THOR: VIKINGS #1

[MattBrady]

<a href="http://www.newsarama.com/Marvel/thviks_2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.newsarama.com/Marvel/thviks_2_t.jpg" width="185" height="278" border="0" hspace="2" alt="Thor: Vikings #2" align="right"></a>Marvel’s releasing a comic this summer written by an American transplant from the British Isles which seamlessly blends history with Marvel characters for a rollicking good time. But we’re not talking about <b>1602</b> - we’re talking about Garth Ennis & Glenn Fabry’s <b>Thor: Vikings</b> MAX miniseries, and heads will roll…

The first issue of the five issue miniseries hits shops on July 30th.

You want a high concept? Thor versus zombie Vikings, led by the savage Harald Jaekelsson. Sort of like the <I>Titanic</I> showing up in New York Harbor decades late in <I>Ghostbusters 2</I>, a Viking ship sails into the harbor of Manhattan, loaded to the brink with notorious and dead Vikings who, despite their deadness, are still looking for a little looting and pillaging action.

Dr. Strange guest stars in the miniseries, aiding Thor in his quest to stop the Vikings from laying waste to Manhattan, or at least send them to Minnesota, where they belong.

Click on the thumbnails for larger versions, and <b>please</b> be advised that some of the pictures are pretty graphic. Newsarama is not responsible for you getting fired.

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[BillReed]

Mmm...violence.

[Taylor Porter]

Hmm. I'm torn. I love zombies, I love vikings, I love violence, I love Ennis, Fabry's pages look great, but . . . I hate Thor. HATE him. Still, this might be worth it.

[stlfan79]

I usually would never buy Thor but anything written by Ennis gets my money; he is one of the few comic writers who contiuely make me laugh out loud.

[Mark Thorson]

That is going to be nothing but entertaining. Hurry up July 30th!

[mc (_(\/)_)achete]

corrected link for image 5 :)


http://www.newsarama.com/Marvel/THVIK001_29_t.jpg (http://www.newsarama.com/Marvel/THVIK001_29.jpg)

[mc (_(\/)_)achete]

This Thor looks great. I'm sure I'll be picking this up.
It's healthy to see human heads split and random bloody limbs roll on the ground.

[jawaplumber]

I've been foaming at the mouth for this since it was announced. Ennis and Fabry doing a Thor comic?! Man, I can't wait!

[TylerS]

Maybe I'm the only one, but I find Garth Ennis sickening.

[Fazhoul]

The opening pages make me wonder though. How many times does Galactus have to land in New York, how many times does Kang have to take over the world, how many alien invasions and extra-dimensional demon hordes do people have to live through before they begin to realize that this is REAL? Me? If I see a ship full of Viking Zombies coming into harbor I'm heading the other way. I'm not going to stand around and say "This can't be real. It must be a movie or something." I know, I know, it's just a comic and I can't take it too seriously but these things cross my mind from time to time.

Oh, the book looks cool, btw.

[lorbaat2]

Originally posted by TylerS
Maybe I'm the only one, but I find Garth Ennis sickening.

He was very nice when I met him.

Or do you mean his writing?

[LFKittsteiner]

Fabry´s art looks a whole lot better here than it did on Authority: Kev. And the colors look really great. But I wonder if there´s a reason for using the "classic" look of Thor, the one that´s associated with more "innocent" times, on this kind of story. I have faith that Ennis is a good enough writer to make this combination work out.

LFKO.

[jerkyboy]

Can anyone tell me WHY this series needed this explicit violence? Thor is a superhero, and as such, really should have an all-ages audience. Is Ennis just not capable of telling a story without graphic violence?

[jawaplumber]

Originally posted by jerkyboy
Can anyone tell me WHY this series needed this explicit violence? Thor is a superhero, and as such, really should have an all-ages audience. Is Ennis just not capable of telling a story without graphic violence?

You're right, Thor IS a super-hero. But he still has his regular series that doesn't have this level of violence in it. This is just one small miniseries. I'm a long-time Thor fan, from since I was in the fourth grade during Simonson's run. I don't see what the problem is. I think this looks great, and delves deep into some territory that Thor hasn't been in for awhile.

