Thor goddess of thunder comics. Scandinavian mythology: Thor - god of thunder
It's funny that the decision that made Marvel comics so popular* led to the fact that today these comics are impossible to read as an ordinary mortal. Endless crossovers and reboots, stretching one story over hundreds of issues, scattered across different series of the publisher. This should be monitored by a person who does not buy everything and does not search on the Internet Additional information, extremely difficult.
Thor: Goddess of Thunder begins with the end of the global crossover "Original Sin", in which the Watcher, a being of immeasurable power who lives almost forever, was killed. The event itself is not important for this comic, but in the course of it Thor became unworthy of his hammer. As a result, a lively girl takes possession of him, becoming the new Thor. None of the characters, and even the reader, knows her name and identity, since her face is hidden under a helmet. This comic tells about her adventures.
I would say that everything is bad, but it is not. I'm just not the target audience for this comic. There is no interesting dramatic line here, and there is no second bottom either. This is a loud and useless start to a new heroine that I personally cannot “buy.” I don’t see any personal qualities that resonate with me. I don’t see a person whose actions would be interesting to follow. Finally, the events of the comic are secondary to the point of insanity. Once again the Earth is in mortal danger, and only a brave girl with the instrument of the proletariat in her hands can meet her and not die... *yawn desperately* Mortal boredom.
The main reason why I read the comic with great effort is still the isolation from the context. I am not an expert on the universe, and for me the relationship between the Minotaur, Malekith and the rest of the characters is a mystery. And therefore I don’t know why the events of this comic should be interesting to me. In addition, all these grandiose proceedings about who is stronger, taller and cooler set my teeth on edge. And most importantly, I never liked Thor as a character. Most At the time, he looks like a stupid bull, unable to learn from his mistakes.
The producers of the Cinematic Universe, for example, quickly realized that such an image was ridiculous and already in the second film Thor grew as a character. Became more conscious and socialized. And in this comic, every appearance of Thor causes only disgust at the way he behaves. Yes, bullies at school are more thoughtful about their actions! As for She-Thor... She's not here as a character. The entire first volume of the new Thor series says almost nothing about the main character. Who is hiding under the mask? Is she a good person? Well, a standard Marvel hero. And the same in terms of intelligence and combat abilities - some kind of average faceless superhero. There's nothing new or special about the way she fights or solves problems. Then... why?
Okay, the question is illegal. I know why. This is a hackneyed marketing comics strategy, which, nevertheless, has been working abroad for decades, and was recently tested by our glorious publishing house Bubble Comics. This is a visual update to the series without putting much effort into the content. At first glance, the change of personality holding the hammer Mjollnir is an epoch-making event. However, in fact, this happens so routinely that even Thor himself, almost crying in the first pages, gets used to it by the end of the story. Of course, we are threatened that this will still have consequences... But now I have reached the end of the volume and do not have the slightest desire to follow the series further.
Summarizing. This comic is not interesting for two reasons. First, to understand events you need to know the universe and the latest events in it. The second is that the interesting idea of “giving Thor’s hammer into other hands” does not “play” at all. It was announced, but was not developed (in Russian comics criticism this phenomenon was called the “Faction effect”). But even if you put these problems aside, the comic is just boring. There is no plot here, there is only a series of conversational and combat scenes. There are no characters - just a group of extras with lines.
Result: 2 out of 6. I could go on and on about what this comic doesn't have. The question is that there is only very little here. Standard, no-frills drawing, passable script and good print quality. Unfortunately, this is too little to be of interest.
* Of course, it was not only crossovers that made Marvel publishing so popular and famous. There were several factors, from really good writers, artists and editors on staff, to good market conditions. But in the late 90s, nothing saved the publishing house from bankruptcy, which eventually led to the famous deal between Marvel and Disney.
The situation when one superhero transfers the right to bear his name to another hero is not new; the Big Two of comics did this all the time. It often happened that because of this, the superhero also changed his gender. Nothing terrible happened: superheroics are still soap, so anything is possible. Even the fact that a woman becomes Thor.
