Hello there! Padawan J here, the resident Star Wars expert from the ODPH! This week I'm going to be reviewing the 4th issue of The Mortal Thor from Marvel Comics!

To this point in the three prior issues, we've been following the journeys of Sigurd Jarlson. A man who looks a heck of a lot like Thor, but doesn't have any memories of his past. Despite that he's still extremely handy with a hammer and has attracted some attention. So now things take a turn, and we focus on Asgard. So let's jump into it!

The Mortal Thor #4 by Al Ewing (Writer), Juan Cabal (Artist), Mattia Iacono (Color Artist) & VC's Joe Sabino (Letterer) is a surprising change of pace, but one that works considering Canada recently celebrated Thanksgiving, and the United States is about to.

The Story

Al Ewing really surprised me with the story in this issue. Considering how things ended in the third issue with Odin himself showing up to confront Loki (or who we presume to be Loki), I really expected a continuation of that. However we instead turn our focus to Asguard and those who live there.

We catch up with what exactly the Asguardians have been doing since Thor's "death", and hint...it's exactly what you think it is. However it's also a time to catch up with the sort of political machinations of Asguard. Thor was the All Father after all, and with his death it has left a vacancy on the throne. A vacancy that none are willing to take up the mantle and fill the shoes.

As I said before, I was really caught off guard and surprised by this issue. It was surprisingly down to Earth (or would it be Asguard in this case?) and an interesting look into how the Asguardians are dealing with things post-Thor. I really enjoyed the subterfuge and double crossing in the issue, along with the sense of greater purpose. It reminded me of the first two Thor movies in the MCU, and would be a fascinating thread to explore further if we get the opportunity to do so.

The Artwork

Juan Cabal & Mattia Iacono did a phenomenal job with the art on the issue. I really liked the way the characters were drawn in the issue, and also how there was a clear difference between the two locations we see in the issue. it also has a classic Thor look & feel to it from recent history.

FINAL POINT: A change of scenery & pace that really doesn't hurt the series in any way. It's a wholesome story that provides enough intrigue to add some interesting layers to the overall story being told. Together with some great artwork, this issue is a must read for any Thor fan!

Overall Grade: 8.0/10

Thank you for taking the time to check out my review. Be sure to reach out to me on Twitter, and let me know what you thought of the issue!