However, I will say that Ennis seems to have a problem going beyond the ultra-violence and cursing and such. I understand that these are his strengths and a creator should always play to what they do best, but for once I'd like to see him knock something out of the park where he didn't rely on his usual trappings. Personally, I think Garth is more than capable of it, as he's a helluva storyteller and works quite well along with some talented artists. I've been hoping he would do something with Superman for a long time (other than that one issue of HITMAN...which was a great story, by the way, sorry I can't think of the ish number), and wish he could have found it in him to do a Sgt. Rock comic.

[jawaplumber]

Originally posted by LFKittsteiner
Fabry´s art looks a whole lot better here than it did on Authority: Kev. And the colors look really great. But I wonder if there´s a reason for using the "classic" look of Thor, the one that´s associated with more "innocent" times, on this kind of story. I have faith that Ennis is a good enough writer to make this combination work out.

LFKO.

There could be a variety of reasons. First, to make sure it's clear that this story is out of continuity. At least, out of the current storyline. Second, perhaps they felt it made for a nice contrast from the action and violence, giving this unique series a further unique look and feel.

[MikeHuffman]

Garth has said he isn't a big fan of the "typical" superhero, so my guess he isn't going to use Thor as, say, Dan Jurgens would. Generally, Garth pairs a superhero like Spider-man or Daredevil with an anti-hero like the Punisher to make the guy in the longjohns look foolish.

My guess is Garth will try to say something about how a Norse god like Thor as portrayed in the Marvel Universe isn't exactly what the Vikings were really like, as shown in these preview pages.

Of course, I could be wrong.

[TheWriteJerry]

Can anybody say Pirates of the Caribbean?

Albeit, on crack...


Jerry

[abs_of_flab]

I've been hoping he would do something with Superman for a long time (other than that one issue of HITMAN...which was a great story, by the way, sorry I can't think of the ish number)

It was #34. I think that issue still stands out as the best in the entire Hitman series (and I think that's saying a lot), and one of the best Superman stories ever.

[jawaplumber]

Originally posted by abs_of_flab
It was #34. I think that issue still stands out as the best in the entire Hitman series (and I think that's saying a lot), and one of the best Superman stories ever.

I completely agree. Definitely one of the best Superman stories I've ever read.

[The Blue Spider]

http://www.newsarama.com/Marvel/THVIK001_30.jpg .....my freakishly large head!






I absolutely love the layouts so far on these pages... there is one thing about this singular page that I dislike. Otherwise it is perfect!

[jerkyboy]

Originally posted by MikeHuffman
Garth has said he isn't a big fan of the "typical" superhero, so my guess he isn't going to use Thor as, say, Dan Jurgens would. Generally, Garth pairs a superhero like Spider-man or Daredevil with an anti-hero like the Punisher to make the guy in the longjohns look foolish.

My guess is Garth will try to say something about how a Norse god like Thor as portrayed in the Marvel Universe isn't exactly what the Vikings were really like, as shown in these preview pages.

Of course, I could be wrong.

If Garth does not like writing superheros, then, here's an idea - he should NOT be WRITING superheroes. How hard is that to conprehend? I saw what he did to Spider-Man in the pages of the Punisher, Wolverine too. He obviously has no respect for the medium. So, I have no respect for him in turn.

[toolverine]

I didn't think that the Punisher issue in which Spider-Man got knocked around by The Russian denoted a lack of respect for the character. It was a hilariously absurd scene that made me laugh out loud. Classic!:D

[Charles RB]

Originally posted by jerkyboy
Can anyone tell me WHY this series needed this explicit violence?

Because it's about Viking hordes. You mind telling me how you can properly portray the Vikings without using horrendous violence?

[musclebound]

Count me in. I'm there. These are two guys who feed off each other creatively. Check out the "GODDESS" tpb. That, and all the PREACHER covers. I'm on this like white on rice.:D

[Andy Diggle]

SOLD!

[Devil Dino]

This does look VERY good. I love most of Garth's stuff...and he's a nice chap to boot!

Might wait for the trade though. It's sure to be solicited soon, and will probably be released a week before the final issue of the mini. ;)

[jerkyboy]

Originally posted by toolverine
I didn't think that the Punisher issue in which Spider-Man got knocked around by The Russian denoted a lack of respect for the character. It was a hilariously absurd scene that made me laugh out loud. Classic!:D

Well, then, it appears YOU have no respect for the character either......