Thor, unlike many Marvel heroes, has long history, created outside of the comic universe. Canonical image character is formed by myths, and going beyond them is fraught with the crash of torn templates of fans and random people: Is it possible for a hero who embodies the ideals of masculinity and is one of the symbols of a patriarchal society to suddenly change gender! This is mind boggling! But the funniest thing is that the potential of such a plot was initially inherent in the character’s image: only the worthy can lift Thor’s hammer, and the one who managed to do this will have the power of Thor. And if you are worthy of the hammer and have the power of Thor, then who are you if not Thor?
As absurd as it may sound, this comic is an exemplary work of third wave feminism. Having almost completely dealt with legal inequality, the femme movement chose a more skeletal structure—gender—as its new target. To paraphrase one of the ideas, “One is not born a Thor, one becomes a Thor.” Gender is a social sex, a set social roles or more in a broad sense generally a single role. And if gender is a role, then gender can be played out. It is this moment that is revealed in the comic, when Odin learns that the hammer was lifted by someone who is not his son. The logical question is, what is his name? And the newly minted God of Thunder says that she should be called Thor, for Thor is a role, and not just the name of a god, albeit a very famous one.
It’s funny that such an idea is as simple as a ciliate slipper, but the fact that they decided to implement it not so long ago says a lot about our time, when the need for such a somersault arose. Unexpectedly, it turned out that the loophole for him had been left decades ago.
The minor villains joke a couple of times: “What should we call you: Torina? Toressa? Or maybe Torka? But the heroine stoically endures ridicule in order to affirm the thesis: Thor is an agender role.
If you start reading the comic immediately after The God of Thunder, you will feel a huge difference between the stories. R The drawing here is more cartoonish, the colors are more vibrant and brighter - already on a visual level, the comic feels like something truly entertaining. The story is also simpler and lighter, and I wouldn't say that's good or bad - it's just a different comic. And whatever he tries to be good at, he is good at. Aaron pulls out the cards from his sleeve that he prepared a dozen issues ago and pits Malekith and the Frost Giants against the Roxxon company. This is a very strange pairing, because on both sides there are antagonists for whom it is quite difficult to feel sympathy. When you get involved in this fight new Thor, you begin to sympathize with her instinctively, without even knowing who is hiding under the mask of the avenger.
Exercise for the mind: what is described in the comic can be interpreted in reverse side- The Goddess of Thunder is so dependent on patriarchal culture that she wants to be called Thor, because this will give her a connection with the masculine source of strength. Once again, women found themselves at the mercy of men.
For me, this comic is notable primarily for its idea, a statement that was formulated clearly and clearly. And in this regard, this comic is one of the most representative r63. This is not just the introduction of a female character with a name like the old hero, but a whole performance of transferring the right to be named and play a certain role. Just being able to see it with your own eyes should make you want to check it out.
A copy for review was provided by the publisher
In the images of super-powered comic book heroes, it is very difficult not to notice hints of their “divinity”. The authors who invented them acted as new god-makers, creating omnipotent defenders, always ready to respond to people’s prayers (or searchlight signals sent into the sky, which, in principle, is the same thing). So the appearance of the real god himself among this cohort of superbeings was only a matter of time. However, once on the pages of comics, the Scandinavian god Thor brought authors and editors not only fame and profits, but also headache. Bypassing difficult questions"the truth of God", the creators of the Marvel Universe were often forced to play up the status of the son of Odin, then appointing him as a resident parallel world, where the character’s strength is determined by the internal laws of physics and biology, either throwing him to the ground and adding an alter ego in the form of a lame doctor, or generally presenting him as a patient in a psychiatric clinic. Gradually, Thor completely turned into an eccentric freak with a hammer in his hands, another alien in a red, flowing cloak.
It would seem, why discuss another Marvel comic? There are at least three reasons for this. Firstly, the author " Torah. Goddesses of Thunder» Jason Aaron is a Harvey and Eisner Award winner, including for the previous Thor title. Secondly, the owner of the hammer here was a woman. Third, it's just a well-written and drawn story (but that's not accurate).
