Tag Thor

Jason Aaron

52 weeks. 52 different writers. 2 trade paperbacks or hardcovers a week. Each week I’ll take a look at a different writer and read two different collected editions from within that person’s repertoire to help in the examination of their work. The beautifully bearded beast of a man named Jason Aaron is in the spotlight this week. Did I mention he’s got a beautiful beard?
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Shaking Things Up at Marvel

The comic book world is still spinning from the news this week that Marvel is shaking things up a bit, and changing some of their major characters. Originally I was going to write this article about the power of Thor being transferred from Thor to a new female character. That is a column within itself. But this week we hear more news that the mantle of Captain America is being passed from Steve Rogers, to his friend and ally Sam Wilson.
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Why did the original Silver Surfer run fail? #1-18

A little more than two years after the first book hit the stands it was part of a Marvel wave of cancellations due to poor sales (Nick Fury, Doctor Strange, and The Silver Surfer) and suspensions (X-Men & Captain Marvel) and it was gone. I can’t say I was that sorry to see him go. What happened? There are a gazillion reasons and theories why the Surfer failed in his first solo effort. I will list some of my own reasons I thought the book failed and then we will take a look at the high’s and lows of the run itself. For anybody who thinks this run is not a failure I say this – when you are cancelled and the Sub-Mariner continues you have done something wrong.
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Meet Beta Ray Bill: Thor 337-340

Thanks to Walter Simonson every time I see a horse my mind invariably drifts to a super hero with a similar appearance and many of the same qualities of those Clydesdales - Beta Ray Bill. Walt Simonson’s critically acclaimed run on Thor ran from issue #337 thru issue #382. He started with this Beta Ray Bill story and followed it up with the introduction of Malekith the Accursed Ruler of the Dark Elves (issue #344), who was the villain in the second Thor movie. Not a bad way to start your new job! Simonson’s run really breathed new life into this title and the many accolades he received are justified.
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Undervalued Spotlight #194

Journey into Mystery #85, Marvel Comics, October 1962. Last Saturday evening my kid decides we should all watch Thor 2; I wanted to watch the Habs/Senators game. So Thor 2 starts and I kind of like it, I actually thought it was better than the first one. Near the end of the movie my kid mumbles something like “I really like Loki, he’s smart and crafty”. Woah!
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Marvel Now, Continuity, and What If?

However, the more I think about Marvel Now the more I feel that success (or lack thereof) is mostly owed to these unique interpretations. When I talk with fans at conventions or comic book shops they either love or hate what is going on in Marvel Now. And I think that is primarily due to the fact that the concepts behind Marvel Now are all or nothing; you either love them or or hate them because they are What If? stories.
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Best of 2013

With another year coming to a close, I turn my eye to that most time-honoured of traditions: the best-of list. 2013 was a banner year for comics and here are the things that I liked the most.
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