Classic Review: Marvel Masterworks- The Mighty Thor Vol. 4

June 27, 2019 ComicBookWire

Quick Summary

Pros: Most of the story arcs are very entertaining. New villains and unique solutions to problems make the stories here feel different than the ones seen previously. A few new heroes are also a welcome addition to the series. The artwork here is wonderful and is some of the best in this series so far.

Cons: One story arc ends up being pretty disappointing. The female characters are mostly written poorly.

Overall: This is another solid collection of stories that still hold up to this day. The adventures detailed here are entertaining and do a lot to expand Thor’s world, by giving him new enemies to fight and new heroes to team up with. In addition, the artwork is so good it nearly makes this book worthwhile all on its own. All in all, this is another great example of Thor’s adventures in Marvel’s Silver Age.

Story

The Mighty Thor Vol. 4, by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, sees the same entertaining storytelling that fans have now come to expect from this series. The stories here pit Thor against new villains, ally him with new heroes, and, occasionally, force him to come up with some unique solutions to his problems. By writing the stories in this way, Lee and Kirby are able to capture the same levels of excitement that were seen earlier but are able to do it with a different formula than before. There are still problems in a few places, specifically in regards to the female characters, but, in general, this volume is a slight improvement for the series as a whole.

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The Mighty Thor Vol. 4 contains a number of positive and entertaining plotlines. The book starts out by forcing Thor and Odin to contend with the Absorbing Man. This gives Thor a chance to flex his prowess as a fighter and Odin a chance to demonstrate his abilities as a wise ruler. Then, later on, Hercules joins the series in an epic fight against Thor. This then allows both characters to become allies and Thor helps Hercules in another impressive test of strength.

The only plotline that falls flat is the one centered around a witch doctor in a jungle. This arc is set up over the course of a few comic chapters and initially appears as if it will present Thor with a serious challenge. Instead, the Thunder God is able to defeat his villainous enemy over the course of a few pages. It is a lackluster arc that reads poorly from a modern perspective.

The Mighty Thor Vol. 4 benefits from the introduction of a number of characters and a general expansion of the lore surrounding this series. Loki’s role as Thor’s chief antagonist is slightly dialed back as more villains create chaos within the realms. Having more villains makes the narrative more diverse and keeps things interesting. In addition, more heroes come in the form of the Warriors Three, who all add something unique on their own, and the unorthodox friendship between Thor and Hercules, which is always fun to see. Plus, the inclusion of the Ragnarok-centric stories from “Tales of Asgard” make Asgard feel more like the land of myth that it should be.

Unfortunately, a few of the negatives from earlier volumes also return within this one. Jane Foster, and a few other minor female characters, are written in a way that always seems ridiculous. Their entire existence is focused on generating attention from men and they are given almost no interesting traits of their own. There are also moments where pseudo-science stretches logic to the extreme. These are problems that are tied directly to the Silver Age of comics but are still unfortunate to see from a modern perspective.

The only positive within these negatives is that Odin’s lack of intelligence, which was a glaring flaw in previous volumes, appears to have been fixed. Within The Mighty Thor Vol. 4, he appears more logical and even shows impressive judgement in delicate situation.

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Art

Its amazing how far Jack Kirby’s artwork has come since this series started and how significantly it contributes to the overall appeal of this book. In The Mighty Thor Vol. 4, it feels like Kirby is able to truly let himself loose and get more creative than ever. Pages detailing the fantastic architecture of Asgard have become more spectacular and imaginative. Even the costumes worn by the denizens of this realm are designed in a way that makes them appear simultaneously retro and futuristic, in a way that perfectly matches the tone demanded. Kirby is essentially creating a world unlike most anything seen, at this time, in the comic book landscape. I truly think that Kirby’s work on Thor is some of his best from this time period and this volume is a solid example of that exemplary work.