The Incredible Hulk [2023] #25 - Marvel Comics

THE INCREDIBLE HULK No. 25, July 2025

Loudly lauded by its New York City-based publisher as the “most epic rematch in Marvel history”, Phillip Kennedy Johnson’s oversized, thirty-page plot for Issue Twenty-Five of “Incredible Hulk” certainly had an awful lot of expectations to live up to. And delightfully, this brutal battering between two of the Avengers’ founding members delivers precisely that. Indeed, for those bibliophiles who enjoy an all-out slugfest, this comic’s sole disappointment is that the pulse-pounding pugilism stops dead in its tracks just as it looks as if the Green Goliath is going to continue clobbering the Warriors Three straight into next month's instalment too; “Perhaps… I was hasty. Perhaps it is not the beast I face of old.”

Almost as entertaining as this book’s central thread though has to be the backstory to Thor’s first confrontation with Lycana, which is dramatically penned by the American author as if it were an old Asgardian myth. Quite beautifully pencilled/coloured by Nic Klein, this sub-story smacks of the distrust a village of aging veterans would have when approached by a young, unknown warrior who is stalking a shape-shifting killer, and resultantly provides this tome with a strongly contrasting pace to all the aforementioned punches, kicks and blows, as the God of Thunder carefully investigates old Arne’s trembling testimony.

Encouragingly, at least for those readers who wish to see some redeeming features exist within the titular character's adolescent travelling companion, this comic also shows Charlie Tidwell demonstrating some uncharacteristic common sense during her time with Odinson. Rather than angrily transform into the mother of all skinwalkers as she ordinarily does whenever things don't pan out precisely as she naively wants them to, the young girl actually tries to rationalise with her super-strong would-be abductor, and quite disconcertingly appears to be the only member of the book’s cast to exhibit any real sound judgement throughout the incredibly tense situation.

By far this publication’s biggest hook however, has to be the incredible artwork of its German illustrator, who produces some absolutely astonishing masterpieces throughout this tome. Of particular note is the huge sunken sea vessel with which the Hulk whacks Thor straight back up to the Rainbow Bridge. But this is just one of several colossal blows which quite literally leap off of the printed page, and makes all onlookers genuinely feel the physical, bone-shaking impact of each colossal connection.

The regular cover art of "THE INCREDIBLE HULK" #25 by Nic Klein

The Mighty Thor #445 - Marvel Comics

THE MIGHTY THOR No. 445, March 1992

For those Thunder God fans not following the New York City-based publisher’s “Operation: Galactic Storm” multi-title event, Tom DeFalco’s opening to Issue Four Hundred and Forty Five of “The Mighty Thor” probably brought them bang up to speed with past incidents, courtesy of some fast-paced dialogue and a momentary “spacequake!” Indeed, the American author sets out this twenty-two page periodical’s stall rather nicely, and soon throws his audience into a truly titanic tussle between two of the Avengers’ strongest members and a disagreeably arrogant Gladiator; “For the safety and security of my people, I cannot suffer this interloper to live!”

One of this comic’s biggest draws however, is arguably the uncertainty surrounding Eric Masterson’s place within the supergroup’s roster, and his lack of belief at successfully wielding Mjolnir. This internal struggle really lies at the very heart of “The War And The Warrior!” by depicting Ron Frenz’s co-creation as battling both his own inner doubts and demons, as well as the formidable superhuman strength of the Shi'ar Empire’s egotistical Praetor of the Imperial Guard.

Likewise, there’s arguably a fair amount of satisfaction to be had in this book’s later stages by witnessing the utterly insufferable Kallark getting his clock well and truly cleaned by the titular character. Admittedly, some bibliophiles may well point out that the extra-terrestrial probably didn’t deserve the death which the new Thunder God momentarily had in mind for him - having allowed his towering rage to blind him from sound reasoning. But the Gladiator definitely deserves a good beating bearing in mind he completely refuses to listen to a surprisingly reasonable Wonder Man in the first instance, and then goes on to covertly conclude that Masterson must be executed immediately due to the human having too much power for the extra-terrestrial’s grand civilisation to permit.

Undeniably imbuing all this pulse-pounding pugilism with plenty of “KRAK!”, “TWAKK!” and “SPWATT!” are Patrick Olliffe’s pencils and Al Milgrom’s inks. Together, the duo make every punch thrown and hammer-blow landed reverberate within the readers’ minds, and help sell the notion that this tale features some seriously sturdy powerhouses trading shots with one another which would easily flatten an ordinary hero within mere moments.

Story: Tom DeFalco, Pencils: Patrick Olliffe, and Inks: Al Milgrom

Blood Hunt: Red Band #5 - Marvel Comics

BLOOD HUNT: RED BAND No. 5, September 2024

Despite comprising of more tie-in issues and spin-off limited series than your average Marvelite can shake a pointy stick at, this final instalment of “Blood Hunt” probably still felt somewhat rushed to many of its readers in July 2024. True, the super-sized thirty-three page periodical does manage to pull many of its numerous plot-threads together for a sort of satisfying resolution. But, having an infected Miles Morales prove to be the improbable hero of the day, when the likes of the mighty Thor, invincible Iron Man and Captain Marvel appear disconcertingly impotent, is arguably a bit of a head scratcher; “I had only one weakness, Avengers. The girl. The bloodline. And she’s not here.”

