ADVANCED REVIEW: ‘Jane Foster & The Mighty Thor,’ Issue #1

Jane Foster & The Mighty Thor #1 is written by Torunn Gronbekk, illustrated by Michael Dowling, colored by Jesus Aburtov, and lettered by VC’s Joe Sabino. It’s published by Marvel Comics. Jane Foster has undergone multiple changes over the years, taking over the mantle of Thor when the God of Thunder was deemed unworthy and becoming a Valkyrie during the War of the Realms. Jane is thrust into a new conflict when a mysterious figure summons Thor’s enemies to attack Asgard, and Thor is missing. But before he disappeared, the God of Thunder sent his hammer Mjolnir flying through the universe…and it landed in Jane’s apartment!

Gronbekk has helped flesh out the Thor mythos, particularly the Valkyries, with other miniseries, including Return of the Valkyries and The Mighty Valkyries. While those other series were co-written with Jason Aaron – whose Thor run serves as both a character-defining run and inspiration for the upcoming Thor: Love and Thunder – this time, Gronbekk serves as the sole writer of the Mighty Thor mini. But that isn’t a problem as she perfectly captures Jane’s voice, including how she feels about her Valkyrie ability to see the dead and wield Mjolnir once again. “I could lose myself in this feeling,” one of her narrative captions reads as she contemplates the power of Thor.

A wealth of characters from the Thor mythos also make an appearance, including villains like Amora the Enchantress and the goddess of death, Hela, as well as Jane’s fellow Valkyrie, Runa. That’s not even getting into the fact that Mjolnir is now inhabited by the spirit of Thor’s dead father, Odin. Odin and Jane don’t exactly have the best of relationships.

Dowling, who has illustrated issues of Amazing Spider-Man, brings his photorealistic style to the world of Thor, and I’m not exaggerating when I say it’s the perfect fit. Images featuring Jane in full Valkyrie garb have an angelic vibe to them, especially when her horse descends from the heavens. But the most striking page, pun completely intended, is one featuring Jane picking up Mjolnir and transforming into Thor. Lightning crackles all around her as she hovers in the sky in full Asgardian armor. Even though this turns out to be a mere mental image, it’s still one that’s worth the cover price.

A large part of what makes the artwork pop is Aburtov’s colors. Asgard, for example, is populated with shining golden buildings and the ever-present light of the Bifrost Bridge; it truly looks like heaven. Blue, however, is the most prominent color. It’s present in Jane’s blue and silver Valkyrie armor and in the bluish-white lightning that Mjolnir summons. It’s even in Sabino’s narrative captions, which are blue and golden to reflect Jane’s thoughts.

Jane Foster & The Mighty Thor #1 features a story that brings Jane Foster back into the limelight as she embarks on a mission to save Thor. If you’re counting down the days to Love and Thunder, or you’re looking for an entrance into the world of Thor comics, I’d definitely recommend giving this one a read.

Jane Foster & The Mighty Thor #1 will be available wherever comics are sold on June 8, 2022.