Published On: 2016-02-17 by Marvel
Artist: Russell Dauterman
Colorist: Matt Wilson
Letterer: VC's Joe Sabino
Catch-up on Last Issue
The path of the All-Mother and Asgard is torn apart by civil war, with Thor caught in the middle. Plus…the wedding of Malekith? Last issue ended on a cliffhanger. How was Jane going to survive Malekith’s attack?
In This Issue of The Mighty Thor #4
Lady Thor has pledged herself to the defense of Alfheim, realm of the light elves. Malekith has thrown everything he as at Thor, and she’s still standing. What else does he have up his flowing inkblot sleeves? Meanwhile, civil war is brewing on Asgardia. Odin refuses to listen. Cul is spoiling for a fight, and Sif is ready to give it to him.
What Else Happens in this Comic?
What on Asgard is happening to Odin? He’s upset with Freyja. Could Cul Borson be affecting his brother? The citizens of Asgardia seem to think so and their willing to put their swords into action to prove it.
How's The Mighty Thor #4's Writing?
The Dialogue
Listen to the dialogue of the queens in this issue. Compare it to Odin’s words. The queens are regal and thinking straight. The All-Father is angry and apparently losing his mind. It’s a great juxtoposition.
Showing Versus Telling
There wasn’t enough room for it, but I could have used a lot more of the battle between the Thunder Guard and the Warriors Three. There were a lot of background characters in the melee that I didn’t recognize. I could have used one less panel of Lady Thor and Odin and one more panel of general fighters.
The Vibe
We start the issue moving 100 miles an hour before slowing the pace for political intrigue. Odin’s right. His family is scheming against him. More than we’re shown.
Comic Art Review
The art team pulls of many major feats in this issue of Mighty Thor #4. There’s a huge cast of characters to draw. We have a lot of action. There’s subtle talking heads with great expressions. They even fit in a height accurate panel of Laufey talking down to Lady Thor and Loki. The ice giants are really tall.
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- Mighty Thor Cover Dauterman
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- Mighty Thor 4 Cover Alt Adam Hughes
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- Mighty Thor 4 Cover Alt Mchael Cho
On the Cover
The primary cover by Russell Dauterman sets the stage for the b-story of this issue. Odin isn’t happy with Thor. Compared to the covers on the previous issues, this one is a miss. Our additional covers are by Adam Hughes and Michael Cho. Hughes would have had more to work with if it was Jane reaching for Mjolnir with a terrified look on her face.
The Comic Panel by Panel
Check out the panels on page two of the Mighty Thor #4. A funnel and a curve that pans and zooms into the action while showing Jane falling. The action concludes on the next page with a poster perfect Lady Thor holding the hammer. Bam. It’s in your face and fantastic.
Add to the panel work the perfect colors by Matthew Wilson. We’re in the land of the elves. You can tell just from the colors. When we scene switch to Asgardia, the colors clue us in moving from pinks to greens. The special effects need to be mentioned too. Magic energy and Thor’s lightning add something special to every panel.
World Building
Half of the issue is in the realm of the light elves, Alfheim. The rest takes place on Asgardia. Pay special attention to the architecture between the two locations. It’s completely realized. The motifs used carry between all the elements, i.e., flowers for the buildings of the light elves.
Collect the norse gods
Hear the norse gods
Who's In This Issue of The Mighty Thor #4
- Loki
- Queen Aelsa
- Malekith
- Laufey
- Enchantress
- Lady Freyja
- Odin
- Cul Borson
- Warriors Three
- Hildegarde
The Big Question for Next Issue
How much will it hurt when Odin's fist connects with Lady Thor's helmet?
Wear the norse gods
His laughter shakes the ground. And I vow to remember every second of it.
Who Will Like The Mighty Thor #4?
If you are an Enchantress or Hildegrande fan, you need to add this comic to your collection. They don’t have big scenes, but they always steal the scenes they are in.
I Need More Content like The Mighty Thor #4
I need more of Queen Aelsa. She was a new character for me. Her style and grace can be found in many panels. Luckily, we’ll see more of her over the next few issues of The Mighty Thor.
What was I missing?
Generally, we’re very big fans of Dauterman’s character designs. The exception is Odin’s antler helmet. It’s one solid piece of gold. No details are etched into the gold. It’s streamlined with no add-on pieces. It does gives Odin a striking shape.
Should You Buy This Comic Book?
I wasn't crazy about the Lady Thor versus Odin smackdown, but the rest of the issue is really fun. Malekith makes many bold moves. Lady Freyja and Loki have some side hussle that's only hinted at in this issue. This is also the lead-in to next issue so you'll be lost without it.