Thor #26 Review

Written by: Donny Cates
Art by: Martin Coccolo
Colors by: Matt Wilson
Letters by: VC’s Joe Sabino
Cover art by: Gary Frank, Brad Anderson
Cover price: $3.99
Release date: June 8, 2022

Thor #26 continues the Banner Of War arc with a Hulked-out Thor using the combined might of Gamma radiation and Thunder to deliver a smackdown. Can the combined forces of Asgard and the Avengers make the difference, or will Banner resort to a radical plan?

Was It Good?

Thor #26 is the rock ’em, sock ’em, bash ’em, smash’ em story you didn’t know you were hankerin’ for until now. Closing in on the final in the Banner Of War mini-event, a Hulked-out Thor and a sorta clear-headed Hulk go toe-to-toe be the strongest Hulk standing, and it’s a spectacle of world-breaking proportions. Is any of the rich storytelling or impactful drama we’ve been missing present in this issue? Nope, but if you’re looking for nothing but big wow moments in rapid-fire succession, you’re in luck.

The strongest elements of the “story” are the wow moments. When you get to the very last page, the preview blurb for Hulk #8 clearly spells out the intent of this mini-event. It’s an attempt to answer the question, “Who would win in a fight – Hulk or Thor?” So, this isn’t deep, thought-provoking drama or a tragedy about a monster who can’t stop his rage. It’s about pitting two super-strong characters against each other to see who would win. That’s it. That’s the story, so credit to Cates and Coccolo for making that debate as entertaining as possible.

The plot centers around Hulk taking over the driver’s seat in Starship Hulk (Don’t sweat making sense of it.) and Banner recognizing that even Hulk driving his own body (?) doesn’t have enough power to stop Hulk-Thor. Iron Man tries to help without success. Asgard gets in on the action with even less success. Ultimately, Banner strikes a deal with the spirit of Odin for a drastic plan that looks cool but may or may not have long-term consequences.

The key with this issue, again, is all about showing readers cool stuff. It’s pro wrestling, Saturday morning cartoons, and fireworks rolled into one. If you’re in for some mindless fun, you’re in for a good time.

About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.

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Bits and Pieces

Thor #26 clarifies the intent of the Banner Of War mini-event by making it as plain as possible – Who would win a fight? Thor or Hulk. There’s no deep pathos or emotional depth. This arc is strictly designed to answer that one question and do it with as many fun, entertaining, wow moments as possible. The art’s excellent, and the last-page development could lead to interesting developments in the future.