[Warewolf]

Sweet! Waiting for the trade, though...

[jawaplumber]

Originally posted by jerkyboy
Well, then, it appears YOU have no respect for the character either......

No, it means he has a sense of freakin' humor. I hate when fans get so touchy about stories that poke even a little fun at their favorite super-heroes. Come on, learn to laugh at yourselves a little.

To go off on a little side rant here, I used to work online with people who hated the 60's Batman series because they were worried that others would look at it and think that was how all comic books and super-heroes were. First of all, people are going to misjudge things in this world no matter what. You can't waste your life away worrying about that sort of thing and not having fun. Second, it shows a lot of character in a person when they can laugh at themselves. Whether Garth Ennis is being malicious or not, he's still laughing at the medium that he himself works in not because he thinks he's above it, but because he's a person of character (well, if you look beyond the drinking, the cussing, the ultra-violence, the sex...). He recognizes the absurdity of super-heroes and refuses to ignore it. That's absolutely fine with me. I happen to think the serious nature of super-heroes overshadows the absurdity, but that's just me, just my opinion. Doesn't make me less of a fan, doesn't make Garth less of a writer. Chill out and live a little, that's all I'm saying.

[OM]

Originally posted by jerkyboy
Can anyone tell me WHY this series needed this explicit violence? Thor is a superhero, and as such, really should have an all-ages audience. Is Ennis just not capable of telling a story without graphic violence?

...You know, sometimes you simply have to accept that a story is told a certain way because that's what happened. Period. Your whining here is akin to complaining about <i>Saving Private Ryan</i> having occurred in the middle of D-Day.

"But why couldn't it have been set where there wasn't any shooting going on? Or any violence?"

Pfaugh. If the violence disturbs you, go back to reading <i>Archie</i> books, kid...

[reddragon1978]

Ah. Pop! Pop! Fizz! Fizz! What a relief it is!

Marvel Max! Violence..language..sex..Marvel Max!!!

Finially mature themes in the Marvel Universe. One aspect has me worried. I love to worry..sorta.

Anyway...the comic code was created way back in...???. I don't know. And the freedom of the press was created for..???. I not sure I can give the right answear.

To the point. With the mature themes and warning labels, the comic book industry might be stepping on some toes.

Me, I love adult orinentated books. But someone like the Arkansas deal might soon follow.

It could be like the cigarette companies. One day you're making a lot of money then the next a buncha people slap law suits on ya!

I love the renaissance in comics these days...(the change)!

But there might be someone one day trying to slap a law suit for the adult content for one reason or another.

I just hope our favorite comics do not suffer if something would happen.

[jerkyboy]

Originally posted by OM
...You know, sometimes you simply have to accept that a story is told a certain way because that's what happened. Period. Your whining here is akin to complaining about <i>Saving Private Ryan</i> having occurred in the middle of D-Day.

"But why couldn't it have been set where there wasn't any shooting going on? Or any violence?"

Pfaugh. If the violence disturbs you, go back to reading <i>Archie</i> books, kid...

Er, "Saving Private Ryan" was a war movie and as such was NOT all-ages material. Unlike the case of Thor.

And I'm not against violence in comics. My point is that writers and artists of a much higher caliber than Ennis and Fabry somehow managed to make violent comics while still making it all-ages accessible, not having to pander to the lowest common denominator as is the case here.

And speaking of Archie, I take it you feel that that comic should contain more adult themes as well? Mayve finally depicting Archie and Betty/Veronica banging each other?

[Charles RB]

If you make a comic about Vikings invading somewhere and make it all-ages accessible, you aren't writing about Vikings, you're writing about some annoying Norwegians who like waving axes around.

Luckily, Garth Ennis isn't a bullshitter and knows that you can't tell an honest story about Vikings without it having heavy levels of gore. For this I salute him.

[Charlie Hustle]

Originally posted by jerkyboy
Er, "Saving Private Ryan" was a war movie and as such was NOT all-ages material. Unlike the case of Thor.

