Queen in Black: Thor #1 (Marvel Comics)
Hello there! Padawan J here, the resident Star Wars expert from the ODPH! This week I'm going to be reviewing the FIRST issue of Queen In Black: Thor from Marvel Comics!
Thor & Hela both have a long history together as foes, but just how does Sigurd Jarlson factor into it? And how does Beta Ray Bill play into all of it? Let’s jump into it!
Credit: Marvel Comics // Queen In Black: Thor #1 by Al Ewing (Writer), Sergio Davila (Artist), Aure Jiminez (Inker), Ceci de la Cruz (Color Artist), VC’s Joe Sabino (Letterer), Pasqual Ferry & Matt Milla (Cover Artists)
*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***
The Story
This issue is a particularly interesting one because it features two figures intimately tied to the Thor mythos. One is Beta Ray Bill, who needs no introduction. The other is Sigurd Jarlson who of course has been the primary focus in the ongoing Mortal Thor series, also written by Al Ewing.
I really liked the way the two stories in this issue played off of each other. On one side you have Beta Ray Bill taking on Tyr Odinson in a classic Thor type story in a knockdown drag out fight. On the other side you have Sigurd Jarlson coming face to face with a very interesting character. I won’t say who it is, but if you’ve been keeping up with either the Mortal Thor or Queen In Black stories then you can probably guess who it is. Al Ewing does such a masterful job weaving the two stories together in this issue in a way that feels like bringing two pieces of fabric together to make one singular piece of clothing.
The story also makes you want more by the end of it, because it doesn’t answer so many questions but rather raises even more. It also leaves you wondering what is next in store for both characters and will leave you wishing the next story of each character was out now.
The Artwork
Sergio Davila, Aure Jiminez & Ceci de la Cruz are in charge of the artwork for the issue and they really did an incredible job with it. The artwork doesn’t so much resemble that of The Mortal Thor artwork, but rather more recent artwork for Thor series. It brings back some of the overall looks fans will be familiar with and it does NOT shrink out on the action. The action sequences in the artwork are so incredible that it had me reading some of the pages multiple times just to look at the artwork.
Overall Grade: 7.5/10
A great action packed issue that will leave you with unanswered questions and wanting the next issue. Al Ewing continues to weave an interesting thread in the Queen In Black story that is only expanding it’s web in influence. This is definitely an issue you’ll want to check out if you’re reading the Queen In Black story.
