Reviewer: Chris Delloiacono
Story Title: 5: See You in Valhalla
Written by: Garth Ennis
Art by: Glenn Fabry
Colored by: Paul Mounts
Lettered by: Dave Sharpe
Editor: Joe Quesada
Publisher: Marvel Comics > Max
I can’t believe I’m reading a Thor comic!
There aren’t too many writers out there that I almost insist on picking up nearly every project they produce. Geoff Johns, Mike Grell, and Garth Ennis are on the very short list of names. Their work almost never disappoints me, and almost always thrills me. That said, Garth Ennis was just about the only name that could get me to read a Thor comic. It’s not that I hate the character, but he has never really thrilled me, and it’s been a good 10 years since I last read a solo story with the character. That all changed when Thor: Vikings was released.
Since Thor: Vikings is under Marvel’s Max banner, Garth Ennis has been allowed substantial creative freedom, especially with regard to massive bloodletting and below-board dialogue. While Ennis is capable of writing comics that are not extremely violent or feature harsh dialogue, he seems to hit his pinnacle when there are minimal to no restrictions on what he can do. That’s the case here. There is a solid story running throughout, but this miniseries is a horror story featuring Thor, battling undead hordes. It’s a veritable smorgasbord of violence each an every issue.
The big finish.
Thor: Vikings has followed the invasion of Manhattan by a group of undead 1,000 year old Vikings. Led by one of the most fearsome villains created in recent years, Harald Jakelsson, these legions have killed thousands of New Yorkers, and Thor was largely powerless to stop them. In fact, he was utterly and totally defeated, he was beyond routed, but more so left in a pile of bloody broken pulp in issue #2. The final battle occurs this month. Having garnered the aid of Dr. Strange, and enlisted a team of three warriors who have a historical significance with Jakelsson, this month it’s time for the final battle.
Ennis is the master at building a story to a crescendo then blowing the roof off with an ending that doesn’t leave you wanting. Whether it be lengthier faire like Preacher and Hitman or miniseries like Pride and Joy, Unknown Soldier, and now Thor: Vikings there is a distinct beginning, middle, and end. Everything builds up to the big conclusion, and Ennis leaves no stone unturned in the resolution. We get an amazing final battle in and over the streets of Manhattan, and a perfect footnote to the story. There are very few writers that come to mind that always satisfy me at a stories close.
Glenn Fabry is a frequent collaborator with Ennis, having done the covers on Preacher and the sequential on Pride and Joy, among other projects. Fabry does spectacular work transforming Ennis’ off the wall plot to the printed page. The utter havoc is “beautifully†rendered, and the horror is clearly translated. Ennis and Fabry make a great team; I am very anxious to see what they produce when they work together next.
This story has something that should appeal to most comic readers, except perhaps the youth set. Whether you like seeing Thor in a new and interesting way, an amazing tale of horror and adventure, or if you love wry dialogue, this is the book for you. If you’re a Garth Ennis fan you have no excuse to not pick this book up. If nothing else, grab the trade paperback, which is on the immediate horizon. This is a story that fits into the Max imprint better than most any book thus far, and it’s certainly not to be missed.
