Thor #10
By J. Michael Straczynski and Oliver Copiel
Published by Marvel Comics
Release Date: 07/30/2008

I haven’t read any of the Thor comics in Straczynski’s run leading up to this point and reading this issue makes me ashamed to say that I haven’t.  I’ve always really dug Thor, particularly the Walt Simonson stuff (Beta Ray Bill kicks a lot of ass) and Clang! Boom! Steam! and I have done a lot of nerding out about Marvel’s Norse Mythology (which is quite distinct from ACTUAL Norse mythology.)  I almost blew one of my gear boxes when the Rainbow Bridge descended from Asgard at the end of Ultimates 2 and have been known to exclaim, “By Fafnir’s teeth!” from time to time.

So, I wasn’t exactly walking into this blind, I knew who Balder and Frigga and Odin and Loki were, but Straczynski has made this into some kind of deified soap opera that I can almost guarantee I’ll be into as soon as I read the whole thing.  And make no mistake, I’m going to get the whole thing now.

There are a few changes to the Universe I’ll need to catch up on.

For one, it seems Asgard is located somewhere visibly above the midwest now.

And for two, it seems Loki is a girl that only tells the truth, so long as it’s potentially damaging.  But knowing Loki, he’s up to something far worse.

Bottom Lin: This issue is NOT a good jumping on point, but it did make me extremely anxious to check out the rest of Straczynski’s run.