Avengers Origins: Thor #1: Review

Jan 2012
Kathryn Immonen, Al Barrionuevo

Story Name:

(No title given)

Review & Comments

Rating:
4.5 stars

Avengers Origins: Thor #1 Review by (February 10, 2020)

Review: May be the best of the five AVENGERS ORIGINS one-shots since, in contrast to the other subjects, Thor has no single origin but he does have a long history before Don Blake finds the staff in that cave and Kathryn Immonen, not having to work with a small number of origin issues, can tell her story that way she wants, without the strict constraints of the others. So, the value of this comic is that it brings varied threads of Thor’s pre-human history together in a single issue to present, if not the definitive origin tale, at least a convenient one. And I really like that cover.

Comments: Inkers are Michel Lacombe and Jeff Huet. Colors by Matt Milla and Javier Tartaglia.






 

Synopsis / Summary / Plot

Avengers Origins: Thor #1 Synopsis by Peter Silvestro

Thor grows up in Asgard with his half-brother Loki and his pal Sif. Even at an early age, Thor was seen as noble and compassionate while Loki was a trouble-maker. While Sif is asleep in Odin’s throne room, Loki creeps up on her and cuts off a braid; when Thor catches him, he threatens mayhem but then they are all found by Odin himself. The All-Father scolds Loki while dispatching Thor on a mission to the rock trolls, Brokk and Eitri, commanding them in Odin’s name to create three surpassing treasures. So Thor visits the trolls with his commission. They create Gullinbursti, a living golden boar, Draupnir, a golden armband that multiplies endlessly, and Mjolnir, a mighty enchanted hammer. But Loki, disguised as an insect, interferes in the forging of this last, causing the handle to come out too short. Returning to Asgard, Thor presents the gifts to Odin, who adds his own enchantment to Mjolnir, ensuring that it can be lifted only by him who is worthy (and implying it is Thor’s destiny)….

Over the years, Thor comes each day to try the hammer, testing whether he is worthy. It drives Sif to despair and Loki to mockery but Odin assures him that Midgard is in the hammer and as Thor is a scion of Midgard, it is only a matter of time….

Some time after this, Thor returns to Asgard to find the place a shambles, invaded by the Storm Giants who also carried off Sif. So Thor picks up Mjolnir, heads out and defeats the giants, beginning a series of adventures that include battling Hela, Surtur, Ulik and many other enemies of Asgard. And Odin is displeased: Thor keeps creating conflict where there is none solely though his arrogant use of power. Odin hurls him to Midgard until he can learn humility. And as Dr. Donald Blake, disabled physician with no memory of his life as Thor, he learns what it means to be humble and to serve instead of being served. And then one day, on a trip to Norway, Don Blake finds a staff that he strikes upon the ground and he is transformed into Thor, God of Thunder….



Al Barrionuevo
Marko Djurdjevic (Cover Penciler)
Marko Djurdjevic (Cover Inker)
Marko Djurdjevic (Cover Colorist)


Characters

Listed in Alphabetical Order.

Hela
Hela

(Goddess of Death)
Loki
Loki

(Loki Laufeyson)
Thor
Thor

(Odinson)

Plus: Surtur (Surtur the Fire Demon).

> Avengers Origins: Thor: Book info and issue index

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