Comic Info
Comic Name: Thor (Volume 2)/Iron Man (Volume 2)/Avengers (Volume 2)
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Writer: Dan Jurgens/Mike Grell/Geoff Johns
Artist: Tom Raney/Dan Jurgens/Joe Bennett/Alan Davis/Philip Tan/Kaare Andrews/Phil Jimenez/Michael William Kaluta/Kyle Hotz/Brian Haberlin/Dave Johnson/Bill Sienkiewicz/John Paul Leon/Carlos Pacheco/P. Craig Russell
# of Issues: 10
Release Date: 2011
Thor (2) #51
Reprints Thor (2) #51-58, Iron Man (2) #64, and Avengers (2) #63 (September 2002-March 2003). Asgard has come to Earth. With the land hovering over New York City, Lord Thor finds he has new responsibilities and new problems as he tries to bring peace to the world…even if he must do it by force. Thor is facing objections from all sides, but when Thor begins to overstep his bounds, his old allies might be forced to take him down.
Written by Dan Jurgens, Mike Grell, and Geoff Johns, Thor: Gods on Earth is a Marvel Comics superhero comic book collection. Following Thor: Lord of Asgard, the collection features art by Tom Raney, Dan Jurgens, Joe Bennett, Alan Davis, Philip Tan, Kaare Andrews, Phil Jimenez, Michael William Kaluta, Kyle Hotz, Brian Haberlin, Dave Johnson, Bill Sienkiewicz, John Paul Leon, Carlos Pacheco, and P. Craig Russell.
Thor was always a difficult character for me to rein in. He was so powerful and so above the characters that he fought that it was hard to understand how anyone could challenge him. With Dan Jurgens’ run on the comic, he made Thor extremely compelling and even vulnerable…gods can screw up.
This volume primarily deals with the question of “if you can fix the world, is it your responsibility to take charge and do it?” Thor and the people of Asgard have the means to heal people, end famine and drought, and improve the quality of life for not just America but the entire world. In doing that, Thor has to step over governments and ignore the lines on the map to do it. If Thor takes out one person he perceives as a dictator, what is keeping him from taking out another person…and other? It creates a slippery slope.
Thor (2) #55
In particular, this volume of Thor feels very spot on in 2022 with the crisis in Ukraine. While the problem is a general one (with the often taught “Domino Effect”), the idea of an encroacher attacking a neighboring country (a la Doom threatening war to protect Latveria from the uprising in Slokovia) feels pretty spot on. It also in the story becomes a war of the media with those accusing Thor of trying to replace God, and being his own tyrant…despite the general good intentions of Thor.
The story also revolves into the idea of should people be helped or should people help themselves? With the increasing problem of global warming and other worldwide dire crisis, it feels like “helping ourselves” isn’t working. While it is true that people being handed things doesn’t teach any lessons or build any core values, it also is becoming more and more apparent than selfish endeavors override the “best interest” idea…so Thor probably has it right.
Jurgens proves Thor has a lot of range. It can go from a “thee and thou” sword and sorcery type book to a superhero book to a book with a lot of moral questions rather easily. With the gods on Earth, Thor’s hand is forced…is he here to help or just protect and avenge? Thor: Gods on Earth is followed by Thor: Spiral.
Preceded By:
