REVIEW: ‘Queen in Black: Thor’ Issue 1

Queen In Black: Thor Issue 1 is published by Marvel Comics. Written by Al Ewing, pencils by Sergio Dávila, inks by Aure Jimenez, colors by Ceci de la Cruz and letters by Joe Sabino.

Queen in Black: Thor Issue 1 is a one-shot tie-in, where Hela and Tyr both tackle two hammer-wielding heroes.  This issue is split into two, with a very separate sense of scale. Beta Ray Bill is tussling with the God of War, Tyr. He’s a remnant of Asgard, but not quite. He was an alien warrior who thought as Thor during the God of Thunder’s previous absence. He is a powerful warrior, a fierce fighter, and a brave hero.

His fight with Tyr is intense, continuing from a previous issue of the Queen in Black Event. Whilst it starts as a vicious battle, Queen in Black: Thor Issue 1 does slow to allow for a conversation between the Asgardian and the Korbinite.

But then, back on Earth, Hela pays a visit to Sigurd Jarlsen. Jarlsen is the reincarnated body of Donald Blake, who used to share a body with Thor. Whilst he may look like Thor and carry a hammer, he is entirely human. But the threat he faces is just as dangerous as Bill’s, with a burning building and a Goddess of Death right next to him.

Ewing’s Mortal Thor series is so integral to this one-shot that not knowing the book may affect the reading experience. It’s not essential, as part of what makes Sigurd so interesting is how he is having adventures without any powers or Godly abilities. And actually, Ewing makes direct references to events in the Mortal Thor series, so it feels like Sigurd stepped off the pages of his own book into Queen in Black: Thor Issue 1.

The wide spectrum of events is fascinating, because it’s not entirely the premise of Queen in Black: Thor Issue 1. The major theme is worthiness. Neither of these men is Thor, but has been mistaken for him at many points in time. They reflect what he stands for, what the inscription reads on the side of Mjolnir. Both of these men represent that in different forms. Beta Ray Bill is battling an immortal threat, protecting innocents. Sigurd is putting himself in harm’s way to save those in danger. And they both have a hammer. That helps when it comes to representing Thor.

What’s fascinating is that the other gods involved in this issue are trying to ascertain how threatening their enemies might be. Tyr is trying to convince Beta Ray Bill to join their side, while Hela is observing whether Sigurd has enough of Thor’s power to be a danger to her, which is what makes the ending so interesting.

The dialogue is fantastic throughout from each of the four characters involved. That Shakespearean prose that comes from immortals is superb. There are two heroes in Queen in Black: Thor Issue 1, and both get the chance to deliver their own speech about life and death and what they’re fighting for.

The art is magnificent, capturing the pure chaos of the Queen in Black event and the power of the Asgardians. Tyr and Beta Ray Bill are both hulking beings. Of all of the characters, Bill best conveys what Thor once looked like, including the armor and cape. But his equine face and individual hammer are unique to him. Hela appears in a gorgeous disguise, one that resembles Lady Henrietta. She is still regal and instantly engrossing as a character, but the battle armor and massive headgear have been replaced.

It’s easy to understand why Sigurd gets mistaken for Thor. He has long, Scandinavian blond hair, big muscles and a hammer of his own. But he is mortal, wearing big clothes, and his hammer is constrained with a rope. He’s scruffy, from his stubble to his outfit. And what is demonstrated throughout the art in this issue is the scale that the Mortal Thor has been facing.

The power of Tyr, Bill and Hela is immense. Lightning strikes, magic and the ability to actually resurrect people are all displayed in Queen in Black: Thor Issue 1. And yet, there is determination etched on Sigurd’s face that really wouldn’t be out of place on the Immortal Thor.

The colors are stunning within this issue. The vibrancy of many of the more fantastical elements is incredible, and it is that bright on purpose. Bill’s flowing cape is a rich red, Tyr is coated in blue and Hela swaps green for red. But then Sigurd’s clothes are particularly muted tones. His jacket is a regular brown, and he’s in jeans. This is supposed to create even more of a sense of normality for the Mortal Thor, considering just how many fantasy elements are added to Queen in Black: Thor Issue 1.

The lettering uses a hefty amount of Asgardian fonts, which may be irritating to some. But Sigurd’s word balloons have a regular typeface and, perhaps surprisingly, Beta Ray Bill doesn’t use that Asgardian font either, and his font is much easier to understand.

Queen in Black: Thor Issue 1 may not feature the God of Thunder, but it carries his spirit. Both Beta Ray Bill and Sigurd are just fantastic characters, and they represent what Thor stands for even without him being present. Thor’s presence is sorely missed within this event, and it feels like this one-shot was a way of installing a small piece of him through those at the heart of the crossover.

Sigurd is massively dwarfed by the scale and the drama around him. The terrifying symbiotes and Asgardians are far too powerful for him even to lay a glove on them. But he finds a way to help in his own way, a way that no one else is, and it’s that street-level aspect that fully grasps what the Mortal Thor is all about.

Queen in Black: Thor Issue 1 is available where comics are sold.