Furthermore, it’s not entirely clear whether Stephen Strange’s “dread bargain” with Doctor Doom actually has any impact upon the final result. Having successfully stabbed a possessed Blade through the chest with a sword, many a bibliophile probably felt the battle was already won, and that once the Daywalker was free of Varnae’s malign influence the Darkforce surrounding our planet would return to its own dimension. However, before such an event can occur Victor casts his pre-fall Atlantean spell, supposedly brings sunlight back to the half the world, and diabolically solidifies his stance as” Earth’s new, Superior Sorcerer Supreme” – which somewhat cynically leads into another “Marvel Worldwide” major event “coming in November…”

For those onlookers able to ignore these quibbles though, Jed MacKay’s penmanship certainly still delivers a pulse-pounding experience, with much of this comic focusing upon the Avengers' fisticuffs against the dread Bloodcoven. These toe-to-toe confrontations between some of the publisher’s most popular protagonists is genuinely enthralling, especially when the God of Thunder manages to finally summon Mjolnir whilst battling the first of all vampires.

Equally up to the task of pencilling all this adrenalin-charged action is Pepe Larraz, who should genuinely cause a few painful gasps from those witnessing poor Vision losing a limb in a truly horrific manner to Bloodstorm One. In addition, ably supported by color artists Marte Gracia and Fer Sifuentes-Sujo, the Spanish illustrator impressively manages to imbue the scenes featuring Doctor Strange with a noticeably different, though far from off-putting, ambience, which speaks of the ancient and powerful magic being depicted in the panels.

The regular cover art to "BLOOD HUNT" #5 by Pepe Larraz & Marte Gracia

Blood Hunt: Red Band #2 - Marvel Comics

BLOOD HUNT: RED BAND No. 2, July 2024

Pitching the surviving Avengers alongside Count Dracula himself in a highly unlikely team-up against a planetwide invasion of vampires, Jed MacKay’s script for Issue Two of “Blood Hunt” certainly seems to strike a much brighter note as to the Earth’s future fate than this summer event’s deeply dark preceding instalment. In fact, the absolute beating the likes of Bloodstorm One and Megrim take at the hands of Captain Marvel, the Vision and Captain America probably caused the odd reader to leap to their feet in order to cheer the protagonists on; “Here’s our philosophy: We have a lot to avenge.”

Enjoyably however, this twenty-one page periodical’s plot doesn’t simply rely upon an insane action sequence packed full of face-pummelling fisticuffs to entertain either, as the Canadian author also pens some intriguing plot progressions into the comic too – most notably the fact that Doctor Strange is still alive as a wandering spirit despite being disembowelled by Blade. These ‘quieter’ moments are especially impressive as they both provide the writer with an opportunity to bring any bibliophiles unwilling or unable to peruse the almost overwhelming number of tie-in titles bang up to speed with the overarching narrative, as well as provide a modicum of spotlight upon some of the Marvel Universe’s lesser known characters, such as Hunter’s Moon and the Daywalker’s daughter, Brielle Brooks.

Of course, it’s the aforementioned rematch between the “broken” Earth’s mightiest heroes and the Bloodcoven which most Marvelites will probably enjoy though. Having previously defeated the “all-star” supergroup, the vampiric villains are quick to forget that they had a distinct advantage over their opponents in their first fight, courtesy of a thorough briefing and the element of surprise. This time round the creatures of the night have no such benefits, and resultantly their arrogance is quickly silenced by the Vision’s ability to harness the power of solar energy.

Equally as intrinsic to this mini-series’ storytelling as MacKay’s contribution are the lavish layouts provided throughout by Spanish illustrator Pepe Larraz and Mexican colorist Marte Gracia. Together, the two artists genuinely depict a visual feast for the eyes, with perhaps Carol Danver’s socking Vlad Dracula’s gigantic clone squarely on the jaw being this apocalyptic publication’s most noteworthy smackdown.

The regular cover art to "BLOOD HUNT" #2 by Pepe Larraz & Marte Gracia

Blood Hunt: Red Band #1 - Marvel Comics

BLOOD HUNT: RED BAND No. 1, July 2024

Touted by its New York City-based publisher as “the bloodiest Marvel event ever”, Jed MacKay’s storyline for Issue One of “Blood Hunt” definitely lives up to its promise of vampires slaughtering nearly everyone that they can get their sinisterly sharp claws on. Indeed, whilst many a bibliophile might feel the comic’s ‘explicit content’ sealed polythene bag and repeated ‘mature reader only’ warnings are rather gimmicky, this thirty-two page extravaganza soon causes its audience to be up to their necks in severed limbs, torn-off heads, spilling intestines and literal rivers of icky human ichor.

Furthermore, for those onlookers able to withstand such a stomach-churning assault upon their senses, the Canadian author arguably leaves the best until almost last, by pitching the Earth’s Mightiest Heroes against the “mysterious and deadly vampire faction” known as the Bloodcoven. This battle is as brutal as it is (perhaps somewhat) disappointingly one-sided, with the likes of Iron Man, Vision, Black Panther, Captain Marvel, Scarlet Witch, Thor and Captain America all getting their proverbial clocks cleaned by a strike force specifically designed to exploit each hero’s unique set of vulnerabilities; “Or was a match, I guess. This isn’t conjecture. The Avengers are down.”

However, it isn’t arguably the notion that Stan Lee’s co-creations are soundly defeated which comes as such a surprise. But rather the truly gruesome manner in which it all occurs. Whether it be as a result of a thousand cuts, a crystalline shaft straight through the brain, or a hand tunnelling its way through the stomach, these close combat conclusions are shockingly savage, and jam-packed full of gore-drenched innards. In fact, it’s probably difficult for long-term Marvelites to recall so much physical mutilation being on show this side of a “MAX Comics” imprint – at least until the attention shifts to Doctor Stephen Strange’s horrific evisceration at the publication’s conclusion.

Also presumably being constantly peppered by MacKay to add extra buckets of blood into his prodigious pencilling is Pepe Larraz, who does a stellar job of depicting the sheer scale of the voracious blood-drinkers’ assault across the world. Of particular note is the Spanish artist’s design work on the super-vampires, with Jed himself going on record to state it was the illustrator “who really brought these characters to (un)life, creating an extremely gnarly set of predators!”

