't as much humor as I would have liked. Iron Man and Thor had some good lines together, but Giant Man was just clumsy and uninteresting.

[Just_An_E · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really solid chill introduction to Thor in a way that feels really palatable to anyone, even those unfamiliar with comics. It also introduces some characters that are relatively close to Thor in Marvel mythos, so you could probably jump into most runs of Thor after this and not feel that far out of place.

[sassafrass · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS WAS SO MUCH FUN! The art style was great, the plots were awesome, and all the cameos were cute. If you're looking to read a Thor comic thats self contained and lighthearted this is definitely one I'd recommend. Also the bonus comic at the end is hilarious and deserved an entire run.

[c · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really fun and charming story. The romance was believable, the crossovers were cool, and just great adventure. Simple plot but well written and well executed. Thor has recently become my favourite mcu character so I'm glad I could find a great Thor comic too! 4.5 stars.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a reimagining of the introduction of Thor. Jane Foster is now a Viking Expert at a museum, and has an artefact Thor needs.

This is a fun book, that pits Thor against unusual enemies. A nice little experiment.

[Gerry Sacco · Rating 3 out of 5]

But underwhelming to be honest. For all the plaudits it gets, really just a simple story. Art is very stylized but it’s nice. Really, not much here. It’s cute. It’s popcorn. That’s it.

[Roberto Diaz · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice, self-contained story arc, beautifuly drawn by chris samnee, that reminds us of the joy of reading super hero comics.

[Tibor Kántor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny read from the beginning to the end. It reminded me a little bit of the first Thor movie. The art is amazing and the story is well paced.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun and enjoyable read. Makes me want to read more Thor. Also, really liked the artwork.

[Kamillah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mistaken for a homeless vagrant, Thor wanders the streets of a small town in Oklahoma dumpster diving behind local taverns until he crosses paths with Jane Foster. Thor: The Might Avenger puts forth a a more lighthearted, sillier romantic tale about how the Norse god finds himself marooned in Oklahoma. With his sights singularly set on finding his way back to the rainbow bridge that will lead him home to Asgard, he learns through a few exciting trials and a handful of Marvel Universe cameos that he may yet have more than a few good reasons to remain on Midgard (Earth). I was going to rate the Might Avenger issues (1-8) at 2.5 stars, but this volume includes another Thor issue from Free Comic Book Day 2011, which I really enjoyed, so I bumped the rating for this book up to 3 stars. The extra issue involves Thor and Captain America time traveling to the Middle Ages where they stumble upon Loki, Merlin, and the holy grail! That issue redeemed the book in my eyes.

Thor sometimes comes across as one of the goofier superheroes wielding his magical hammer, wearing a Viking helmet, and speaking in his lofty tone. He crosses a rainbow bridge to leave his home world. This story takes advantage of the more colorful aspects of Thor's lore by adopting a lighthearted tone instead of leaning toward the dark and brooding. Thor is endearing for the most part, lost Earth, yearning to go home, and believing his father abandoned him for reasons he either can't remember or never knew in the first place. He meets Jane when he literally busts into her museum to reunite with his magical hammer--she crosses paths with him later while he's trying to break up a bar fight. Eventually he takes up permanent residence on her couch, and it's amusing to see Thor and Jane fall for each other. It's amusing too to see Thor trying to learn more about Earth and try to be more sweetness rather than his usual thunder and lightning outbursts.

The artwork has a more two-dimensional look, reminiscent of an amped up '90's cartoon. It's pleasant and cheerful and compliments the overall tone of the book. In fact, with the writing and the art, it feels episodic, sometimes exaggerated, and light like a cartoon, which is part of the appeal.

The collection of issues includes some fun cameos by Captain Britain (Thor's goat chariot takes a wrong turn trying to get to Norway), the Sub-Mariner, and Iron Man in throwback armor. While the storyline focusing on Thor's quest to return to Asgard and his budding romance with Jane is appealing, their personalities are not fleshed out. At times, Jane is portrayed as a giddy schoolgirl type, which is contradictory to her role as an academic--at one point she enters her apartment drunk singing, "I'm so pretty," presumably from West Side Story. Thor is often drawn with a sheepish grin, which usually excuses him from his arrogant and immature tantrums. The Asgardians and the Sub-Mariner emphasize several times that Thor must learn humility (even Jane specifically mentions his "tantrums"), yet this is not addressed before the conclusion of the story, so the resolution feels somewhat empty. I would have liked to see Jane take on a more assertive role, and maybe see her teach Thor a thing or two about his attitude, rather than so many scenes of her swooning over him in the shadow of one magical wonder or another. Still, it's reasonable she can be intelligent, sing silly show toons, and swoon.

Overall, Thor: The Might Avengers is an entertaining, goofy in a good way, romantic introduction to Thor and Jane Foster. It's light and thin on some of the details, but still a fun read. If you can get your hands on the trade paperback, read the extra issue for a random and amusing first meeting between Thor and Captain America (and Merlin!).

[John Wiswell · Rating 4 out of 5]

It sounds like a fairly standard superhero reboot that re-introduces Thor to the modern world. What sets Roger Langridge’s story apart is the retro lightheartedness it carries itself with. Jane Foster is essentially our main character, this time playing an archaeologist working at the museum that owns Thor’s hammer. She winds up doing something between babysitting and dating the Norse god, trying to prevent him from killing himself and others in a heroic quest to return to Asgard. From the outset where he appears to be a hobo trying to break into an exhibit, the story is powerfully adorable, and the charm lasts through its many cameos to its abrupt end. If there’s a big flaw to the book, it’s that the publisher canceled it.

It’s cheesy in highly endearing ways. A panel after Thor stops a train with his bare hands, a crowd materializes out of nowhere to chant “hooray” at him. The museum’s ancient texts use Jack Kirby’s art of the old Journey Into Mystery series. Jane is convinced to let him back into the museum after witnessing him be questionably noble in a bar fight.

The whole thing has an outdated dramatic compression, facilitating us getting to the parts we know any take on this story would, and simply dropping many of the pretenses in the pursuit of being cute and entertaining. Of course they love each other, of course Thor is a god, and of course he’s being tricked by his trickster god brother. Fundamentally, we all know we’re in for this kind of story, and almost every retelling is going to tell it, but unlike the recent film version and other reboots, it doesn’t bother obfuscating and jumps into the fun parts. It turns out that the fun-parts-version of a culture clash story with a weather god makes for a refreshing read.

Chris Samnee’s art is what truly makes the comic. It’s blocky, often open to wide coloration, and rife with winning faces. I was won over in three pages, as Jane was woken by a freak thunder storm, and opened her window to enjoy the breeze and unexpected midnight rainbow. Of course that rainbow was the Norse Bifrost, the bridge to the kingdom of the gods, but what was unusual was to read a story in which the main character simply enjoyed scary weather. I haven’t enjoyed watching characters smile so much in a while, and had forgotten how much I needed it. Samnee made it work.