Writer: Jason Aaron

Art: Esad Ribić, Ive Svorcina, and VC’s Joe Sabino

Guest Artist: Gabriel Hernandez, Walt’s and Chris O’Halloran, Andrea Sorrentino, Dave Stewart, Chris Burnham, Nathan Fairbairn, Nick Pitarra, Michael Garland, Aaron Kuder, Laura Martin, Olivier Coipel, Russell Dauterman, Matthew Wilson, Jay Bowen, Steve Epting, and Mike Del Mundo

Price: $5.99

Release Date: December 18th, 2019

The sun has gone black and Midgard isn’t far behind in this culminating, years-spanning, final issue of Jason Aaron’s Thor run. The entire Multiverse is dying – and with it, the last of the gods in this week’s all-new KING THOR #4. And now, Gorr the God of all God-Butchers ascends to his final murder: the All-Father of all existence. Let’s fly into Jason Aaron’s final chapter and keep our eyes peeled for a few surprise guests and collaborators as his epic tale comes to a thunderous end!

The simplest word to begin this review is: Wow. A run that has encompassed seven years and over 100 stories about a God of Thunder who, by its culmination, we learn is the true essence of Thunder. Jason Aaron has taken Odinson on a journey from a young adolescent god to the end of time… and back again only to discover what it takes to truly be worthy and to realize what the Beatles once said back in 1967, “love is all you need.”

So, did Thor best Gorr the God of All God Butchers? Let’s be real; was there ever any doubt? What this reviewer can tell you is that the universe does not end and that there will be more Thor ballads of the past, present, and future. However, you’ll need to read the issue to see just how the Thunder God bests the God Butcher. That said, this critic would simply say that Jason Aaron finds a beautifully poetic way to melt his passion for the character with a marvelously sentimental conclusion that will rock this character for years to come.

The true elegance of this issue is that Aaron found a way to end his run while making genuine sacrifices to the character in the far off future that will resonate within the spirit of Thor, as well as his half-brother Loki. However, in the in-term, Donny Cates can slide in and tell the stories he would like to tell without ruining this epic conclusion. It’s as if Aaron found a way to put an exclamation point at the end of his run without leaving the character in an awkward place for the next writer to dig out the remains, which takes skill and magnifies Aaron’s true writing prowess.

As the story came to a close, this reviewer, who has read every single issue of this run, couldn’t help but feel sad. I didn’t grow up reading Walt Simonson nor did this critic really dive into the character of Thor until Jason Aaron took over. So, this is genuinely my foundation of the character. That said, this comic fan has read many other Thor narratives from many different authors by this point. However, my foundation and expectations are centered around what Jason Aaron has done with the character. This issue is the embodiment of Thor and what it takes to write the God of Thunder.

Sure, Aaron has written this character for over seven years now, but he completely gets the character and punctuates that vividly throughout this culminating issue. There may be no other character with more heart and vigor than the God of Thunder. A character that lives in the moment, throws caution to the wind and oozes passion out of his very pores. There is no other person you’d want standing beside you in a fight and no other warrior you’d want watching your back. However, with all that exuberance and vitality, Thor is still a God that has feelings and wears is compassion and heart on his sleeve for the world to see. He’s emotional, raw, and as readers learn before the issue ends, he’s the literal Thunder that keeps the darkness at bay. After reading this issue, my hope is that all comic fans see Jason Aaron’s Thor as all of the above and so much more. It’s because of the above that this reviewer has fallen hard for this run and holds Thor with such high esteem. And fans, this issue merely accentuates that very premise tenfold.

FINAL THOUGHTS

If you’re looking for a single issue to explain the true character of Thor, this is that issue. If you’ve been following Jason Aaron’s run for years now, you simply have to get this issue. It’s gripping, well written, nostalgic, and wildly entertaining. Aaron immediately captures your attention and holds you tight until the very last page. Aaron remembers HIS story and connects the pieces together flawlessly. Readers, if you came to this issue looking for an epic conclusion, you will find it here. However, it may not be the conclusion you were looking for. Aaron uses his final canvas to wrap up the meaning of the character more than delivering the final explanatory blow to the God Butcher. That said, long-time fans will be happy with this ending and may leave incredibly sentimental. Finally, let this reviewer say, thank you, Mr. Aaron, for an amazing run. I hope you find the God you’re looking for because this God you’ve described for the past seven years is definitely out there.

9.7/10