And I'm not against violence in comics. My point is that writers and artists of a much higher caliber than Ennis and Fabry somehow managed to make violent comics while still making it all-ages accessible, not having to pander to the lowest common denominator as is the case here.

And speaking of Archie, I take it you feel that that comic should contain more adult themes as well? Mayve finally depicting Archie and Betty/Veronica banging each other?

Um... the Max series isn't all ages either. That's why it's separated into it's own line. you know, kinda like giving a movie like Private Ryan an R Rating so people know what to expect? Do you think everybody should make PG or PG 13 movies also? Blade was a Rated R movie and it sure as hell worked better than the character ever did in the comic. Also pandering to the lowest common denominator in my book means telling a boring story with no chances taken. Garth Ennis is one of the LAST people you should accuse of doing that.

[jerkyboy]

Originally posted by Charlie Hustle
Um... the Max series isn't all ages either. That's why it's separated into it's own line. you know, kinda like giving a movie like Private Ryan an R Rating so people know what to expect? Do you think everybody should make PG or PG 13 movies also? Blade was a Rated R movie and it sure as hell worked better than the character ever did in the comic. Also pandering to the lowest common denominator in my book means telling a boring story with no chances taken. Garth Ennis is one of the LAST people you should accuse of doing that.

I'm well aware that the MAX line is for adults-only material. That doesn't make it suddenly ok to put a character who is supposed to be all-ages accessible in those situations. Again, shouldn't it be ok for the Archie gang as well in that case?

[Brett Day]

Originally posted by jerkyboy
I'm well aware that the MAX line is for adults-only material. That doesn't make it suddenly ok to put a character who is supposed to be all-ages accessible in those situations. Again, shouldn't it be ok for the Archie gang as well in that case?

Read this archie script: Part 1 (http://www.geocities.com/tee-moss/Swankytown/Billberg/Glasspanel1.html), Part 2 (http://www.geocities.com/tee-moss/Swankytown/Billberg/Glasspanel2.html), Part 3 (http://www.geocities.com/tee-moss/Swankytown/Billberg/Glasspanel3.html), and Part 4 (http://www.geocities.com/tee-moss/Swankytown/Billberg/Glasspanel4.html). I do not like Archie much anymore, and it's bored me tears for years (which is, I suppose, to be expected; I'm 20 now). The above is easily one of the best things that I imagine has ever been done with the characters, a re-working that Alan Moore would be proud to sign his name to. But you'll never see it published, because Archie, unlike Marvel, does not a wing where people can tell out of continuity stories that explore the characters in ways that would be problematic for the ongoing. And the world is a sadder place for it. The Garth Ennis book in question is out of continuity, it's Garth taking the icon and putting him in a situation he was never designed to be in and watching the wonderful conflict that results; thus expanding him and telling what looks like a darn good yarn with it. If you don't like the book, don't buy it, and don't whine like a child having his toys taken away. This doesn't upset your version at all, it's just something on the side for the grown-ups.

[Mark Thorson]

Originally posted by TylerS
Maybe I'm the only one, but I find Garth Ennis sickening.

Well that, and that he's a heckuva good writer, is why I love the guy's work so much.

[JK4W]

Originally posted by Taylor Porter
I love vikings, but . . . I hate Thor. HATE him.

Dude, this is like saying I love grilled cheese but hate cheese.
Being one of the ultimate Thor fans ( I have Journey into Mystery # 83 to todays current issue). I must admit this is the story that i have been waiting a long,long time for.
Ive always liked Kirbys Tales of Asgard & Simonsons run because the stayed close to the Norse side of Thor including both Myth & Vikings as opposed to having Thor duke it out with super villians like Absorbing man or Hulk.
Thor was meant to fight Vikings,Frost Giants & trolls & i will defintly give this story its props,Thor vs.Zombie Vikings.How can it go wrong

[MightyDoom]

This series looks AMAZING!!!!! Finally Vikings being portrayed as they should be! I love Thor, but much of what's been done with him is totally out of whack with true vikings. Hey that's not always a bad thing, as it makes him a better fit in a superhero universe, but I'm also a fan of decapitations and such. Don't like it, don't buy it. However, I'll buy it and if I like it, I'll try to get my friends who might even be marginally interested in it to buy it, so that Marvel will put out mor projects like this. I'd love to see a Vertigo-esque version of Dr. Strange, or a raunchy True Hollywood stories mini about Wonderman.

