Classic Review: Thor by Walt Simonson Vol. 2

Quick Summary

Pros: The volume’s main narrative is tremendously exciting and engaging. The story is epic in scope and, thus, feels wonderfully tense. The conclusion is highly worthwhile and works as a close to this arc and the start of a new one. The artwork looks great and helps the story feel even more engaging.

Cons: Some of the volume’s subplots don’t really pay off.

Overall: This volume takes everything great about the previous volume and makes it even better. The action is more thrilling, the drama is more tense, and the progression of the entire narrative is handled wonderfully. This is further backed up by beautiful artwork and a conclusion that makes you want to come back for more. No Thor fan should miss out on reading this volume, especially if they have already read the one before it.

Story

Thor by Walt Simonson Vol. 2 is a worthy successor to the high-quality storytelling found in this era of this series. The collection immediately begins answering on the previous collection’s promise by utilizing its cliffhanger conclusion to jump headfirst into an exciting adventure. This adventure only gets better as it moves along, by doubling down on the suspense and further ramping up the action. This upward trend of excitement finally pays out in the volume’s conclusion, which is every bit as epic and satisfying as one would hope. The volume has a few lackluster subplots but all of its major storylines are great and make for a great reading experience.

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Thor by Walt Simonson Vol. 2 takes the setup and successes of its predecessor and uses them to launch forward an incredibly engaging storyline. The cries of “DOOM” and vague hints about a coming evil metastasize in the form of Malekith, Surtur, and their respective armies. These villainous forces pose an immediate threat to Earth and Asgard, one that becomes more pressing and powerful as the narrative progresses. This allows plenty of action to play out, as the heroes fight the forces of evil, while suspense continues to build, as the villains’ ultimate plan continues onward.

This storyline is also epic when it comes to scope. The fight against Surtur brings in Beta Ray Bill, members of the Avengers, members of the Fantastic Four, and nearly every prominent character from Thor’s history. Seeing all of these characters rally for this cause and seeing them achieve successes is fantastic all on its own.

However, the real treat comes from the volume’s conclusion. Here, in an epic final stand, Odin, Thor, and Loki stand together to defend Asgard against Surtur’s power. It is a final play that is one part tremendous fan-service and another part logical progression of the arc, which is a great mix to have. Their ultimate victory and Odin’s sacrifice gives the conclusion a perfect touch of bittersweet satisfaction and works as an intriguing way to move the mythos of Thor and Asgard forward.

The only downside to Thor by Walt Simonson Vol. 2 is that the collection has a habit of spending time on minor subplots that fail to provide much to the overall narrative. The invisibility of Malekith’s forces is mentioned a lot but barely causes a problem and, in some places, seems to be ignored. In a similar way, Lorelei’s manipulations are built up for a while and have a direct impact for a moment or two, but still do not quite manage to live up to the expectations caused by a volume and a half of setup. As this problem mostly concerns minor subplots, it does not have a large impact on the narrative but is an unfortunate feature in an otherwise fantastic book.

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Art

The artwork in Thor by Walt Simonson Vol. 2 lives up to the high quality of the story. Simonson’s work is bombastic and dynamic, depicting epic battles in a way that helps them feel real and laying out these battles in a way that makes sense. This sense of energy and structure is a serious asset to a book that relies on action and excitement. However, Simonson’s work can also be more reserved and emotional. It allows characters’ appearances to match the sadness they feel when something is lost or the happiness they feel when something is won. In this way, the artwork in this collection is able to make the storytelling more enjoyable, by making the best pieces of the story even better.

Continuity

Thor by Walt Simonson Vol. 2 continues the story from Thor by Walt Simonson Vol. 1 (Review).

The story here continues in Thor by Walt Simonson Vol. 3 (Review).

This volume also makes references to other comic books, detailed below:

• Thor #354 references Beta Ray Bill’s role in Rom #65.
• Thor #355 references a possible version of Odin’s past that was presented in Thor #294, collected in Marvel Masterworks- The Mighty Thor Vol. 19.