The Immortal Thor #7 Review

Written by: Al Ewing
Art by: Martín Cóccolo
Colors by: Matthew Wilson
Letters by: VC’s Joe Sabino
Cover art by: Alex Ross (cover A)
Cover price: $4.99
Release date: February 28, 2024

The Immortal Thor #7 continues the tale of Thor and Loki’s trip to Utgard after befriending a good-natured giant.

Is The Immortal Thor #7 Good?

Al Ewing stated from the beginning that the intention with this series was to tell a Thor story that read and felt like an epic tale sung in the great mead halls of yore. Tonally, The Immortal Thor #7 achieves Ewing’s objective, but if you’re looking for a rousing adventure, you may find the pace too slow to hold your attention.

When last we left Thor, Loki began a fireside tale of their youth about an adventure Thor had forgotten concerning Utgard. In the tale, Thor and Loki encountered a bridge that took them to a land of giants, where they crossed paths with a traveler in the forests. Despite their size difference and a few misunderstandings, the giant invited Thor and Loki to follow him to the halls of Utgard.

Now, Thor and Loki arrive at Utgard, where they encounter a giant fiery demon named Utgard-Loki. The price for setting foot in Utgard is a trial that Thor and Loki must endure, or the realms will be forfeited and destroyed. What follows is a series of contests of the eating/drinking/racing/wrestling variety that Thor and Loki both lose. Ultimately, Thor proves himself to Utgard-Loki by refusing to yield, even in the face of defeat. When the step-brothers return home, Thor is left to question how many other UUtgard gods match his fellow Asgardians.

Meanwhile, Enchantress continues telling the story within a story through a comic held by the Minotaur in charge of Roxxon… for some reason.

What’s great about The Immortal Thor #7? To Ewing’s point, the trials and twist conclusion do read like an ancient Viking tale of magic and heroism. Plus, the story suggests bigger troubles are on the horizon in the form of Utgard-Odin.

What’s not so great about The Immortal Thor #7? Ewing is leaning into the worst aspects of decompression in modern comic storytelling. What was the point of this issue? We learn nothing about why Gaea unleashed Utgard-Thor on Earth, Thor only comes away from his trials with the suggestion that a Utgard-Odin exists, and we have no idea what’s going on with Enchantress or how she’s related to anything that’s happening. After seven issues, there should never be any uncertainty in explaining what a story is about, especially with a $3.99 cover price.

“But it’s about the experience…” you may retort. To which I say, “Nonsense!” The experience is fleeting and ultimately forgettable if you have nothing to back it up or compel you to continue.

How’s the art? The art is fantastic. Cóccolo gives you an awesome design for Utgard-Loki, and the character acting is on point, particularly during the few, well-timed moments of levity.

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

The Immortal Thor #7 reads and feels like a story from classic Viking mythology, but the slow pacing and lack of meaning coming out of this issue signals an arc that’s better left to the trades at a reduced price.