[evilive72]

Bought it, didn't like it. A lot of violence, and no story. Great. This can be a series on FOX. I will not be getting #2.

[TylerS]

Originally posted by MightyDoom
This series looks AMAZING!!!!! Finally Vikings being portrayed as they should be! I love Thor, but much of what's been done with him is totally out of whack with true vikings.

Jurgens touched on this as well. Unfortunately, not that many people are reading Thor even though it's a fabulous comic.

[TylerS]

Originally posted by Charles RB


Luckily, Garth Ennis isn't a bullshitter and knows that you can't tell an honest story about Vikings without it having heavy levels of gore. For this I salute him.

An Ennis Muppets story would have lots of gore.

Unfortunately, we live in a culture that consideres gouging out eyes and hacking off limbs far less offensive than a female nipple.

[Stancheck]

I like Ennis ,I like Thor
can´t wait see the next issues!

[Starsky_Hutch76]

Originally posted by TylerS
An Ennis Muppets story would have lots of gore.
[/i]

I'd buy that. ;)


[i]Unfortunately, we live in a culture that consideres gouging out eyes and hacking off limbs far less offensive than a female nipple.

Too true. I bet a lot of the problems in our society can be traced back to that, too.

[Rene]

Hello to all, first post here and all. Big, long rant ahead.

Maybe I'm unique in that I have this tense, strange, love-hate relationship with Garth Ennis's work.

I love Preacher, I loved his Hellblazer, and I liked a lot some of his Punisher and Hitman issues. I really like him as a writer. Still... there is a big part of me that groans every time I hear Ennis will DO IT AGAIN and mess up with a traditional superhero. "God, what is he going to do now? Didn't he had enough last time?"

My problem is that I love Ennis's work but I have a huge love and a huge respect for superheroes too. Really. So I feel terribly torn. Part of me just wants Ennis away from superheroes.

I feel like a bystander attracted against his will to see a car crash, you know? I know I'll feel disgusted, angry, disappointed, I know I'll have all my idealism mocked and spat on, but I'm draw against my will, fascinated.

Did you guys read Ennis's interviews regarding "The Pro"? Contrary to what a poster here has said, it's not just that Ennis is a funny fella, with a healthy sense of humour. It goes further than that, I'm afraid.

Ennis has gone on record to say he kinds of loathes superheroes. He said he wants to destroy all this supercrap and make space for more mature comics and stuff, and superhero fans should grow up. Ennis has some issues with the superhero, you see.

And so Ennis has this habit of taking a superhero and thrashing him. Okay, nothing inherently bad about that. Warren Ellis does it, lots of writers do it, and it never bugs me. Sometimes I even like it. I enjoyed Ellis's "Ruins". But Ennis bugs me. Warren Ellis kind of does it with class, you see. Now Ennis...

I really think Garth Ennis arrogantly sets himself "above" this "supercrap" and most times he distorts a character to make him an easier target.

Hitman vomiting on Batman didn't bug me. It was kind of gross, but Batman was depicted more or less faithfully in those stories, even though Ennis showed his disdain for the character quite clearly. The way the Punisher thrashed Daredevil also was spiteful, but well-done. Daredevil appeared more or less like he is.

Then I read the dreadful Spider-Man appearance in "Punisher". C'mon, you can do a story beating up Spider-Man, but at least do it right. Where is his agility? Where is his spider-sense? Where is his cleverness? Ennis downplayed those traits just to make the Punisher, his usual big loved with-it anti-hero, look cooler. That is what he did.

Then he pictures Green Lantern Kyle Rayner as a moronic soliloque-vomiting guy in Hitman. You may or may not like Kyle Rayner (I happen to have no strong feelings about him one way or the other), but he never talked like that. It was another cheap shot to make Tommy, the eternal Ennis with-it anti-hero, look cool.

And Wolverine in the Punisher? I don't remember Wolverine talking or acting like that ever, not even in the worst of the Claremont era. Ennis turned him into a parody of himself to make him an easier target and again show to us how the Punisher is so much cooler.

