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Astonishing Thor #5
Astonishing Thor, Vol. 1, No. 5
Worlds collide as living planets Ego and Alter-Ego tear into each other with Earth as collateral damage! Can the god of thunder halt the global-scale mayhem before all three planets are atomized or is one world destined for destruction?
186 pages, Hardcover
Published January 1, 2011
About the author
Robert Rodi
209 books123 followersRobert was born in Chicago in the conformist 1950s, grew up in the insurrectionist 1960s, came of age in the hedonist 1970s, and went to work in the elitist 1980s. This roller-coaster ride has left him with a distinct aversion to isms of any kind; it also gave him an ear for hypocrisy, cant, and platitudes that allowed him, in the 1990s, to become a much-lauded social satirist.
After seven acclaimed novels set in the gay milieu, Robert grew restless for new challenges — which he found in activities as wide-ranging as publishing nonfiction, writing comic books, launching a literary-criticism blog, and taking to the stage (as a spoken-word performer, jazz singer, and rock-and-roll front man).
In 2011, excited by the rise of digital e-books, he returned to his first love, publishing new fiction inspired by the work of Alfred Hitchcock. He also organized the republishing of his seminal gay novels under the banner Robert Rodi Essentials.
Robert still resides in Chicago, in a century-old Queen Anne house with his partner Jeffrey Smith and a constantly shifting number of dogs.
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German version: Robert Rodi wurde 1956 in einem Vorort von Chicago geboren. Im Alter von 22 schloss er sein Philosophie-Studium ab. Schon vorher beschäftigte er sich mit Comedy. Sein erster eigener Roman, "Fag Hag" aus dem Jahr 1991 war ein großer Erfolg. Es folgten mehrere andere komische Romane, zahlreiche Kurzgeschichten und Sketche. Robert lebt mit Partner und Hund in Chicago.
After seven acclaimed novels set in the gay milieu, Robert grew restless for new challenges — which he found in activities as wide-ranging as publishing nonfiction, writing comic books, launching a literary-criticism blog, and taking to the stage (as a spoken-word performer, jazz singer, and rock-and-roll front man).
In 2011, excited by the rise of digital e-books, he returned to his first love, publishing new fiction inspired by the work of Alfred Hitchcock. He also organized the republishing of his seminal gay novels under the banner Robert Rodi Essentials.
Robert still resides in Chicago, in a century-old Queen Anne house with his partner Jeffrey Smith and a constantly shifting number of dogs.
.
German version: Robert Rodi wurde 1956 in einem Vorort von Chicago geboren. Im Alter von 22 schloss er sein Philosophie-Studium ab. Schon vorher beschäftigte er sich mit Comedy. Sein erster eigener Roman, "Fag Hag" aus dem Jahr 1991 war ein großer Erfolg. Es folgten mehrere andere komische Romane, zahlreiche Kurzgeschichten und Sketche. Robert lebt mit Partner und Hund in Chicago.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
July 21, 2018
What really stands out about this one is the beautiful painted art. This one features Thor caught in the middle of two living planets, Ego and Alter Ego. We also have appearances by The Stranger, The Collector and also a mysterious Goddess from Thor's past. Overall this was a cosmic adventure that suited Thor perfectly as the character always seems at his best when in epic situations.
December 22, 2015
(This review may contain spoilers).
Having grown to know Thor during the course of the Marvel movies and many of the comics I've read so far, I was quite excited to be able to find another volume of Thor-centric comics.
Although I didn't get much of a chance to see the other Avengers, it was good to get a glimpse of Asgard... or, rather, what was left of it; though I was somewhat confused by what had destroyed Asgard.
I liked the opportunity to have glimpses of Thor's past and his irresponsibility... and to see the contrast of him then and him in the present of the comics. I found it interesting to see his relationship with Zephyr, although I didn't find her very trustworthy... even though I did find her explanation for her motives intriguing. I didn't like the fact that there was nothing in the way of true emotion between them then, though... I knew absolutely nothing about Zephyr.
I thought that the living planet, Ego, was a really interesting idea. Thor's interactions with the Stranger were interesting, both at the beginning and towards the end. It was nice to see that Thor cared enough to try and stop the two planets from attempting to destroy each other. I felt more sympathy for Ego... but it was good to see Alter Ego listen to Thor and I liked seeing Thor and Zephyr inside the living planet and trying to figure out how to stop them destroying the Earth as well as each other. I did think that the ending was quite emotional... though I would have liked some more details about the motivation behind her choosing to go with Ego and Alter Ego.
It was also interesting to see Thor interacting with the Collector, who I had a strong dislike for by the end of these comics.
I did like the artwork in this book and there were some scenes that were really well-crafted, as well as some really good representations of the characters. For instance, Ego and Alter Ego were vastly different in their appearances... and Zephyr appeared different right at the end.