The regular cover art to "BLOOD HUNT" #1 by Pepe Larraz & Marte Gracia

Thor [2020] #8 - Marvel Comics

THOR No. 8, December 2020

Based upon the debatably bizarre premise that anyone in Broxton, Oklahoma can simply pick up “the famed hammer of the Thunder God… no worthiness required”, Donny Cates script for Issue Eight of “Thor” was probably never going to really win over that many of the comic’s readers. Indeed, Odinson’s behaviour throughout this entire twenty-page periodical is unusually odd, with the founding Avenger seemingly not even caring when an incredibly detestable Iron Man batters him straight across the face with Mjolnir itself; “For the vast majority of the time I have known thee… You have been a noble ally and friend.”

Furthermore, it doesn’t seem particularly clear just what the American author was actually trying to achieve with his storyline. True, this second instalment of “Hammerfall” does a first-rate job of depicting Tony Stark as a total jerk, whose holier than thou ego foolishly makes the billionaire industrialist momentarily believe that he has every right to both keep Thor’s hammer for himself and subsequently assault the Thunder God with it. But frankly, the inventor’s famous arrogance is obvious for all to see when he immediately starts threatening a bemused Adam Aziz for possession of the enchanted hand-weapon at the start of the comic.

Likewise, it seems somewhat anomalous that Jack Kirby’s co-creation would later willingly allow a local mechanic to wield Mjolnir and go so far as to teach him how to fly using its power. Of course, this sequence is actually rather endearing, as the elderly repairman exudes an utterly enchanting childlike excitement during his once in a lifetime lesson. However, apart from padding out the publication with some tongue-in-cheek humour, as well as planting the seed in the long-haired deity's mind to reset “the Uru hammer”, this silly scene disconcertingly jars with the serious nature of the titular character’s potentially catastrophic confrontation with Iron Man just moments before.

Frustratingly, guest artist Aaron Kuder doesn’t seemingly help ‘sell’ Cates’ tale either, courtesy of some rather lack-lustre pencilling. The heavily detailed panels depicting the titular character staring into the great Book of Kings at this comic's opening is incredibly atmospheric, and packed full of menacing intrigue. Yet, as soon the audience are whisked to present day Broxton, there’s arguably a noticeable drop in quality – not least of which is the design of Adam’s Asgardian costume.

The regular cover art of "THOR" #8 by Olivier Coipel & Laura Martin

Thor [2020] #35 - Marvel Comics

THOR No. 35, August 2023

For those comic book collectors who were enticed into purchasing “the Midgard-shattering finale of Blood Of The Fathers” on account of its seemingly shameless solicitation synopsis misleadingly claiming it concerns Doctor Victor Von Doom making “his final stand to control all if humankind – past, present and future”, the contents of Issue Thirty-Five of “Thor” must have come as something of an unpleasant shock. True, the twenty-page periodical does feature a fleeting visit from Latveria’s monarch. But the supervillain is already beaten by this stage in Torunn Gronbekk’s impenetrable storyline, and rather bemusingly appears simply so the Goddess of Death can absurdly threaten him with grinding “up your bones to sugar my tea” – even though Jack Kirby’s co-creation has held Hela helplessly captive for almost the entirety of the multi-part tale.

Instead, the “portrait painter from Norway” provides an admittedly charming, though utterly bewildering, flashback adventure involving a much younger Thor and Loki temporarily outwitting King Bergelmir in Jotunheim, so that the Asgardians could claim a knife “forged by the light elves in the depths of Alfheim.” This contest of strength, superbly sketched by Spanish illustrator Sergio Davila, certainly seems to contain an allure all of its own, especially with its rather enjoyable tongue-in-cheek banter between the two siblings. However, just what it has to do with the mighty Thunder god fighting for “the future of the Ten Realms” is anyone’s guess, with the protracted sequence’s point apparently solely being to introduce the God of Mischief to his future daughter.

Just as bizarre though, has to be some of the Jessheim-born author’s irksome dialogue for Laussa Odinsdottir. Despite her own naïve adolescence, the second born daughter of the All-Mother Freyja repeatedly berates her new sovereign and his half-brother by calling them “Nitwits” and “idiot boys”, debatably making the Asgardian noblewoman’s ‘holier than thou’ personality increasingly dislikeable as the narrative progresses. Furthermore, these speeches prove surprisingly poorly penned when compared to Gronbekk’s genuinely emotional ending, in which she has Thor warmly reminiscing over Odin’s bedtime stories with a respectful Jane Foster; “He was not the King in those moments. He was our father. And we would never let Ostegompen find his way back home because we knew it would mean the story would end.”

The regular cover art of "THOR" #35 by Nic Klein

Thor [2020] #34 - Marvel Comics

THOR No. 34, July 2023

It’s hard to believe that many readers of Torunn Gronbekk’s convoluted script for Issue Thirty-Four of “Thor” will actually have much of a clue as to just what is going on within this twenty-page periodical. Indeed, the Norwegian author’s seemingly merciless obsession to cram as many Asgardian gods, kings, werewolves, warriors and super-villains as she can messily muster within this single comic may well have given the odd bibliophile a debilitating Marvel-flavoured migraine; “We need to get out of here! It’s… weird out there… like, bonkers weird.”

Foremost of these utterly puzzling bemusements is probably the unlikely meeting of this publication’s titular character with Doctor Doom, Thanos, Laussa Odinsdottir, Hela and Bor Burison in Nifflehein. “Blood Of The Fathers” clearly plays it fast and loose when it comes to converging timelines and personalities bumping into one another out of chronological order. But how the monarch of Latveria is able to calmly step across reality from his Earth-bound kingdom into Bor’s Vault just as the Mad Titan is about to stab an infant Goddess of Death is never explained, nor is the Thunder God’s ability to intercede on Victor’s behalf with Mjolnir when the armoured monarch is savagely wounded by “one of the last sons of A'Lars.”