The comic goes chronologically after " Torah. Thunder God"all the same and starts immediately after the arch" Original sin» . Nick Fury, who became the new Observer, whispered something to Thor that made the Asgardian unworthy of his hammer Mjolnir, which now lies dead weight on the Moon. And then the ice giants, in alliance with the dark elf Malekith, invade Earth and for some reason destroy the bases of the odious Roxxon corporation. Thor can no longer handle this, but suddenly a woman lifts the hammer. Who is she? Why did Mjolnir choose her as worthy? What do the giants and the elf sorcerer need on Earth? What lengths will Odin go to to get the hammer back? Will the reader be on fire?
Throughout the first volume, two questions will torment you: what Fury whispered to Thor, and who is hiding under the mask. But you won’t get answers so quickly; Aaron keeps the intrigue and builds one of the storylines around their search. The Asgardian gets himself a whole list of “suspects” and tries to identify a new goddess among his female acquaintances. Which leads to some good jokes, reminiscent, by the way, of Thor’s gags from the cinematic universe, and the scene with Lady Sif is hilarious and touching at the same time!
The comic has something to praise for. It is filled with action, brutal and gorgeous fights, there are bright and attractive characters, especially the villain Malekith and the now-not-so-pretentious Thor. Dauterman's drawing (and Wilson's coloring) suits the comic very well: clear lines, dynamic and epic scenes, non-standard angles. For example, episodes involving ice giants are drawn in such a way that the reader immediately gets a feeling of dizzying (literally) heights and insignificance against the backdrop of the giant characters. The more impressive are the victories of the Thor girl over them.
Her very appearance in the Marvel universe is a positive phenomenon. Taking one of the most masculine characters and making him a woman was a risky move, but it turned out to be a very successful move. Moreover, Thor himself has not gone away, and the two characters coexist perfectly with each other.
However, not everything is so smooth. Aaron immediately puts answers to his anti-feminist critics into the comic, but it looks too clumsy: the scene with Titania here is not the most brilliant. And the concept that Thor is not a name, but a type of title that is passed along with the hammer, seems strange. And all the Avengers are like: “okay, you lost your hammer, we’ll call you Odinson from now on!”
For me personally the main problem in the whole Frost Giants story. Yes, they invaded Earth, break, kill, eat and even froze all the Avengers (!), but the conflict, with all the pathos and tension, nevertheless looks local - it’s a showdown around one corporation.
Do you have to read previous arcs to enjoy Girl Thor? For the most part no, this comic is self-contained. Although, to fully understand the confrontation between the Thors, Malekith and the Roxxon corporation, it may be worth reading the comic book " Thor. God of Thunder" And here " Original sin"(Original Sin) was not released in Russian, however, so you will have to look for an English version. But this is optional.
It should be noted here that due to the mess with Marvel licenses, the lead-up comic " Thor. God of Thunder“In Russia, two publishing houses publish it at once. Jellyfish Jam has already published two paperback volumes in the first half of the year, and The Fantastic Book Club will be published in hardcover a little later. So you can buy and read the backstory now, or wait for the omnik for the sake of full compliance with the translations and format.
The publication is made in the traditional format for the Fantastic Book Club: 136 pages in hardcover, a size that fits perfectly with other comics from the publisher, a normal translation in which nothing hurts the ear, decent fonts. In addition, the book boasts a whole gallery of covers, interesting character sketches and panel storyboards.
“Thor. Goddess of Thunder" is a powerful and fascinating comic about a famous, but not the most popular character. Jason Aaron gave it a nice boost with the girl Thor. The story will be interesting both to those who have never read about the God of Thunder or even the Avengers before, as well as to Marvel fans.