This set of comics did succeed in making me want to read more of Thor and the other prominent figures in the Marvel universe.
Having grown to know Thor during the course of the Marvel movies and many of the comics I've read so far, I was quite excited to be able to find another volume of Thor-centric comics.
Although I didn't get much of a chance to see the other Avengers, it was good to get a glimpse of Asgard... or, rather, what was left of it; though I was somewhat confused by what had destroyed Asgard.
I liked the opportunity to have glimpses of Thor's past and his irresponsibility... and to see the contrast of him then and him in the present of the comics. I found it interesting to see his relationship with Zephyr, although I didn't find her very trustworthy... even though I did find her explanation for her motives intriguing. I didn't like the fact that there was nothing in the way of true emotion between them then, though... I knew absolutely nothing about Zephyr.
I thought that the living planet, Ego, was a really interesting idea. Thor's interactions with the Stranger were interesting, both at the beginning and towards the end. It was nice to see that Thor cared enough to try and stop the two planets from attempting to destroy each other. I felt more sympathy for Ego... but it was good to see Alter Ego listen to Thor and I liked seeing Thor and Zephyr inside the living planet and trying to figure out how to stop them destroying the Earth as well as each other. I did think that the ending was quite emotional... though I would have liked some more details about the motivation behind her choosing to go with Ego and Alter Ego.
It was also interesting to see Thor interacting with the Collector, who I had a strong dislike for by the end of these comics.
I did like the artwork in this book and there were some scenes that were really well-crafted, as well as some really good representations of the characters. For instance, Ego and Alter Ego were vastly different in their appearances... and Zephyr appeared different right at the end.
This set of comics did succeed in making me want to read more of Thor and the other prominent figures in the Marvel universe.
June 9, 2016
The God of Thunder senses a cosmic force putting undue stress upon Midgard. These emanations remind Thor of an old flame, the celestial being Zephyr and the Asgardian seeks to stop her wraith upon the earth. While Thor locates Zephyr, he discovers that she is as much as a pawn in this astronomical event as he is.
The entire universe is in peril as the living planet, Ego has learned that he has a brother, Alterego! But this will not be a joyful reunion as both planets want to be the only child. Thanks to the prodding of the mysterious Stranger, who seeks to test out whether nature can survive future, it will take more as Asgardian willpower for Thor to save all of existence.
This 2011 miniseries wasn't very well received when it first came out. That's probably why I found this book for a steal at my local comic book store. I've seen dozens of the collected hard back edition at so many used book shops that I have started to lose count.
Honestly, I think the problem is that the cosmic adventures of Thor are his weakest. Case in point is the film Thor: The Dark World. It's got the worst rating on Rotten Tomatoes of any Marvel film made since 2000. I've gotta admit, I feel asleep during it. Thor may be a cosmic being but he belongs on terra firma.
Another problem with this book is the visuals. The artwork by Mike Choi is quite visually stunning with its watercolored effect. But on at least more than one instance, the art is actually recycled. That's unacceptible and really a trick that you only expect from fledgling independent publishers not a powerhouse like Marvel.
A good Thor story that's not without it's problems. I liked it but it's not going to be a keeper in my ever-growing collection.
The entire universe is in peril as the living planet, Ego has learned that he has a brother, Alterego! But this will not be a joyful reunion as both planets want to be the only child. Thanks to the prodding of the mysterious Stranger, who seeks to test out whether nature can survive future, it will take more as Asgardian willpower for Thor to save all of existence.
This 2011 miniseries wasn't very well received when it first came out. That's probably why I found this book for a steal at my local comic book store. I've seen dozens of the collected hard back edition at so many used book shops that I have started to lose count.
Honestly, I think the problem is that the cosmic adventures of Thor are his weakest. Case in point is the film Thor: The Dark World. It's got the worst rating on Rotten Tomatoes of any Marvel film made since 2000. I've gotta admit, I feel asleep during it. Thor may be a cosmic being but he belongs on terra firma.
Another problem with this book is the visuals. The artwork by Mike Choi is quite visually stunning with its watercolored effect. But on at least more than one instance, the art is actually recycled. That's unacceptible and really a trick that you only expect from fledgling independent publishers not a powerhouse like Marvel.
A good Thor story that's not without it's problems. I liked it but it's not going to be a keeper in my ever-growing collection.
April 24, 2012
After reading this book you will realize you just read a book about planets threatening each other and then attempting to murder each other. Planets not people on the planets but the planets themselves, and that is awesome.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 29, 2020
Strange story with lot of patos, bad dialogues and not very pleasing art.
May 19, 2018
The Astonishing aspect of this book is the beautiful artwork throughout by Mike Choi.
