Editor's Note: Thor #7 arrives in stores tomorrow, March 19.

"Father Issues"

Dave Wallace: 4 Bullets
Paul Brian McCoy: 3 Bullets

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Dave: Thor is a book which I had great interest in when it first launched but which turned me off after the first four issues due to its slow pace and lack of any real development. However, after glancing through issue #6, I realised that I had probably dropped the book at the worst possible time, because a lot seems to have happened in the past couple of issues.

Paul: I don't think you can be faulted for giving a book four issues to get going and being disappointed by the pace. That so much was shoved into the last two issues is a valid pacing problem, and one of the main reasons that I haven't bothered to keep up with this series. Although we should be thankful that JMS didn't devote an entire issue to each inhabitant of Asgard, which is something I had nightmares about early on.

And speaking of pacing nightmares, we still don't actually get much plot this time, even though we're now seven issues in. There are some character developments, but not a lot of movement, although Loki continues to prance around, striking sexy poses and apparently waiting for a chance to be a bitch. And, yes, I do feel a little dirty thinking about sexy Loki.

Dave: Brrrrrr. That's just… wrong. The re-imagining of Loki as a female was one of the developments that I missed in issue #5, so I'm not really sure what's going on there, or whether her meaningful glances this issue actually mean anything.

I'm not sure it's fair to say that there's no plot here, though. Over the past few issues, Thor has rebuilt and repopulated Asgard, and has reawakened almost all of the Asgardians - but the task has taken its toll on the hero, and Odin is still nowhere to be found. This issue sees Thor enter a deep sleep of recovery, during which his dreams allow him to re-experience Ragnarok, meet Odin, and learn more about his godly heritage. True, not a lot might happen to Thor in the "real world," but I think that Straczynski is aiming for a story which is more symbolic, exploring Thor's new role as the reborn leader of the Asgardians.

Paul: You're right, things have happened. But really, we've had five issues where the same thing happened again and again (searching for an Asgardian, some ruminations on responsibility, then finding the Asgardian), then in the sixth, Thor just flies up to orbit and wakes them all up at once. Now he has to take a nap that could last for days, weeks, or even years. Of course, it won't last that long or we'd have even less forward movement.

I'd just like to see some action that doesn't involve beating up Tony Stark, and so far there doesn't seem to be any indication that anything threat is on the horizon. Except for that city council meeting last issue where we found out that the Asgardians just throw their pee and poop over the wall. That could initiate some drama now that they're hovering over Oklahoma.

Dave: Yeah, you're right, a little conflict wouldn't go amiss. But JMS does strive for drama in different ways. For example, his apparent decision to not resurrect Odin is given a decent explanation here, and it not only works in the context of what we know of Ragnarok, but also makes a good case for the Thor title being more interesting without his presence, as the absence of a father figure to watch over him gives the title character a lot more power and responsibility for his people.

Paul: I do like this development, especially after teasing us with the possible return of Odin last issue. Um, is that a spoiler? Oh well. It is a wonderful way of applying a fresh approach to Thor, finally moving him into a role of responsibility, as you say. Of course, that's not a new thing, since Dan Jurgens' run is where Odin died and Thor became ruler of Asgard, originally.

I had been concerned that JMS was going to reset this and that we'd lose a lot of the interesting character work that Jurgens did. So while it's not really anything special to JMS' treatment of the character, it is, to my mind, an improvement over the traditional approach to Thor, and I'm glad to see it maintained here.

Dave: I've not got much experience with the Thor title, so I didn't know that this development was linked to what Jurgens had done in the past. Either way though, it works well.

The meeting between Thor and Odin allows Straczynski to get stuck into some meaty psychological issues too, notably the way in which father-son relationships function, and it humanises Thor and the Asgardians without stripping them of any of their mythical power or godliness. I've always been fascinated by the way the Greek pantheon of gods was depicted with such human emotions and inter-personal relationships (especially compared to the flawless way we often think of deities today), and it looks like Straczynski is keen on reinforcing the more relatable aspects of the Norse gods in a similar way.