Almost as disconcerting is debatably this publication’s dialogue, which disappointingly may remind some bibliophiles of something penned in a fanzine. The second born daughter of All-Mother Freyja seems to particularly struggle with her words, nervously uttering “Eh, Hullo!” when as an adult she meets Thor at the lowest level of the universe and then later fangirling “Whaaaat?! Wolf-sword… Awesome!” over a possessed blade when she effortlessly hacks apart the supposedly great supernatural fighter Varg. 

Even this comic’s illustrations appear somewhat confusing with Juan Gedeon’s rudimentary pencils later being replaced by the much more stylish sketchings of Sergio Davila. The Buenos Aires-born professional’s panels disappointingly lack any real sense of movement, apart from when the Avenger is thwacking Thanos in the face with his hammer, and this lethargy sadly undermines any sense of tension during the “all-out war” which occurs. However, as soon as the sequential artist from Barcelona takes over the entire ensemble appear to jump into life, with a much younger Odinson clobbering a pack of unruly, blue-skinned trolls in an enthralling flashback sequence.

The regular cover art of "THOR" #34 by Nic Klein

Thor [2020] #33 - Marvel Comics

THOR No. 33, June 2023

Essentially opening with the titular character squaring off against a gang of gun-toting guards in the grounds of Doctor Doom’s magnificent Balkans-based castle, Torunn Gronbekk’s script for Issue Thirty-Three of “Thor” probably had some readers initially checking back through their comic collection to ensure that they hadn’t skipped an edition somewhere. True, the ongoing series’ previous instalment did end with Odinson following Nidhogg to the heart of Victor’s fictional East European country. But there was no sign of the Thunder God attacking Doomstadt first nor any suggestion that the Master of Science and mystic arts had somehow brainwashed his people into becoming “a mindless army of Latverians” – These plot points are merely left to this book’s opening crawl or simply mentioned in passing by the occasional Doombot or two.

Frustratingly, such disorientation as to what this twenty-page periodical is all about doesn’t end there either, as the audience are repeatedly hurled back through time to when a trapped Thanos was busy hunting huge, tusked beasts in Vanaheim and Jane Foster finds herself penetrating “the mystical, invisible transactions that pull and push power likes currents”. Coupled with the “Infamous Iron Man” mysteriously managing to use the souls of the dead as fuel for some ghoulish spell which will supposedly “allow him to claim… the whole of the universe as his own” and many of this book’s already befuddled bibliophiles will doubtless be completely confused as to the entire point of the publication; “His questions echo through the mountain. But there is no answer. Only silence. And death.”

Unfortunately, none of these shenanigans are debatably helped by Juan Gedeon’s style of pencilling either, which whilst proficient enough, seemingly just provides this comic with the most rudimentary of pictures from time to time. The Argentinian illustrator’s work is particularly uninspiring during Thor’s fight against a pair of robed robots outside Castle Doom’s main gates, with the scene’s somewhat basic figures and barren backgrounds giving colour artist Matt Wilson little to work with when it comes to “adding dimensionality” to the panels - apart from the most basic of blends to suggest deepening shadows. Furthermore, the epic climax of “Blood Of Fathers”, when a well-thrown Mjolnir smacks Latveria’s heavily-armoured monarch square in the face, arguably loses a lot of its impact on account of Doom being presented as a lumbering, almost inanimate dullard, as opposed to “Marvel's greatest villain.”

The regular cover art of "THOR" #33 by Nic Klein

Avengers: War Across Time #4 - Marvel Comics

AVENGERS: WAR ACROSS TIME No. 4, June 2023

If Paul Levitz’s intention with his script for Issue Four of “Avengers: War Across Time” was to make the King of the Dwarfs one of the most hated opponents the Earth’s Mightiest Heroes have ever faced, then he arguably succeeds. For whilst Sindri isn’t depicted as actually being evil, the self-righteous, holier than thou monarch is so sickeningly sanctimonious in his incorrect belief that he’s been terribly wronged by Thor, that it’s difficult to imagine any reader of this comic feeling anything but contempt for him, even after the Thunder God smacks Mjolnir’s thief into next Saturday.

Indeed, this entire twenty-page periodical’s plot seems entirely intent upon depicting Stan Lee’s co-creation from the Sixties as nothing more than a petty-minded ruler, who only thinks of manipulating the Lava Men into helping his planet-destroying revenge rather than searching for the actual truth behind his present predicament on Midgard. Sure, this book also portrays Kang the Conqueror as a leveller of civilisations and cold-hearted killer of his own subjects. But the time-travelling entity is in many ways simply a power-seeking super-villain who callously guns down one man for speaking to him with “impunity”. Whereas Sindri is willing to unjustly sentence an entire population to a "fiery doom" just because he mistakenly assumes Odinson has transported him from Nidavellir against his will.

Enjoyably, the American author also appears very good at showing his considerable cast of protagonists outthinking their foe as opposed to simply beating him around the head. This becomes particularly important once “the most powerful Avenger” departs before his vulnerable alter-ego is disastrously revealed, and the team must rely far more upon brains than brawn – most intriguingly Janet van Dyne’s; “Do you have some thermal-scanning doohickey in there? Follow the heat -- I’ll bet that leads us to Sindri and the hammer!”

Adding plenty pf “Thooom”, “Whoosh” and “Zzoooom” to this publication’s proceedings is Alan Davis, who provides all his well-drawn figures with plenty of dynamic life and beguiling emotion. In fact, alongside Thor’s evident concern at losing Mjolnir, the British artist also adds considerable weight to Giant-Man as Hank Pym visibly takes pride in both his lover’s intelligent reasoning, and then the Wasp’s physical help during their subsequent battle against an innumerable horde of relentless Lava Men.

