Mighty Thor #706
Writer: Jason Aaron
Artist: Russell Dauterman and Matthew Wilson
Publisher: Marvel Comics
$3.99

For the past few years, in what was (and frankly still is) a controversial decision, the mantle of Thor passed to a woman. That controversy was proven to be silly in short order of course and for that time until now, we’ve gotten a powerful story of someone trading their health and their very life to save other people. But we’ve also known for months that her story as Thor was coming to an end and one that would prove to be fatal with a title like “Death of the Mighty Thor”. The last issue ended with Jane sacrificing Mjolnir, the only thing keeping her cancer from finally killing her in order to destroy the Mangog (The Ultimate Judgement!) and save the gods who up till that point including the Odinson had rejected her. What comes after the storm and thunder is done is just as interesting.

Jason Aaron has walked a pretty fragile line these last few years in his Thor story. Telling a story about Jane Foster’s being Thor despite it slowly killing her, but also balancing the Odinson’s desire to become worthy again. Both storylines have finally come to a head and what follows is a powerful tribute to Jane’s heroism, as well as what she inspired in her wake. While it’s difficult to talk about what comes next without spoiling the story, people who are worried about this story being a fridging, or that suddenly the story would become all about the Odinson shouldn’t worry. While this is a part of a larger story, Aaron frames this as all being a part of Jane’s journey.

Of course you also can’t talk about Mighty Thor without talking about Russell Dauterman and Matthew Wilson. They’ve both been doing a fantastic job with the art duties on this book since its initial relaunch as Thor. While the last issue had the huge setpieces with Thor facing down the Ultimate Judgement, aftermath has to carry the emotional weight that follows. On that front, they absolutely succeed. Comics are a visual medium and the what Dauterman and Wilson do breathes life into moments that would’ve fallen flat under lesser eyes. While the Mighty Thor’s journey is over, it’s one that was fantastic while it lasted. Even if this is the last issue, it’s worth taking one last look before the story closes.

5 God Storms Out of 5