Paul: This is really where JMS makes the idea his own. I don't think Thor has had the opportunity to actually commune with his dead father before, and you're right; the psychological issues that are raised are important to the overall development of the character and the title. I hope that this means we'll eventually get a Thor who isn't so preoccupied with his father issues and can become a fully realized ruler of his own. Of course, the last time he asserted his identity he ended up taking over the world, and the series had to resort to a time travel reset. Given the lack of truly original ideas in the series so far, I have a faint dread that something similar could happen. I doubt that it will, but that underlying anxiety is probably not going to go away until JMS does something to really distinguish this run.

Dave: That's a fair point – I still don't think that JMS has quite done enough to establish his take on the book, and whilst I think that this issue is a step in the right direction, by the time you're seven issues into a book, you should probably have a stronger sense of the writer's intentions.

There's also a plot development this issue involving Donald Blake, which is fairly unexpected, and although Straczynski's explanation for it only half makes sense, it gives the writer the chance to explore Thor's relationship with his human side a little more - even if we don't really see where he's going with it in this issue. JMS hints at a meeting between Blake and another character from Thor's past (who I had to look up in order to understand their significance) in the near future, and it'll be interesting to see whether he plans to incorporate this character into the book on a permanent basis.

Paul: The Donald Blake parts of this issue were by far the worst parts to me. The attempts at humor, while understandable as a way to contrast the personalities of Blake and Thor, were awkward and not funny. Especially the "Is that a sword or are you just happy to see me," throwaway line. Awful. This extremely unfunny dialogue continues in captions as we hear Blake's conversation with an unidentified someone to get the location of our mystery character. I can only assume that it's Tony Stark he's talking to based on the "joke" about being caught in Latveria without weapons or trousers. Again, awful.

I also didn't like the idea that he can just plop down a bag of gold coins and be given an airplane ticket, especially when the cashiers are shown debating whether it's real gold or not as Blake walks away with his ticket. It was kind of silly and immediately took me out of the story, not only because you just can't do that in real life, but because there was so much gold in that bag, he could have probably bought a plane with it. Not to mention there was an absolute lack of security in that airport.

Dave: I think that Straczynski has always had difficulty with humour, and his jokes tend to be very hit-and-miss. When they work, they're very funny, but when they miss their mark, they're pretty lame. I agree that this issue wasn't the best showcase for the writer's sense of humour, but to be honest, I skipped over those sections without being too bothered by them, as I was invested enough in the main story that the Donald Blake segment felt fairly peripheral.

Paul: Well, it did feel peripheral. That's for sure. I just hate seeing these storytelling shortcuts in a story that has the potential to be really good. Moments like the one at the airport make me feel like JMS isn't respecting me as a reader. Instead of coming up with an explanation for where Blake gets enough money for an airplane ticket, we'll just make it a joke and move along.

Of course, JMS has a lot on his plate outside of comics, so perhaps a few shortcuts are to be expected.

Dave: Aside from the specifics of the story, there's a pervading mythical quality to this issue which really helps the story to work. Part of that is undoubtedly down to Straczynski's stylised dialogue, which doesn't overplay the "thees" and "thous" but still manages to feel stately and old-fashioned - almost Shakespearean - in its cadence.

Paul: I agree. These parts of the book work really well, and now that JMS has established his cast and setting, I'm hoping that we'll finally get into more of the mythological elements of the story. And maybe find out why Loki is the only character to change genders (or did I miss that in the Loki issue?).

I was bothered, though, by the fact that it is explained that the enchantments on Thor's "coffin" (when you read it, you'll know what I'm talking about, dear readers) are what initiate the coma-like "between life and death" state, different from the traditional Odinsleep, that allows Thor to heal faster and subsequently visit with Odin. But then Odin says that's just what the Odinsleep is: a place "between life and death." Maybe it's nitpicking, but it still bothered me.

Dave: Again, you might have a point, but it didn't bother me when I was reading it. I just saw the coffin as a device that allowed Thor to enter the Odinsleep (or should that be Thorsleep?) and meet with his father.

Paul: But the coffin is specifically introduced as a new creation, made specifically to alter the nature of the Odin/Thorsleep to help speed up the healing that takes place while under. And, and … but … um…

Dave: It's magic, they don't have to explain it…

Paul: Aaargh!