In that "Punisher Destroys Marvel" comic or something like that, Ennis has a particularly lunatic piece where the Avengers and the X-Men accidentally murder innocent bystanders and don't give a damn about it. Except for Daredevil and, maybe, Captain America, the other heroes defend their actions and justify the murders. What the hell??? Is that the same Marvel Universe I know?

Jesus, I don't even like the Authority, but they were never the way Ennis pictures them in "Kev". Again, Ennis dumbs down the characters to take cheap shots at them and present "Kev" as the cool guy.

Satire is all right, but he isn't just poking fun at superheroes. There is always a tough gun-toting anti-hero in the stories that seems to stand in as Ennis's alter ego, brimming with arrogance and showing up how those superheroes are "goofy". It kinda of... bothers me. I don't know. It's like: "See, those western-crime-war heroes are the bomb! Superheroes are for little children, grow up! I'm a badass! Yeah! Don't I look cool?"

Anyone who wants to know Ennis self-proclaimed oppinion about superheroes must hunt down his interviews. And "The Pro" comic book sums it up very nicely. One can say The Pro isn't as bad, since he is using his own Justice League clones, so it's an obvious parody. But still, Ennis depicts a JLA that resembles much more the 60s team. C'mon, they're not that dumb for the past two decades. And again, we have an anti-hero in there, to appear cooler.

And so I feel torn. I've come to kind of hate Garth Ennis sometimes. It's so f***ing easy to kick superheroes in the head. It's such a easy target. I can do it, you can do it, anybody can do it. And I get the impression Ennis thinks he is so damned clever for doing it. Wants to criticize superhero's goofiness quotient? Fine. At least do it intelligently. I feel almost like I want to say, "Garth, why don't you go to Hell? Stop taking cheap shots at the superhero and do what you do best. Do your Preacher and let superheroes godamned alone."

At the same time I love Garth Ennis's other work. He is a hell of a writer. So what should I do?

And you know what is the most funny thing?

Sometimes I think a reviewer of a "Punisher" story hit the nail, when he cracked a joke about Ennis demented obsession with destroying superheroes as a way to disguise his love for superheroes. A love he feels ashamed of.

It's almost like Ennis, the Ultimate Cynical, the one that shows such hillarious anger about a cruel, hard, cold world, deep down has a kind of admiration for the purer ideal of the superhero.

Ennis admits to like Superman. "He is the one superhero I really likes", says Ennis. Isn't that weird? One could say Superman is the most goody-two-shoes of them all... And Ennis likes him. Go figure!

Then he does "Spider-Man: The Thousand". And, surprise! After thrashing Spider-Man in "the Punisher", Ennis depicts Spidey in a fairly positive light.

Ennis also shows some glimpses of admiration for some characters in the "Punisher Destroys Marvel" lunacy. Daredevil is show sympatheticaly. Captain America is almost sympathetic. Even Wolverine, whom Ennis mercilessly thrashed in "the Punisher", is shown like a guy loyal to his friends. And in the very ending, with his "there is always someone behind the mask, Frank" speech, Ennis seems to belatedly recognizes some value in superheroes.

In "Hitman", Tommy turns down an offer to kill superheroes. In "Hellblazer", John Constantine, despite mocking and expressing his disdain for Jason Blood, Dr. Fate and all those guys in colorful tights pissing magic away like water, also turns down a similar offer to hunt down and kill the other, more "goofy" DC occult heroes.

It's almost like, at some level, Ennis's alter egos (he seems to side very strongly with his wise-ass protagonists), are serving to ilustrate Ennis own ambiguous relationship with superheroes.

Go figure.

Now he is doing a Thor mini, and I'm afraid all over again. I know he will have Thor thrashed and humiliated. I just know. But... and that is interesting, there is no anti-hero in sight, no Punisher or Hitman to take center stage and show how much cooler than Thor he is. (I heard Dr. Strange will feature in the series too, but Strange is as fruity and goofy as Thor, in Ennis's eyes).

So maybe, just maybe, Ennis will "allow" Thor himself to find his guts and save the day?

Maybe I just think too much. Anyway, had to take that out of my chest. Thank you.