Points for making a strange tale involving a handful of the immortal "Celestials" mess with each other. I always hope to find more good stories with these characters, and after recently reading a few books with Champion, Eternity, and to a lesser extent, Infinity and the Chaos/Order twins, it was fun to see the Stranger, the Collector, and Ego the Living Planet entwined in a plot and manipulating one another. If you've been following the MCU, you've seen the Hollywood versions of Collector and Ego, played by Benicio del Toro and Kurt Russell, respectively, and might be interested in a different portrayal of them.
Minus points for that story actually not being all that great. It's a slow-moving clash between two twin planets that were separated at birth and now resemble those Mad Balls toys from the '80s that had slick, hyped-up TV commercials but were just rubber balls with grotesque, gaping monster faces painted and sculpted onto them. (Excuse me while I go down a Google, ebay, and archived nerdnewsblog rabbit hole of memorable toys from my childhood...I might have to get a Stinkor figure from '85 cuz his smell, while playing in my neighbor's sandbox with his huge He-Man collection, is deeply embedded in my toddler memory...)
Plus points for introducing/including a different black goddess! Negative points for making her weak, demure, and fawning over Thor.
Check this book out for the cosmic art and characters, but don't expect the most riveting story of the Thunder God.
Points for making a strange tale involving a handful of the immortal "Celestials" mess with each other. I always hope to find more good stories with these characters, and after recently reading a few books with Champion, Eternity, and to a lesser extent, Infinity and the Chaos/Order twins, it was fun to see the Stranger, the Collector, and Ego the Living Planet entwined in a plot and manipulating one another. If you've been following the MCU, you've seen the Hollywood versions of Collector and Ego, played by Benicio del Toro and Kurt Russell, respectively, and might be interested in a different portrayal of them.
Minus points for that story actually not being all that great. It's a slow-moving clash between two twin planets that were separated at birth and now resemble those Mad Balls toys from the '80s that had slick, hyped-up TV commercials but were just rubber balls with grotesque, gaping monster faces painted and sculpted onto them. (Excuse me while I go down a Google, ebay, and archived nerdnewsblog rabbit hole of memorable toys from my childhood...I might have to get a Stinkor figure from '85 cuz his smell, while playing in my neighbor's sandbox with his huge He-Man collection, is deeply embedded in my toddler memory...)
Plus points for introducing/including a different black goddess! Negative points for making her weak, demure, and fawning over Thor.
Check this book out for the cosmic art and characters, but don't expect the most riveting story of the Thunder God.
February 6, 2013
This is a volume that made me go back and forth. An initial scan made me weary giving the silliness of the living planets, but once I began reading it I was impressed by the solemn, epic tone and how non-silly the story actually was. This was an especially impressive feat giving the characters involved. However, as I read I became disillusioned by how neatly everything was wrapped up: deus ex machina is a very good description for this work. I would rather have had it be concluded without time traveling and sudden arrivals and departures of opportune characters. As well, the art style, while detailed and occasionally beautiful, was not easy to read or understand, and that hurt the story even more. Definitely not my favorite Thor volume.
July 24, 2012
How should I start? Thor had an affair with girl, the girl happened to be Zephyr and girl got in to troubles, which made Thor ballistic with hero force.
The living planet Ego was trying to find his/her brother Alterego to make nice kill despite of destroying everything and everybody on that holly homicide quest. Sounds crazy well enough to make it even more surrealistic by adding one piece of blond bimbo with hammer to whole affair. Yeah Thor can kick the planets butt...seriously.
The living planet Ego was trying to find his/her brother Alterego to make nice kill despite of destroying everything and everybody on that holly homicide quest. Sounds crazy well enough to make it even more surrealistic by adding one piece of blond bimbo with hammer to whole affair. Yeah Thor can kick the planets butt...seriously.
August 5, 2016
What a strange, fascinating read! This is the first time I've read one of Marvel's cosmic stories and I really enjoy the audacity of the idea. At first, I thought a sentient planet was a bit too silly to accept, but the other story elements help ground that and lead to an enjoyable ending.
June 2, 2019
Una buona avventura, ben scritta, che recupera un personaggio degli anni '70 praticamente dimenticato ma affascinante. Peccato per i disegni do Choi non sempre all'altezza e per i colori, eccessivamente saturi.
May 13, 2013
Lo que me pareció interesante fue conocer algo más de Ego, el planeta viviente, pero la historia en general es normalita.
May 21, 2013
Weeeeeeeird. This was an odd, standalone Thor tale. I liked the characters, and the offbeat story actually worked for me. Not a 5-star, but enjoyable nonetheless.
August 22, 2017
The art is nice, but the story is too thin for five issues and not told in an interesting manner. I like Robert Rodi's work as a general rule, but this just fell flat.
September 3, 2018
Gorgeous art with about 10 pages of plot stretched over 100.
June 1, 2019
Art is absolutely gorgeous. Storyline... left much to be desired.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews