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Thor #25: Review

May 2022
Donny Cates, Martin Coccolo

Story Name:

Hulk Vs. Thor: Banner of War Part Two of Five


Synopsis

Thor #25 Synopsis by Peter Silvestro

Story continued from HULK VS. THOR: BANNER OF WAR ALPHA.

At Avengers Mountain, Iron Man tells the assembled heroes that he has located Hulk at the Black Hand of God, spinning a yarn about his high-tech capabilities for discoveries in space to impress Reed Richards. And then he reveals that Thor’s ravens actually told him and announces his plans to head out there and fight Hulk. Captain America tells him not to, that Thor has the matter in hand but Shellhead reminds them of the beating he took at Hulk’s hands (in HULK #1) and then blasts off for revenge….

Inside Hulk’s head Odin confronts Bruce Banner—but there, Odin is a ghost and Bruce is god. He initiates auto defenses and Hulk’s armor fires bullets at Thor. Odin struggles with him inside and Bruce is knocked out…and his mind goes back to the El Paso incident that the Avengers are after him for. Bruce is afraid as he and Odin (as the bartender) watch the tragedy unfold. A patron accidentally spills beer on Bruce’s laptop and Bruce reacts in rage—but it spread to all of the men in the bar, turning them green and angry. Then something took over Bruce’s body and his mind was forced to watch helplessly as he killed seventeen men in a bar fight. Before Bruce and Odin can process this revelation, Thor recalls his hammer and Odin with it. And then Iron Man arrives…wearing the new Celestial Hulkbuster armor….

Story continues in HULK #7.

“If This Be Mercy!” 4/5
Writer: Tom DeFalco. Plot: Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz. Pencils: Ron Frenz. Inks: Brett Breeding. Colors: Matt Wilson. Letters: Joe Sabino.
Synopsis: Amora the Enchantress has been troubled by nightmares that she is being killed by Skurge the Executioner in retaliation for Amora’s allowing her sister Lorelei to die in her place. Amora laments losing the love of Skurge and all she has is his axe, to be bestowed on another who will be her protector. A delegation from Odin arrives; Amora thinks they have come to arrest her but it is merely an invitation to dinner, as a testy Odin explains. Imagining that Odin is expressing love for her, she makes preparations to cast a spell of seduction over the All-Father to become Queen of Asgard. But her schemes are obvious to Odin who rebukes her then offers her pity. He is concerned that for all her divine power she is full of fear and insecurity, always trying to manipulate a man into being her protector. She reveals that her guilt over having failed Skurge and Lorelei has led her to this. Odin counsels her to walk the path of righteousness. And then he casually asks her where Skurge’s axe is and she claims not to know. And she would forever wonder whether Odon’s promise was genuine and she could have been truly happy.

"Thor’s Wedding” 4/5
Writer: Nadia Shammas. Art: Simone D’Armini. Colors: Pete Pantazis. Letters: Joe Sabino.
Synopsis: Thor asks a favor of Loki: that he would inquire of King Thrym of the giants whether he has stolen Thor’s hammer Mjolnir. Loki visits Jotunheim where the king openly admits to having taken Mjolnir to force Thor to agree to the wedding of Thrym and Thor’s sister Angela. But Angela refuses any such arrangement. So at Loki’s suggestion, Thor disguises himself as a woman and, accompanied by Loki as the prettier bridesmaid, he heads to Jotunheim. At the wedding feast, Thor wolfs down an amazing amount of food then demands the return of the hammer. Thrym hands it over and Thor uses it to kill all of the giants and on their way home, Thor tells Loki that the only favor he will ever allow his brother is not to kill him. “Fair enough,” Says Loki.


 

Review / Commentaries

Rating:
4.5 stars

Thor #25 Review by (May 18, 2022)

Review: The action continues but the major plot point is a huge surprise: Hulk did not kill seventeen men in a bar fight in El Paso, Bruce Banner did. And the last page reveal promises more apocalyptic action with the intro of the Celestial Hulkbuster armor. Oddly the character with the least to do is Thor as it’s mostly centered on Bruce Banner this time. And Thor doesn’t even make it into the second story at all. The second story is a poignant look into the heart of longtime villain Amora the Enchantress, allowing us to pity her along with Odin. And the third tale has a nicely comic edge by two creators new to the character for a delightful read.

Comments: Celebrates the 60th anniversary of both Thor and Hulk. Cover art credited to Gary Frank & Brad Anderson, John Romita Jr., Klaus Janson & Jason Keith. First story: Avengers present include: Captain Marvel, Spider-Man, Thing, Sub-Mariner, Invisible Woman, Human Torch, Falcon, and Dr. Strange. Second story: Reunites Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz, whose run on THOR #383-459 was classic. The War of the Pantheons and its aftermath were in THOR #395-403. Third story: “Adapted from the Norse myth of the same name.”



> Thor comic book info and issue index

Elektra

Excelsioring your collection:
DIAMOND SELECT TOYS Marvel Premier Collection: Avengers Endgame Captain America Statue, Multicolor
Holy smokes, Batman!
(The Boy Wonder)

Martin Coccolo
Martin Coccolo
Matthew Wilson
Gary Frank (Cover Penciler)
Gary Frank (Cover Inker)
Brad Anderson (Cover Colorist)
Additional Credits
Letterer: Joe Sabino.

Characters

Listed in Alphabetical Order.

Angela
Angela

(Aldrif)
Bruce Banner
Bruce Banner

(Robert Bruce Banner)
Captain America
Captain America

(Steven Rogers)
Hulk
Hulk

(Robert Bruce Banner)
Iron Man
Iron Man

(Anthony Stark)
Loki
Loki

(Loki Laufeyson)
Mr. Fantastic
Mr. Fantastic

(Reed Richards)
Thor
Thor

(Odinson)