"Avengers Disassembled" begins here, or so the banner on the cover proclaims. Mind you, given the tone of this story, one certainly gets the impression that this is a horrible turning point in the life of the God of Thunder. The creators capture the magical and mythical nature of the characters perfectly at times here, but Oeming and Berman still place an emphasis on traditional super-hero action. The pacing is off here -- the story develops rather suddenly -- but it's exciting too. I'm not wild about the crossover idea here, but so far, this seems to be a Thor story, first and foremost.
For eons, Loki has waited, and finally, the opportunity presents itself. Thor's hammer, Mjolnir, is the most powerful weapon in Asgard, but it was forged by dwarves. And that means a mold exists that could allow someone to shape more enchanted hammers. Loki recruits allies in his latest scheme to take control of Asgard, and not even Thor, king of Asgard, may have enough power to prevent tragedy. He needs help, and his Asgardian brethren lay decimated, forcing the thunder god to turn elsewhere for assistance.
The exodus of talent from CrossGen Comics continues to make itself felt across the industry, and never has it been more apparent than with this comic book. Not only does Brath artist Andrea DiVito provide the interior artwork here, but Steve (El Cazador) handles the art chores on the cover. DiVito demonstrates on his previous assignment for CrossGen that he can handle stories of warriors, barbarians and legends well, and those talents are perfect for the world of the Norse Gods. The opening sequence in particular really captures the mythic quality of the characters, and DiVito does a great job of conveying the cosmic and cataclysmic nature of the power the title character and his foes throw about the battle scene later in the book.
Fans of The Lord of the Rings should really dig the tone of the narration in the opening act of this book. I couldn't help but be reminded of the quest to destroy the Ring at Mordor (sp?). Personally, I didn't care for the Rings flicks, but I am a fan of mythology. Oeming and Berman's reference to the Norse myth of creation and the origin of Mjolnir captured a sense of classic myth perfectly. It was easily my favorite part of the script.
The Thor/Loki conflict, with allies on both sides, unfolds rather quickly and suddenly; I think the story would have been strengthened had the writers eased us into this conflict in the next issue rather than now. But it's a fun fight scene that surprises with some real consequences for the heroes. It lacks the mythic tone of the opening sequence, though, examining the Asgardians more as super-heroes rather than gods.
