Reeling from the devastating events in volume II, Thor’s hammer (mjolnir) is broken, the Asgardians have moved to Latveria and Loki is still a woman. What’s more Balder who is now the ruler of Asgard is taking advice from the trickster. Herein lies the first few pages of “Defining moments†(issue 601) where once again J. Michael Straczynski has turned the world on its head.
Alongside the weaving deception and intricate plot that Loki has constructed is the comic relief of Volstagg, Hogun and Fandral as they assume the roles that Odin’s crows had in volume one – humorous, yet perceptive of the situation they find themselves in. Meanwhile Donald Blake attempts to piece mjolnir back together with the word’s best solution – duct tape. These humorous situations are tempered with the love-story of Kelda the Stormrider and Oklahoman William. Here Straczynski balances the moments in this trade while utilizing every character. Later on William unwittingly plays a pivotal role in Loki’s plot.
This fast-paced, action packed trade is riddled with double-meanings. Straczynski is at his best when he has his characters say one thing that reveals so much more than what is being uttered. His multilayered approach gives the reader pause for thought even after they’ve laughed their heads off. Whether it’s Dr. Strange’s dry wit or Volstagg’s nakedness nothing is left to chance or done without purpose. Perhaps that is why Loki’s appearance as a woman is so disconcerting. Straczynski plays with the reader’s comfort level when he manipulates the forms of Loki and Sif. Characters who normally would not listen to Loki, trust him as a woman. This is when he is at his most dangerous. By letting their guard down Thor, Balder and the others allow Loki to go unchecked and wreak havoc. Of course when it suits him, Loki takes back his original form and the Asgardians wake out of their stupor to only soften the blow of Loki’s manipulations. However, they could have stopped them long before if he looked like himself. What’s more it leaves Loki to continue to machinate over others in the Marvel Universe; which is currently causing a ripple effect over several comics.
What makes this volume more catastrophic than the last is what happens to the characters because of Loki’s love of destruction. Needless to say the god of Thunder and company will never be the same.
We must not forget the mastery of the artwork. After all it’s what makes the comic come alive. The words in the reader’s head take shape and form in a way that is better than the imagination. It is a true marker of Marko Djurdjevic’s talent as he creates the type of imagery where everything from a fight scene to a quiet moment is as rich in meaning visually as the words on the page.
One of the reasons to collect a trade is the extras that you would not ordinarily be privy to. Thor holding an I-pod and the mini-biographies of the Asgardians are only some of the tidbits that make this volume worth owning.
As Straczynski has left his stamp on Thor and resurrected such an over-the-top character, one may wonder how he will fare in the years to come. Will Thor and his band of Norsemen revert back to second-banana status in the marvel universe or will they continue to be key players? Only time and solid storylines will tell.
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