Can Thor out-cosmic the insanely cosmic threat to the cosmic hungry man Galactus? Find out in Thor #5, written by Donny Cates, with art by Nic Klein, and colors by Matt Wilson. Previously, King Thor was easily convinced to leave his throne by a desperate Galactus, who needed help finding and consuming a set of planets to save the universe from being destroyed by “the Black Winter.” The Odinson agreed to add Galactus’ cosmic power to his own and become his herald, despite the moral gray area of working with one of the universe’s biggest big bads, because that’s what heroes do when all of existence is in peril. The partnership got off to a rocky start, though, because Thor was dedicated to saving any life he could on each planet they visited, but Galactus did not care to wait for him to do so. Between Odinson and Galactus trading blows, and Thor and Beta Ray Bill duking it out, it’s been an uphill battle, but the world devourer did manage to consume all of the planets he needed just in time for the Black Winter to show up on their doorstep. Now, Thor and his enemy must stand together to defeat the most significant threat the universe has ever known, but all may not be what it seems.

Cates has come at Thor at an interesting angle, if only because he’s quick to point out his flaws, of which there are many. Despite Thor’s heroic actions, and a willingness to lay everything on the line to do the right thing, what he conceives as the right thing isn’t always the smartest play. This is illustrated in the scene where Beta Ray Bill and Sif, two of Odinson’s closest friends lament his inauspicious start as King of Asgard. He tends to leap into a situation without fully thinking it out, and Cates has used that part of his character to back him into a nearly-unwinnable scenario. It’s Thor writing at its best, on par with the recent, legendary Jason Aaron run.

Though much of this issue feels like it’s spinning its wheels, with the Black Winter seemingly toying with Thor to some unknown end, Cates manages to pull it all together in the last few panels, making you want to fast forward through the next month to see where the story is going. His handle on Galactus, and the particular subject matter of his origin, are a compelling element to this arc, and it doesn’t seem like Cates has any desire to leave things as they have been established in the past. Much like his run on Venom, he is clearly here to shake things up.

Klein’s art is not what you would expect on a Thor book, probably more suited to a street-level hero, like Daredevil, or Moon Knight. But, paired with the colors of Wilson, the more grounded art of Klein takes on an unexpected and welcomed cosmic darkness. That shimmering, yet gritty feel, lends a lot to Cates’ story, giving it an ominous visual element, unlike anything readers have seen in a Thor book before.

Overall, some of this issue feels like it’s stretching the story until the real fight begins, but the scene on Asgard, plus the powerful ending, makes it worth picking up. The next issue promises a quicker pace, and a downbeat chapter can be very important in a story for pacing purposes, but there could have been more to Thor’s first encounter with the Black Winter than pointless mind games. 

Grade B