The pantheon of Scandinavian gods is represented by a large number of diverse creatures, but the most important group of divine creatures, which was worshiped to one degree or another by almost all the peoples of Northern Europe, were the Aesir - the warrior gods. They lived in the sky in the impregnable fortress of Asgard, connected to the human world by the Rainbow Bridge. As Scandinavian mythology says, Thor - the god of thunder and lightning - was the strongest and most majestic among the twenty-seven warrior aces. This will be discussed in our article.
Scandinavian mythology: pagan beliefs of the peoples of Northern Europe
The culture of Norway, Iceland and Germany is simply impossible to imagine now without mythology, which was the main religious belief these peoples. According to the pagan cult, almost every natural phenomenon had its own god or goddess, but the geographical location of the northern countries significantly influenced the character of the gods of the Scandinavian pantheon.
Long cold winters and harsh summers did not favor the appearance of kind and sweet deities, so the latter, as a rule, are stern warriors, fighting every second of their existence for goodness and peace in heaven and on earth. Most of these deities were favorably disposed towards people and helped them avoid trouble, but the gods severely punished the weak and cowardly. After all, in a harsh climate there is no room for weaknesses and regrets.
It is not surprising that the most incomprehensible and terrible natural phenomena Mythology was easily explained to the Scandinavians. Thor, for example, was the god who could cause thunder and lightning, but he used them only against giants, protecting the human world and the fortress of Asgard from them. That is why Thor enjoyed universal love and reverence; there are a lot of funny and instructive stories about his exploits, from which one can imagine what incredible qualities people endowed the obstinate ace.
Thor - god of thunder
Thor was considered the son of the supreme ace Odin. The goddess Erd was predicted to be his mother, but, according to some sources, Odin’s other wife, Frigga, gave birth to this hero. Even as a baby, Thor managed to show all the gods in Asgard his absurd character and strength. He easily threw stones and bear skins when angry, although the rest of the time he was a sweet and good-natured child. Since Thor is the god of thunder, his sudden outbursts of rage were always accompanied by lightning burning everything around and deafening peals of thunder. Due to his unbalanced character, Thor constantly destroyed the palaces of Asgard, and his mother decided to send him to foster parents.
If you believe what Scandinavian mythology tells, Thor was taken into the family of Vingnir and Chlora, personifying lightning and fire. Only they managed to curb the incredible temperament of the god of thunder and instill in him some patience and peacefulness. After coming of age, Thor was sent to his father and mother to take his place of honor in the feast hall of Asgard.
What did Thor look like?
Thor, the Scandinavian god of thunder, simply could not look frail and ordinary, so the Scandinavians awarded him incredible appearance and strength. According to legend, he surpassed all the aces in height and weight, had a powerful figure and a red beard. When he sat in his rightful place at the table with the other gods, he could not get enough and managed to empty the table in a few seconds. It is not surprising that it was difficult to imagine the warrior god without armor and weapons, with which mythology generously provided him. Thor never parted with his hammer and belt, which helped him defeat the most terrible giants.
According to the Scandinavians, heat constantly emanated from Thor's body, so Odin forbade him to cross the Rainbow Bridge on foot or in a chariot after the first attempt, which ended in the collapse of the supports and railings of the bridge. Therefore, when Thor returned from his military campaigns, he could only get to Asgad by crossing the river dividing the world of gods and people by fording.
Who did Thor patronize?
Despite all his belligerence and instability, as evidenced by Scandinavian-Germanic mythology, Thor was very kind and provided his protection to the humiliated and oppressed. He often helped the peasants, and the slaves could count on going to his house Bilskirnir, where forty rooms were allocated for them.
Many northern peoples recognized the Thunderer as their protector and clearly believed that Thor should occupy the first place in Asgard. Scandinavian mythology endowed him with a lot of magical abilities. For example, he could influence fertility, as well as resurrect dead people and animals. The formidable god was partial to children and loving couples, so he could bless marriages and served as a protector from children's nightmares.
Some legends indicate that Thor was lenient towards sailors and everyone who often goes to sea. Therefore, during a storm, the sailors were never afraid of thunder; they believed that Thor was fulfilling his duties, protecting them from evil giants.
