Writer: Donny Cates

Art: Nic Klein, Matt Wilson, VC’s Joe Sabino, Laura Martin, and Olivier Coipel

Publisher: MARVEL COMICS

Price: $3.99

Release Date: November 4th, 2020

A long time ago in a galaxy far far away, a man bore inside him the essence of a god. With a simple smack of his cane, the God of Thunder would emerge! Nevertheless, it’s been years since Odinson employed his human counterpart. Where has Donald Blake been and what does his reappearance mean for the Mighty Thor? Let’s dive into THOR #9 by Donny Cates and Nic Klein as they trek into a quandary left unsolved for decades.

Readers, this is the opening of a very clever and widely unique arc that has certainly piqued my interests after the Oklahoma issues. And to be fair, this has to be some of the most creative work from Cates since his THANOS run. Sure, you may disagree… and I’m ok with that. Nonetheless, Donald Blake is reintroduced brilliantly leaving this THOR fan with so many fascinating questions. How long has Donald Blake been gone? And, how did Donald Blake change and gain these possible abilities? Furthermore, how did Blake first start to notice something was wrong? Honestly, the questions are endless.

Not only is this tale rather exciting, but Nic Klein adds that extra pizzazz to the issue that naturally makes the story take shape and come to life. Even though his characters are sharper, straight-edged, and coarse, his panel progression was totally on point and truly helped my eyes cascade across each page. Additionally, Matt Wilson’s colors from one scene to the next changed the tone and mood of the issue drastically adding so much feeling to the issue. In general, this art team did a fantastic job strategically placing important panels in just the right spots at just the right time to ensnare readers deeper into the story. Heck, this issue was done before I knew it, which is normally how this reviewer knows he had one $&@$ of a time reading the issue.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Readers, THOR #9 was a blast! The potential that’s simply scratching at the surface of this week’s installment explodes as the story concludes. Cates and Klein take a classic, familiar idea and morph it into their own vibrantly intense and dynamic story that has teeth. Before the issue is done, readers will sympathize with Donald Blake, partially understand where he’s coming from, and possibly look at the God of Thunder as the villain of this tale. Cates and Klein blur the lines masterfully. My sincere hope is that Cates delivers a true ending with meaning, explanation, and purpose that’s not rushed and lacks closure. This arc has legs and I think readers are in for a wild ride. Pick this up and let me know what you think!

9.3/10

If you want to get your hands on THOR #9, click the Amazon link HERE to preorder a copy. Additionally, if THOR by Donny Cates is your jam, click HERE to grab the latest trades, volumes, and titles. Plus, if you’re interested in Jason Aaron’s THOR run, click HERE to get your hands on some outstanding trades. And finally, if you’re looking for something else to read, check out my Amazon Online Comic Shop by clicking HERE. Thank you all for the read and continued support. Stay safe and stay healthy.

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