The regular cover art of "AVENGERS: WAR ACROSS TIME" #4 by Alan Davis & Carlos Lopez

Thor [2020] #30 - Marvel Comics

THOR No. 30, March 2023

Featuring a seriously sense-shattering battle against a veritable horde of Viking undead across a rickety-rackety wooden bridge, as well as a fascinating flashback to a time when Thor’s long-dead grandfather successfully outfought Thanos, this ‘continuation of Torunn Gronbekk’s journey into mysterious waters’ positively provides its audience with plenty of pulse-pounding plot-threads. In fact, many a perusing bibliophile will find this twenty-page periodical unputdownable once they pluck it from the spinner-rack and immerse themselves in its captivating mix of Middle Earth-like mass-battles at the very foot of an erupting volcano and Richard Fleischer’s 1966 American science fiction film “Fantastic Voyage”.

Foremost of these ‘hooks’ is arguably the Norwegian writer’s well-penned characterisation of Bor Burison, who absolutely dominates every panel in which the towering warrior appears – even when going toe-to-toe with the titanic Worshipper of Death. As arrogant as the former Asgardian King is disconcertingly merciless regarding his own subjects’ loyalty, the long-bearded deity proves to be a captivating catalyst for the chaos Odinson faces, and genuinely helps set up an incredibly intriguing finale for this publication; “Please… do not do this… make it stop. Make it stop! Please, son. I beg you… Leave this place.”

Of course, for those action-loving readers Issue Thirty of “Thor” also contains a superb confrontation against the stinking Draugr, who quite literally drag themselves up out of an underground river to feast upon both the Valkyrie Runa and the Thunder God, as well as a shoal of enchanting memory fish. This contest is mesmerizingly intense as the walking cadavers repeatedly appear likely to overwhelm their potential next meals through sheer of weight of numbers. In addition, it’s soon made clear that the “All-Father” and his axe-wielding companion could chop their enemies all day long, and still face an insurmountable horde of putrid bodies, so at best they are only buying themselves time to thwart Corvus Glaive’s nefarious plan to unlock the “bloody secrets of Asgard’s past.”

Ramping up this comic’s level of horror is undoubtedly Nic Klein, who provides all this book’s action sequences with an incredibly engrossing level of dynamism and dreadfulness. The aforementioned flying fish are incredibly eye-catching, courtesy of a magma-based palette by colorist Matt Wilson, as are the Scandinavian ghouls who relentlessly hurl themselves at the two heroes in their unthinking desire to scavenge “the carcasses of the soul”.

The regular cover art of "THOR" #30 by Nic Klein

Thor [2020] #29 - Marvel Comics

THOR No. 29, February 2023

Despite only containing a glimmer of action in the guise of the Thunder God and Runa briefly battling a catacomb crawling with their all-too tangible shadows, Torunn Gronbekk’s narrative for Issue Twenty Nine of “Thor” still should have beguiled the vast majority of its audience. Indeed, straight from its opening salvo, which depicts the odious Corvus Glaive abducting an infant Laussa Odinsdottir, this twenty-page periodical weaves a bewitching spell which promises to take the reader on a disconcertingly dark journey back to the early days of Asgardian lore and Bor Burison.

Furthermore, this comic contains an intriguing flashback to ‘the War to end all Wars”, when Odinson’s grandfather attempted to make himself “God-King of the realms of life and death”, but instead contaminated the battlefield with a magical explosion so devastatingly powerful that it could only be contained “behind a wall of enchantments and spells.” So deadly an environment really helps the Norwegian author quickly establish the noxiousness of the landscape which the titular character must traverse, and also excitingly adds the very real possibility that at least one of the adventurers searching for Borson’s young daughter may not actually survive the ordeal; “I never went farther than this, but my sisters did. The few who came back were not… right.”

Impressively, this impending sense of doom is further heightened by the “guest writer” once the founding Avenger enters Niffleheim and witnesses first-hand the slowly decaying corpses of those whose broken bodies fell aeons ago or became horrifyingly trapped in some volcanic-like substance as if they were a hapless insect immersed in amber. Coupled with a brief appearance by Runa’s wraithlike Disir – “The cursed demons who once were her fellow original Valkyries” – on a night-time rooftop in Cleveland, Ohio and the stench of death is almost palpable throughout this entire publication.

Ably adding a considerable amount of grittiness to this comic’s atmosphere are Nic Klein’s pencils, which arguably imbue Thor with a somewhat tragic world-weariness just as soon as the Asgardian is seen pouring over a map of “the lowest level of the universe.” The “Marvel Stormbreaker” is particularly good at aiding Gronbekk in her depiction of the haunting territory “beneath the third root of Yggdrasil”, and gives all the motionless cadavers on show there a genuinely sad demeanour as their rotting flesh slowly erodes to the bone in the chill, wintry wind.

The regular cover art of "THOR" #29 by Nic Klein

Thor [2020] #32 - Marvel Comics

THOR No. 32, May 2023

Proudly proclaiming “Thor verses Doctor Doom” in its frustratingly false ‘solicit synopsis’, this twenty-page-periodical’s plot probably disappointed the vast majority of its audience when just such a confrontation fails to materialise. Indeed, rather than portray the two Marvel comic book universe titans “in a battle of wits, morals and, of course… might”, Torunn Gronbekk’s narrative for “Blood Of The Fathers” instead has them travelling down significantly separate pathways; “No one observing the Earth from the outside would ever mistake the human race as intelligent.”

Furthermore, a large portion of this publication dwells upon the disconcerting resurrection of Corvus Glaive by a teenage Laussa Odinsdottir some sixteen years in the future, using “the tiniest speck of his DNA” found upon the super-villain’s trademark hand-weapon. Admittedly, this rather grisly storyline is somewhat intriguing when it’s revealed that Thanos’ revitalised loyal warrior now lacks a soul, and resultantly becomes nothing more than a semi-quivering phantom of his former self who meekly submits to being chained in a corner. But such a resuscitation is lamentably a far cry from the no-holds barred struggle Nic Klein’s energetic cover illustration suggests is contained within this publication.

