Writer: Donny Cates

Art: Nic Klein, Matthew Wilson, Laura Martin, VC’s Joe Sabino, Art Adams, and Olivier Coipel

Price: $3.99

Release Date: March 11th, 2020

Readers, we just saw an epic throwdown between Galactus and Thor that ended in a draw. Afterward, Thor took on Beta Ray Bill, beat him to a pulp, and destroyed Stormbreaker. Now, it’s Lady Sif’s turn! But, this isn’t any ordinary Asgardian. She controls the Bifrost, which is the very means of travel throughout the Realms. Not only does she garner that tremendous power, but she also has had her fair share of battles, wars, and crusades to which songs have been written. Meaning; Lady Sif is no mere pushover. So, let’s take a look at Round Three: Lady Sif vs. King Thor! Will someone finally knock some sense into Thor or will the new Herald of Galactus continue to thrust new world’s into the Devourer’s belly in hopes to halt the Black Winter? Let’s check out this week’s THOR #4 by Donny Cates and find out!

Donny Cates wields this issue to show the difficult decisions any King or Ruler must face in life. Do the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few… even if those few are a few billion? Secondly, who is to blame for all of this? Can Thor be as much at fault as Galactus for destroying these worlds? Couldn’t Thor have tried to find another way? Odinson did quickly push into this role of Herald to speed the process along in hopes to try to save everyone involved. However, even if he did “save” a few lives in the process, their worlds and homes were still destroyed. Ultimately, this issue weighed heavily on Thor’s heart, as it probably will to the readers before it’s all said and done. But, as your reading this week’s installment of THOR by Donny Cates, really think deeply about who is truly to blame and what role they really play in all of this.

As for the overall story this week, I was a bit disappointed with the showdown between Lady Sif and King Thor. It really wasn’t what I expected, which isn’t entirely on Cates. However, the set up for this would-be showdown was implied and aligned from prior set up to amazing covers. Now, some of the tricks by Lady Sif and the humor involved was pretty killer and rather enjoyable. But again, I still left a bit underwhelmed and searching for more. Additionally, Cates plows through the other worlds and races readers to the fireworks factory before the issue is complete making this reviewer wonder what’s next for Cates’ THOR? Besides, my assumption was that readers would be taking trips to each world setting up monthly problems to crush before reaching our Black Winter while infusing a rivalry between Thor, Asgard, and Galactus. However, before this issue is complete, readers may be shocked as to how far we’ve come in such a short amount of time. Now, even if Cates spends a handful of issues battling the Black Winter, this reviewer foresees a secondary showdown between Thor and Galactus that should be legend… what for it… dary!

Next, can I just say, Nic Klein is a beast and is gradually positioning himself to one of my favorites at Marvel right now. His illustrations are thoroughly detailed, wildly animated, and exhibit so much emotion that I find myself getting lost in the issue. Before I knew it, the story is done and I’m wanting more, which instantly tells me that the pacing of this series to date would make this an outstandingly fun trade for readers in the future. Not only are the illustrations on point but Matthew Wilson’s vibrant color choices make this story pop causing this reader to spiral deeper into the narrative. And lastly, take a good hard look at the final concluding page by Klein. Notice how dwarfed in size Galactus looks on the final splash page. Who can’t wait for the next issue? My point: Cates’ story may be an important piece to this comic BUT Klein’s art is equally as important in the overall success of this series to date making Cates/ Klein a fabulous combination for any series, especially one off the heels of Jason Aaron.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Even though my expectations were not entirely met this week, the issue was still potent and overly dynamic. Are you not entertained? I think you will be! The stakes are high, the issue is fast and furious, and the characters’ emotions are fueled by their actions throughout the issue. There is no doubt in my mind that the character of Thor is growing throughout this narrative and he’s doing so in such a short amount of time. Readers, this week’s installment will definitely leave you with a good deal to ponder and ultimately delivers something to appreciate for just about everyone. I highly recommend picking this issue up and adding this series to your pull list. If you’re interested in catching up on THOR, check out links to some of the trades below. If you have any questions or are simply interested in a discussion, feel free to comment or hit me up anytime!

8.4/10