Dave: As good as Straczynski's writing is, though, much of the atmosphere can be credited to the wonderful artwork. This issue sees Marko Djurdjevic take over from Olivier Coipel for a couple of months, and on the strength of his work here, I'd be happy to see him take over on a permanent basis if and when Coipel decides to leave the book for good.

I only really know Djurdjevic from his painted covers and his occasional painted interior work, so his work this issue was a real surprise to me. Djurdjevic's work looks even better when inked and coloured in the traditional manner, as far as I'm concerned, and Danny Miki's inks bring out the incredibly high level of detail that has been included in the original linework in a way that isn't always apparent in painted art. More than anything, Djurdjevic seems to have a gift for capturing textures in such a way that they feel incredibly tangible and real - the horns and armour of Odin's outfit and the chilling fate of Odin's father feel particularly lifelike here.

Djurdjevic also copes well with the more fantastical elements of the story, which aren't so easy for an artist to find references for in real life. The hordes of troll-like creatures and Frost Giants integrate well with the more realistic human characters in the same way that the Lord of the Rings movies gave their more fantastical elements some kind of grounding in reality, and it helps to reinforce the more grounded aspects of Straczynski's story. In fact, I was reminded most of Bryan Hitch's depiction of the Asgardians in the final issue of Ultimates 2, and that should give you a clue as to the kind of level that Djurdjevic is working at here. Usually, a fill-in-artist means a drop in quality, but this is one occasion where I'd be quite happy to see the fill-in continue to illustrate the book on a regular basis.

Paul: I really don't have much to add to that. You're absolutely right. This is what a Thor book should look and feel like. There's a weight and realism to the costuming and set design that was lacking in the glossy Coipel art. If Djurdjevic was going to be the regular artist, I'd be willing to pay for this even if the story continued to meander.

Dave: Definitely. I know that it's impossible for even the finest art to turn a weak story into a great one, but even those people who aren't enjoying what JMS is doing with the book will surely be able to acknowledge that it looks fantastic.

Paul: Yes, and I feel like I should clarify that while I'm bitching a lot here, the Thor segments of the book are well done, aside from a couple of minor moments that bothered me. I think JMS has gotten his feet under him, finally, and hope that we're going to see some real development of the situations that he's laid the groundwork for so far. If it had looked as good as this from the start, I might have had more patience with the writing. Not that Coipel's work wasn't good, but Djurdjevic is damn near perfect for this book.

Dave: Definitely.
Finally, I also have to give credit to this issue's letterer, Chris Eliopoulos, whose contribution here is as invisibly effective as a good letterer's work should be. His distinction between Asgardian speech and the regular speech of Donald Blake is subtle, but effective - and the white-on-black speech balloons suit Odin's ravens perfectly.

Paul: Nice call. It's rare for me to notice the lettering work, but I'm a philistine and should be beaten now and then just to keep my attention from wandering. The lettering does do a good job of contributing to the elevated feel of the Asgardian speech.

Dave: This issue has convinced me that I was wrong to drop Thor when I did, because it looks like JMS was just getting started at the point that I left. Straczynski has succeeded in taking the concepts of Thor and Asgard and making them relevant to human experiences and emotions without losing their mythical grandeur, and he's been lucky enough to be paired with skilled artists who can bring his vision for the book to life effectively. This issue works well as the first part of a relatively self-contained two-part story which slots nicely into JMS' overall picture, and my only real complaint is that the ending comes a little too abruptly for the issue to feel like a satisfying read in its own right. Between this and what's going on in the Incredible Herc book at the moment, it's nice to see Marvel rediscovering their more mythical and legendary characters and showing that they can make them work in a modern context.

Paul: I'm still not convinced. Thor is not horrible, but there are too many little things that nag at me while I'm reading for me to really be motivated to keep up with the story. Whatever the story may eventually be. I don't see the reasoning behind making Loki a woman, and I really don't like Donald Blake's character, as he seems more like a frat-boy med student than a doctor. And I was really bothered by the whole "between life and death" state confusion. All of this, as well as the glacial pacing, contributes to bugging me enough to not fully recommend the book; except the art is gorgeous, so everyone should take a look at this issue for Djurdjevic's work, at least.

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