Perhaps therefore this comic’s sole-saving grace lies with its titular character’s dynamic struggle against Nidhogg, as the enormous cybernetic dragon unsuccessfully attempts to devour the Thunder God as it departs Hel. This incredibly striking drama definitely captures the audience’s complete attention with its flurry of furious frames depicting a grim-faced Odinson, and proves particularly powerful once the malevolent Eater of the Dead turns to attack his would-be hunter, having decided that the blonde-haired Asgardian is actually prey.

Ultimately however, Issue Thirty-Two of “Thor” debatably fails as a result of Juan Gedeon’s layouts, which whilst overall being proficiently pencilled enough, arguably often appear rather amateurish in their simplicity - most notably those sequences depicting Hela as a prisoner of Victor Von Doom in his Latverian laboratory. In addition, whether due to a deadline dilemma or not, the Argentinian artist repeatedly fails to provide his panels with much in the way of any background, relying instead upon either a flurry of hatchings to suggest simple shadows or Matt Wilson to supply a suitable colour progression.

Writer: Torunn Gronbekk, Artist: Juan Gedeon, and Colorist: Matt Wilson

Thor [2020] #31 - Marvel Comics

THOR No. 31, April 2023

Publicised by “Marvel Worldwide” as the beginning of “a new arc packed with twists and revelations”, Torunn Gronbekk and Donny Cates’ narrative for Issue Thirty-One of “Thor” certainly appears to deliver the goods when it comes to their plot whisking its audience off on a mesmerising trip through Valhalla and Hel. But for those readers unfamiliar with the Thunder God now owning the title “All-Father”, Odin Borson's spirit living inside Mjolnir and Jane Foster being Valkyrie, this opening instalment to “Blood Of The Fathers” is probably something of a discombobulating jumping on point; “I don’t… I don’t know! You said you’d know what it means!”

Happily however, a crash course in Asgardian orientation isn’t necessarily needed to thoroughly enjoy an enthralling mystery which sees the dead's souls missing from Niffleheim, and Hela’s province overrun by the limerick-loving Valraven – gigantic crows who feast upon corpses foolish enough to stray within reach of their talons or beaks. These creatures provide a decidedly dark storyline with plenty of humour, especially once the formidably-sized feathered creatures are revealed to be nothing but fawning cowards whenever faced with an opponent who can potentially best them.

Equally as entertaining with plenty of tongue-in-cheek dialogue is Odin, who despite simply being penned as an ethereal voice emanating from his son’s hammer, still manages to come across as the imperious and all-powerful Protector of the Ten Realms. Indeed, the writing behind “the king of all stories” is arguably one of this twenty-page periodical’s highlights, as he repeatedly tries to take matters into his own hands by flying out of Thor’s grip and battering any foolish enough to speak unkindly about him. This persistent potential to make an increasingly unpleasant situation even worse proves particularly amusing when Mjolnir is shown repeatedly braining one of the Valraven for daring to joke about the deceased deity once ‘bedding a giant’.

Adding plenty of “Boom” to this book’s events is Nic Klein, whose dynamic pencilling style genuinely appears to suit so grim a tale. The illustrator appears specifically good at sketching the enormous four-eyed black birds who now control Hel, giving the monstrosities all the heft and girth a bibliophile might expect from such skyrise-sized creatures who can swallow a hapless cadaver with a single gulp or attempt to squash the blonde-haired Avenger with an earth-shaking clawed foot.

The regular cover art of "THOR" #31 by Nic Klein

Monica Rambeau: Photon #3 - Marvel Comics

MONICA RAMBEAU: PHOTON No. 3, April 2023

Leaping all over the place from Monica Rambeau’s supposed home with ‘husband’ Doctor Voodoo, through to the Sorcerer Supreme’s Sanctum Sanctorum and then on into deep space, Eve L. Ewing’s narrative for this comic probably infuriated its audience as much as the Avengers did Photon by wrongly insisting that the superheroine’s mother had died “a while ago now.” True, all this “topsy-turvy” nonsense is eventually revealed to be as a result of “the universe… folding in on itself.” But that arguably doesn’t explain what is actually happening to the former Captain Marvel, nor why her apparently deceased parent is able to simply call her up on the mobile phone; “Mama?! How totally not surprised I am to hear from you.”

Similarly as frustrating as the gobbledegook plot though, is the American author’s heavy reliance upon sheer blind luck helping the titular character find, and then later aid, a mysteriously 'invisible' race of green-skinned aliens who also just happen to be able to decipher the Stone of Hala. This incredible journey across the stars alone debatably contains more contrivances than most comic books contain, especially when it's made clear that the human mutate just happens to be the only person who can connect with the ancient relic’s energy signature in the first place. However, once Rambeau has arrived from her “self-discovery journey” the protagonist discovers that she is handily able to transform into yet another form of energy so her eyes can properly see all the “stellar nurseries full of embryonic stars” and spot the Guardian Hall of the Charos veiled “deep inside a forgotten corner of the cosmos.”

Such manufactured moments must surely have increasingly grated upon the audience’s nerves, and only get worse when it turns out that the one resident from amongst the “group of wanderers” who might help Monica is dying from a chest tumour. Once again Roger Stern’s co-creation just happens to be able to perform the necessary x-ray scan required to locate the life-threatening growth and replicate the low-level radiation therapy treatment necessary to immediately cure them. Indeed, literally within seconds of Photon blasting her terminally ill patient with her super-powers, artists Ivan Fiorelli & Luca Maresca are proficiently pencilling the diminutively sized extra-terrestrial miraculously back up on its feet ready to “refer to some notes from the Grandmothers” as to how the Stone of Hala works.

