Review: Thor Vol. 2- Who Holds the Hammer

Quick Summary

Pros: The main narrative is tense and the action is exciting. The comic’s main mystery is handled well. The volume builds up future stories in a way that will leave the reader wanting more. The visuals are incredible and add a lot to the volume’s appeal.

Cons: There are a few places where the storytelling feels contrived.

Overall: This volume is a compelling follow-up to the climactic events of the previous volume. Here, the story continues in a way that highlights the comic’s best attributes while giving readers plenty of reason to return for more. Plus, the artwork impresses all the way through and makes reading this book even better. Fans of the previous collection should absolutely keep reading here.

Story

Thor Vol. 2: Who Holds the Hammer, by Jason Aaron, is another solid entry in this ongoing saga. This volume takes the fun action, compelling drama, and tantalizing mystery that was present in the previous books and continues to build on it. This creates a wonderful book that leaves the reader wanting even more when it is over. There are a few plot points that could have been handled better but the vast majority of the read is great. In the end, this is another worthwhile book for any Marvel fan.

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Who Holds the Hammer continues with many of the positive features introduced in the previous volume. The contrast between the new Thor and Odinson is still refreshingly unique, the battles are fun and exciting, and the general narrative is engaging. The entire read feels different from other Thor stories because it is different from other Thor stories, which gives it added appeal for both new and old readers.

It also allows readers to discover the identity of the new Thor. This was handled well throughout the previous volume, as the mystery helped build some added tension, and continued to be handled well throughout this volume, with a few red herrings adding to the drama. Jane is also an excellent choice for the new Thor, as it was unexpected, worked well as a contrast with her current condition, and helps make up for the way she was treated in Silver Age Thor stories.

However, the best part of Who Holds the Hammer is the way the volume sets up future volumes. The schemes between Dario and Malekith are clearly going to pose a serious threat to the stability of the universe, as both villains grow in power and begin using this power to claim more power. Meanwhile, friction between Odin and Friga and possible betrayal from Cul threaten the stability of Asgardia. Finally, the continued mysteries surrounding Jane Foster’s connection to Mjölnir and Odinson’s unworthiness have still yet to be explored. This puts a lot of potential into this series and gives it direction as it moves into its next era.

The only downside to Who Holds the Hammer is that there are places where the volume’s narrative feels contrived in order to make a point. In the beginning of the volume, the new Thor’s existence is given tons of justification, to the point where it begins to feel like the text is attempting to preemptively mitigate fan outrage by stocking the book with a hardy defense. Later on in the book, a random moment of attempted feminism, where many of Marvel’s female characters help in a battle, takes away from the book’s strong female message by implying feminism is just throwing women into the mix rather than writing them well, which the book was doing outside of this moment. As someone who is enjoying the new Thor’s presence in the book and the book’s feminism message, these small moments had a slightly negative impact on my reading experience.

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Art

The artwork in Who Holds the Hammer meets the high expectations set by its predecessor. Russell Dauterman’s work continues to provide an enchanting take on this mix between the real world and Norse mythology. It allows the characters and locations to stand out as bold and beautiful or as gritty and serious, depending on what is demanded by the narrative at the time. Matthew Wilson’s colors are integral in this as well, capturing the mood of every scene perfectly. In addition, Who Holds the Hammer contains a few stories with artwork from other artists. Though not quite as breathtaking as Dauterman’s chapters, these stories still exhibit good-looking work that complements the storytelling. All in all, this entire book is visually pleasing and should satisfy any fan out there. 

Continuity

Thor Vol. 2: Who Holds the Hammer continues the story from Thor Vol. 1: The Goddess of Thunder (Review).

The story here continues in The Mighty Thor Vol. 1: Thunder In Her Veins.

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

• Thor lost control of Mjölnir during the Original Sin (Review) (Reading Order) event.
• Roxxon’s actions across Thor: God of Thunder Vol. 4: The Last Days of Midgard (Review) are referenced a number of times.
• Odin reunited with Cul and was brought back to life in Original Sin: Thor & Loki: The Tenth Realm (Review).
• Thor’s recent battle against the God Butcher is briefly mentioned. This battle took place across Thor: God of Thunder Vol. 1: God Butcher (Review).