Secret Invasion Review – “Secret Invasion: Thor”

I’m finally getting caught up on the event comic reviews. I’ll post another tonight and one more tomorrow, and with those postings (of “Final Crisis: Resist” and “Nova #16-18”) both events will be caught up. There don’t appear to be any event releases from either company this week.

General Information

Title: Secret Invasion: Thor

Author: Matt Fraction

Illustrator(s): Doug Braithwaite did pencils and inks for all three issues. Paul Mounts coloured issue 1, but Brian Reber took over for issues 2 and 3.

Cover Date: October – December, 2008

Cover Price: All issues $2.99 US. The first two were $3.05 Can, and the last $3.50 Can.

Detailed coverage of all applicable issues of all Secret Invasion related titles can be found at this address.

Premise

The Skrulls have targeted Asgard in their assault. Their plan to rule the humans does not have room for human gods. Thor and the Asgardians draw a line in the sand between the Skrull invasion and the town of Braxton.

High Point

“The Super-Skrull stares at the one she was bred to destroy. She wonders: Is she faster? Is Donald Blake a liar? Beta Ray Bill knows the answer, and tries not to laugh. He can’t wait for the Super-Skrull to learn it the hard way…”

Low Point

Maybe I need to brush up on my Thor lore, but if Stormbreaker is “a weapon every bith the equal of [Thor’s hammer] Mjolnir” I don’t see how the Skrulls could have done what they did with it.

The Scores

The original feel to this mini comes in the actions of Donald Blake and the citizens of Braxton. It really builds the relationship between the Asgardians and their neighbours, and shows some of the best elements of humanity. The fight is a fight, and this event has had a whole lot of those, but the other aspects were quite different. I give it 4 out of 6.

The artwork is nicely done. Braithwaite’s work is very well suited to the regal tone of Asgardians. While I generally like Mounts’ work on colours, Reber added a degree of depth to the palette that was a clear improvement to the work, particularly where faces are involved. I give it 5 out of 6.

The story holds up well, revealing just what it was that caused Thor to take so much time arriving in Manhattan. It also shows the general population much more effectively than any of the other tie-ins of the event. I give it 5 out of 6.

The characterization works very well for Blake, Thor, Bill, Volstagg and (to a lesser extent) Balder. Even Loki has a little moment, but the Skrulls are as remarkably one dimensional as most of them have been in this event. I give it 4 out of 6.

The emotional response is pretty strong. I’ve never been a huge fan of Thor, but Fraction (here and in recent one shots) and Straczynski (in the ongoing title) have both been doing great work with him lately. I give it 5 out of 6.

The flow is smooth, carrying the story smoothly with cuts between Asgard and Braxton. I give it 5 out of 6.

Overall, this is an enjoyable piece, well worth reading if you are a fan of Thor, or if you wonder why it took so long to arrive at the main event. I give it 5 out of 6.

In total, Secret Invasion: Thor receives 33 out of 42.

Secret Invasion Review Checklists

Background reviews:

Infiltration reviews:

Main Event reviews (including date the last issue should be available):

Aftermath (Dark Reign) reviews:

  • Avengers: The Iniative #20-?
  • Dark Reign: New Nation
  • Invincible Iron Man #8-?
  • Ms. Marvel #34-?
  • New Avengers #48-?
  • Secret Invasion: Dark Reign: December 10
  • Secret Invasion: Requiem #1: December 24
  • War Machine #1-?
  • several unannounced titles, I’m sure