The regular cover art of "MONICA RAMBEAU" #3 by Lucas Werneck

Monica Rambeau: Photon #2 - Marvel Comics

MONICA RAMBEAU: PHOTON No. 2, March 2023

Despite Eve L. Ewing desperately attempting to tap into the success of the much-lauded Stern-Buscema-Palmer years on “The Avengers”, her script for Issue Two of “Monica Rambeau: Photon” most likely landed with a disappointing thud when it first hit the spinner-racks in January 2023. In fact, this twenty-page periodical’s “topsy-turvy” storyline is debatably so unfollowable as it sucks the audience “across the infinite cosmos into the wrong corner of fragmented space-time", that many a perusing bibliophile probably popped it straight back into its empty pocket once they realised that at best this book’s guest stars were just the creations of the ever obtrusive Beyonder.

Foremost of these frustrations is arguably the way in which the “associate professor” attempts to create an aura of mystery within this comic by simply not explaining why anything is happening, and randomly throwing the titular character into one bizarre situation after another. True, this technique does initially work when the former Captain Marvel attempts to stop a flaming meteor from exploding into New Orleans and strangely finds herself unable to detonate the deadly satellite with her formidable super-powers. However, by the time Photon is depicted inexplicably battling a giant-sized crocodile in the Bayous of Lousiana whilst the rest of the Earth’s mightiest heroes idly stand by watching from the deck of a land-stranded yacht, the audiences’ heads are probably spinning as badly as Rambeau’s purportedly is.

Indeed, so little of the plot actually makes sense by this stage, including the gobbledegook dialogue of an entirely reimagined Beyonder, that many a Marvelite doubtless needed a rest and moved on to something else before soldiering on through this comic’s final few scenes; “Imagine my surprise in discovering that the one with the great power was also one enshrouded in a tremendous yearning. A being at the nexus of cosmic ability and tumbling, cacophonous wants.”

Disappointingly, artists Ivan Fiorelli and Luca Maresca don’t seem able to do much with the narrative either, even though the pair do a reasonable job in replicating the look of the Avengers from the mid-Eighties. The illustrators’ doe-eyed, gossamer-wearing central antagonist is especially disconcerting, appearing far too cartoony amongst some of the more ‘realistic’ figures. Whilst Monica appears to wear nothing but a bedazzled, open mouthed expression across her face for the entirely of the book.

Writer: Eve L. Ewing, Artists: Ivan Fiorelli & Luca Maresca, and Color Artist: Carlos Lopez

Avengers: War Across Time #3 - Marvel Comics

AVENGERS: WAR ACROSS TIME No. 3, May 2023

Containing two pulse-pounding battles between this mini-series’ titular characters and the king of the dwarfs, as well as an intriguing look at the underground world of the Lava Men, it’s arguably easy to see just why this comic’s letters page is filled full of compliments congratulating Paul Levitz on capturing “the magic of the Silver Age.” Indeed, such is the sense of Sixties nostalgia generated by Issue Three of “Avengers: War Across Time”, that it’s quite clear the American author “learned much of my writing craft from The Avengers” and clearly wrote the storyline to “pay homage to my old friends Stan [Lee], Jack [Kirby] and Don [Heck].”

Quite possibly this comic’s biggest success though actually lies in the personality of the highly disagreeable and self-righteous Sindri, who despite all his claims of royalty is still perfectly happy to sink his teeth into Thor Odinson’s wrist when the diminutive miscreant wants to get his unworthy hands on Mjolnir. Astonishingly powerful, and clearly capable of causing the entire Earth to sink into “a fiery doom”, the Dwarf of Nidavellir grabs the attention in every panel in which he appears, even during the somewhat more dialogue-driven sequences whilst he energetically explores the caverns beneath New York City’s paved surface.

Furthermore, the former editor of “DC Comics” is able to remind this twenty-page-periodical’s audience that the true villain of the piece, Kang the Conqueror, is still very much a threat by occasionally visiting the time-obsessed tyrant in his future-housed headquarters. These brief interludes help establish just why Sindri’s accidental presence on the planet is so integral to the title’s overall plot, and actually helps keep the reader momentarily guessing as to just where the superheroes’ next threat will come from; “We barely stopped Kang’s robot Hulk -- Who knows what he’ll send to attack us next..?”

Helping smash the look and feel of Marvel Comics’ early era are Alan Davis’ layouts, which quite justifiably are acknowledged as calling back “to its roots in Kirby, Heck and [Dick] Ayers.” One particular success is debatably the initial battle between the God of Thunder and his lesser-sized adversary, with the British artist imbuing Thor’s opponent with all the feisty mannerisms of a scrapper who is facing a much more physically impressive antagonist.

The regular cover art of "AVENGERS: WAR ACROSS TIME" #3 by Alan Davis

Avengers: War Across Time #2 - Marvel Comics

AVENGERS: WAR ACROSS TIME No. 2, April 2023

If capturing the almost adolescent simplicity of some of Stan Lee’s Silver Age storylines was Paul Levitz’s plan for Issue Two of "Avengers: War Across Time", then this twenty-page-periodical certainly does the job. But for those True Believers who like far fewer contrivances and (un)happy accidents in their comic books, such manufactured moments as the Earth’s Mightiest Heroes deciding to burgle the Baxter Building and an age-addled Postman accidentally activating Doctor Doom’s time machine might prove a bit too much; “Stark will have to square up with Richards for the damage. But I’m betting I can switch this off without our ripping it all apart.”

Happily however, any Marvelites willing to forgive such quibbles and simply enjoy the Eisner Hall of Famer’s channelling of the classic heroes’ adventures, should arguably still find that there’s plenty of sense-shattering shenanigans to enjoy once Willie Lumpkin has inadvertently teleported an irate Sindri into the heart of New York City. Indeed, the subsequent battle between the likes of Iron Man, Thor and Captain America against the angry king of the Dwarves of Nidavellir proves tremendously intriguing, especially as the diminutive forger of Mjolnir is able to resculpt Tony Stark’s armour like it was clay with the simple touch of his hand.