What did Thor travel on on his travels?
All the gods of Asgard had horses, but not a single stallion could lift Thor. Therefore, a special chariot was created for him, harnessed to two goats. They had an evil look, and their eyes burned with an ominous fire. Since it was difficult to find food during difficult military campaigns, the Thunderer killed his goats every evening and, having roasted them over a fire, ate them with great appetite. The next morning, Thor resurrected the animals and continued his journey.
Thor's magic hammer
Mythology provided the Thunderer with ammunition, without which he would not have been able to defeat his enemies. Thor's most important weapon was a huge red-hot hammer - Mjolnir. The hammer itself symbolizes a thunderclap and is subject only to God himself. After each throw, he always comes back, but even Thor could not hold the red-hot weapon in his bare hands. Therefore, the Thunderer was always depicted wearing huge iron gauntlets, allowing him to throw a hammer and catch it without harming himself.
Belt of Power: The Secret of the Thunder God's Invincibility
Thor never went to fight the giants without his belt - Megingyerd. It looked like a wide piece of iron, decorated with rivets and forged parts. This belt increased the god's strength several times and made him indestructible.
Several times the cunning giants tried to deprive Thor of magic items in order to defeat him in the decisive battle, but, to the joy of the aesir, the Thunderer did not allow the loss of his irreplaceable accessories.
Thunder God Family
As evidenced by Norse mythology, Thor was married and had several children. His first wife was a giantess whose name translated means “iron stone.” She gave birth to the Thunderer two strong and brave sons, who were to take the main place in the world revived after Ragnarok.
The second wife of the god Thor - the beautiful golden-haired goddess Sif - appeared the complete opposite her husband. She was distinguished by her wisdom and calm disposition; in Scandinavian mythology, she was responsible for fertility and always came to the aid of her husband in difficult situations. In marriage, Sif gave birth to Torah a son and a daughter, who was distinguished by incredible strength inherited from her father.
There is a legend about Sif’s hair, famous for its incredible beauty. The god of cunning, Loki, once sneaked up on Sif and cut her hair as a joke. Seeing his wife the next morning, Thor became furious and promised to destroy Loki. As an apology, he went to the dwarves, who forged luxurious hair from gold for Sif. The magic curls instantly grew to the goddess’s head and became her main decoration.
Thor's Hammer: an amulet of the peoples of Northern Europe
It is worth noting that simple people They treated the magic hammer of the Thunderer with great reverence and often used his image as a talisman. Archaeologists have found at ancient temples many pendants in the form of a hammer, covered with patterns and runes. Most often, amulets were made of iron, which was considered the metal of Thor, and silver, reminiscent of the shine of lightning in the night sky.
Babies were always hung around their necks with a small hammer on a waxed cord, often at the same time as the naming of the newborn. The hammer was used during marriages and was also placed on the funeral pyre of a warrior.
When building houses, peasants drove a hammer into the boundary pillars and consecrated the threshold of their homes with them so that no evil and dark forces could not penetrate into a person’s life.
Worship of Thor as a way of life of the Scandinavian peoples
The God of Thunder was so revered that many rituals and traditions of European peoples are closely related to the worship of Thor. Named in his honor a large number of fjords and bays in Norway, and many English counties have the name of the Thunderer in their name. In addition, in the English reading, Thursday is literally translated as “a day dedicated to the god Thor.”
In many Northern European cultures there was a special winter holiday, during which it was customary to burn a large log and call on Thor, who could bring spring and warmth with him.
Northern Europe had a special relationship with the color red. Thor, bursting with heat and throwing sparks, was associated with the color red. Therefore, in order to achieve the blessing of the Thunder God, girls wore red dresses to the wedding. And in wedding rings, until the spread of Christianity in Northern Europe, a red stone had to be inserted.
The God of Thunder in Scandinavian mythology occupied and continues to occupy a special place, because even modern residents of Northern Europe, just in case, carry a small hammer under their clothes, hoping to ingratiate themselves with the formidable Thor.
