Jane Foster & the Mighty Thor #2 // Review
Jane has to go to Limbo. It’s a dangerous place. Not many people know how to get there. The chaos lurks around every corner without properly announcing itself. Jane’s armed with a few things that might help her out as she ventures into danger in Jane Foster & the Mighty Thor #2. Writer Torunn Grønbekk continues a delightfully idiosyncratic journey into mystery that is brought to the page by artist Michael Dowling and colorist Jesus Aburtov. Jane’s supernatural investigation into the disappearance of Thor Odinson continues with an enjoyable twisting through strange and exotic locations while Asgard burns from the fires of invasion.
It was an arrow in Vanaheim that hit Thor. Not just any arrowhead could make a god fall. Jane Foster brings the arrowhead to Dr. Voodoo to learn more. As it turns out, the arrowhead in question was made from Promethium. The only place to find such a thing is in Limbo. And...it’s not supposed to be anywhere else, or there’s an imbalance that could mean really bad things for the rest of the universe. Meanwhile, Sif and Beta Ray Bill are aiding in defense of Asgard...and they’ve just noticed that The Enchantress is among them, which could mean danger of an entirely different kind.
Grønbekk’s story continues to develop with a very even rhythm between the turmoil in Asgard and Jane’s investigation into the disappearance of a god...aided as she is by the spirit of Odin inhabiting Thor’s hammer. It’s a fun mix of different elements that keeps the action moving from cover to cover on two levels. The sudden appearance of The Enchantress adds a level of complexity to things that add tension to an already tense sense of conflict. Grønbekk crafts a very clever world in Limbo that makes for one of the more novel moments of the series thus far.
Dowling and Aburtov carve a remarkable amount of depth into the page. The attack on Asgard is fairly breathtaking in places as the action is seen from numerous angles. The Enchantress’ beauty is subtly rendered as she walks through the chaos...which really could have been framed in a way that was a hell of a lot more dramatic than the art team is rendering in this issue. Aside from that, they’re breathing resonance into remarkably still moments of drama, including the overwhelmingly hushed weight of the conversation between Foster and Voodoo.
Grønbekk is putting quite a few different plot elements into play in the second issue. Given how much is going on, it’s remarkable that it all feels distinct. The pacing of the action feels tight without feeling rushed, which is a great accomplishment given the fact that action and mystery are being filtered through the panels in equal measure. Grønbekk has a very deft handle on storytelling in yet another satisfying issue. The series reaches its halfway point next month. Precisely what Foster and her allies are dealing with should loom large as the series reaches its third of five issues.