Furthermore, there’s plenty of pulse-pounding proceedings to be found beforehand following Shell-head’s ill-advised decision to pick the lock of the Fantastic Four’s residence and enter the skyscraper’s lift. The Golden Avenger demonstrates all the holier-than thou arrogance his character has become famous for, so many a reader will doubtless enjoy his discomfort at being manhandled by Reed Richard’s steel security tentacles and inability to manipulate Victor Von Doom’s machinery – at least without revealing his (then) secret identity to his team-mates.

Definitely helping the Avengers “break the barriers between worlds” are Alan Davis’ layouts, which seem to capture all the nuances of this narrative’s earlier era when the Wasp was wearing one of her more wildly wonderful costumes, and you could still see the rivets running around Iron Man’s face-plate. In addition, the “legendary X-artist” does an excellent job of imbuing Sindri with all the formidable physical power and fighting prowess a bibliophile might expect from an adversary who “once sent Thor as a prisoner to the Rock Trolls to be their slave.”

The regular cover art of "AVENGERS: WAR ACROSS TIME" #2 by Alan Davis

Avengers: War Across Time #1 - Marvel Comics

AVENGERS: WAR ACROSS TIME No. 1, March 2023

Essentially consisting of a forty-page long punch-up between “the classic Avengers” and the incredible Hulk, there’s surely plenty for fans of pulse-pounding pugilism to enjoy with Paul Levitz’s “Marvel debut”. Indeed, it is difficult to imagine a connoisseur of the Silver Age of Comics being able to resist this super-sized publication once they’ve seen Alan Davis’ sensational opening splash page depicting Thor, Captain America, Giant-Man and the Wasp falling to the ground through a wind vortex; “The rage of the storm is mine to command. A power beyond your mortal reckoning.”

Furthermore, the “Eisner Hall of Famer” still manages to enjoyably imbue each of this comic’s considerable cast with a little bit of personality in between them trading blows with Bruce Banner’s alter-ego, even when some of that spotlight does focus upon Janet van Dyne’s disconcerting crush upon “the Norse god of good looks!” Such moments really help break-up an otherwise potentially monotonous carousel of veiled threats and punches, whilst also helping establish the legitimate aura surrounding Steve Roger’s World War Two heroics and the super-team’s genuine concern for those innocent lives around them as they try to minimise any collateral damage caused by their actions.

Of course, this book’s biggest hook is witnessing the world’s mightiest heroes stoically strike against a creature who simply gets stronger the angrier he gets. This epic confrontation is quite nicely lengthened by fate compelling each Avenger to face-off against the Hulk single-handedly, and as a result there are some interesting duels involving Captain America, Thor, Giant-Man and an ultra-brave Wasp. In fact, one of this publication’s finest moments is debatably when Iron Man dons his infamous roller skates to repeatedly outfox an increasingly irate “Green Goliath” on a deserted public ice rink.

Issue One of “Avengers: War Across Time” also owes a lot of its success to its acclaimed British-born artist, whose prodigiously pencilled panels capture all the sense-shattering shenanigans this mini-series’ audience would expect from a comic attempting to capture the look and feel of the Sixties. Davis definitely attains some impressive images whilst drawing the various combatants slugging away at one another. But impressively, his layouts also contain a couple of notable nods to some of the other inhabitants of New York City, such as Betty Brant and Aunt May.

The regular cover art of "AVENGERS: WAR ACROSS TIME" #1 by Alan Davis

Shang-Chi [2021] #6 - Marvel Comics

SHANG-CHI No. 6, January 2022

As finale’s go, Gene Luen Yang arguably still leaves a lot ‘hanging in the air’ with his final instalment to “Shang-Chi Verses The Marvel Universe”. But whilst a truly despisable Tony Stark and Reed Richards disconcertingly depart the Master of Kung Fu’s partially destroyed headquarters still arrogantly believing that they were right to attack their former friend because of an evidently ill-placed hunch, the California-born writer’s storyline still provides its audience with plenty of high-octane, action-packed entertainment.

Foremost of this twenty-one page periodical’s hooks has to be the titanic tussle between Commander Hand and the mighty Thor, which momentarily threatens to level the entire House of the Deadly Sabre with the truly phenomenal forces on display. Admittedly, it soon becomes apparent that Shang-Chi isn’t actually fighting with “the power of Takemikazuchi, the God of Blades and Thunder”, but rather a disguised Cosmic Cube. However, such a deception at least momentarily manages to wipe the infuriatingly smug smile off of Odinson’s face, when he’s shockingly cut on the cheek by the seemingly rapier-sharp magical sword, and resultantly realises he might not actually be as undefeatable as his overconfident team-mates all believe.

Likewise, the elite martial artist’s ability to persistently hold off the best efforts of Iron Man are incredibly satisfying. The American author really does a first-rate job of penning the Golden Avenger as an incredibly dislikeable bully, whose contemptible self-importance supposedly fully justifies him being able to threaten a group of non-super-powered onlookers with death and destruction. So when the titular character stoically holds his own against Stark’s ‘trump card’, it’s not hard to imagine many within this publication’s audience cheering aloud at the billionaire industrialist's obvious discomfort; “Shang-Chi’s holding his own!”

Injecting this comic with all the sense-shattering sketches needed to make such a frenzied fracas followable is Dike Ruan and colorist Triona Farrell. The Chinese artist does a fantastic job of imbuing the Master of Kung Fu with all the blinding speed a reader might expect from a close combat expert occasionally referred to as “the Chi-Meister”, and later does an equally fine job in depicting all the electrical energy resonating from the mortal being’s intense battle against the living God of Thunder.

The regular cover art of "SHANG-CHI" #6 by Leinil Frances Yu & Sunny Gho