Jane Foster & the Mighty Thor #5 // Review
When Ares goes to war, it’s a lot like church. He is, after all, a god of war. He’s fighting an invasion on Asgard, which is going to be a very difficult battle. The current king of Asgard isn’t there to aid in the defense. They’re going to have to overcome the Dreamqueen on another plane of existence if they are to correct things in Jane Foster & the Mighty Thor #5. Writer Torunn Grønbekk concludes the five-part series with the aid of artist Michael Dowling. Color comes to the page courtesy of Jesus Aburtov and Erick Arciniega. The power of a war between gods feels palpable, but Grønbekk and company are working on a canvas WAY too big to end in a totally satisfying way.
Thor and Jane Foster are dealing with a lot. They’ve come to find themselves in Liveworld--the realm of nightmares. It’s ruled over by the Dreamqueen. They’re also dealing with the problems posed by an invasion of Asgard that now features Ares--god of war from a completely different pantheon. War is hell. Jane Foster and Thor might be able to halt it, but only if they can find the right strategy behind the right momentum. Defeating the Dreamqueen will be difficult enough. Defeating Ares too? THAT is going to be difficult.
Grønbekk moves around quite a few pieces on the playing field of the series. As appealingly as it all comes across, it can’t help but feel more than a little rushed, which is really too bad. She’s done SUCH a good job of fostering an emotional connection with nearly every character in the ensemble. And it’s a BIG ensemble. It’s quite an accomplishment. Nothing seems to be framed right at the end of the series, and though there’s A LOT of really interesting stuff going on in this issue, there isn’t nearly enough with any one element to give the final resolution the kind of weight it needs.
Dowling and company have done a truly remarkable job with the art. It’s so challenging to bring across the proper weight of the intensity of a battle between gods and godlike beings on the comics page. Either it feels too much like an earthbound battle (as can be the case with even the best artists of the 20th century), or it all feels too flat and motionless (as is the case with much of Alex Ross’ art.) Dowling and company manage to find a balance between perfectly posed, godlike intensity and the fluidity of bone-grinding motion and emotion that gives life to battle. It’s an impressive visual climax to the series in nearly every panel of the final battle.
It’s really, really difficult to find the right timing and pacing for a series that also has to work right alongside so many others in the Thor/Avengers family of titles. Grønbekk really should have had more time. Each issue in the five-part series could have easily expanded into two or three more without feeling overindulgent. Given the limitations of a five-part series, Grønbekk and company have done a pretty good job with what they’ve got, but it’s nowhere near as satisfying as it should be to see it all come to a close.
