Thor, Mister Miracle

Mister Miracle 9

King sets it all up perfectly over the course of the entire issue, creating a perfect mix of mundane paperwork, dark humor, and even darker nostalgia.  It all combines together into an elixir that lulled me into a sense of complacency. And then oh my god, the last two pages completely gut punched me. Yet it’s only a sliver of what Barda and Scott must have felt.  To have things turn on them in the final moments of negotiation, and in such a personal manner, absolutely stunned me.

I’ve been writing these reviews more and more as if the reader has just read the issues as well.  There’s no recap, and clearly an expectation that you (whoever you are) know exactly what I’m talking about.  This goes back to who in the world I’m writing this for. Even if it’s just for me, does future me want to read this and know what’s going on without reading the issue in question first?  Hrm.

Thor 493-495, 497-501

I got these because Mike Deodato was the hot artist at the time.  In retrospect, as an added bonus, Warren Ellis wrote the first two issues that I have here.  (This was before I knew him as WARREN ELLIS.)

Unfortunately, these have that generic 90s comic aura that I can’t explain, but definitely recognize.  There’s a quality about them that screams, “I’m utterly forgettable and you’ll never think about me again.”  Bargain bin material, and not the hidden gem kind.

Even Deodato’s art can’t save these issues.  It’s early enough in his career that while the talent is apparent, the craft has yet to catch up.  The two issues that Ellis wrote are uninspiring, and the follow ups by William Messner-Loebs are even worse.  I’ll keep the Ellis issues to have a reminder of this era, but I may never read them again.

Regret buying? No

Would buy again? No

Would read again? No

Rating: Boring (Cutting all but 493, 4949)

Thor: Reign of Blood 1

Did I buy this because Matt Fraction wrote it?  I can’t remember. He retells some classic Norse myths that I remember reading as a kid, but not well enough that I need to keep this around.  I’d rather read the original.

Loved this growing up.

Regret buying? No

Would buy again? No

Would read again? No

Rating: Didn’t suck (cutting)