Journey Into Mystery #643 Review

It's a good thing Everything Burns is shipping at such a rapid pace. Last week's installment revealed that Loki's former partner and BFF Leah was plotting his demise. I would hate to be kept waiting any longer than necessary for an explanation.

Luckily, Matt Fraction and Kieron Gillen waste no time in getting to the heart of the matter. The explanation for Leah's sudden turn toward villainy is not only surprisingly satisfying, it pays off on material Gillen set up in the first arc of Journey Into Mystery. As I mentioned last week, this crossover is far more of a payoff to Gillen's series than it is Fraction's. Not only is it building on the framework Gillen set up, this issue hinges the conflict on Loki's shoulders more squarely than before. And as ever, Loki is more than up to the task of carrying the story. Gillen tackles him from a significantly different angle for most of this chapter. It seems almost certain that the newest revelation is merely a red herring, but it should be a fun ride while this story beat plays out.

The writers offer up some entertaining material involving the other Asgardians as well. Most notably, Volstagg settles uncomfortably into his new role as Asgard's steward. While there's a bit of comedy to this subplot, there's also a genuine sense of despair at the dark days facing his kingdom. The character has and continues to fare well in this book. The battle scenes across the Nine Realms are also enjoyable, though once again annoying brief and limited in scope.

The biggest problem with Carmine Di Giandomenico's artwork is simply that he isn't Alan Davis. The two styles really clash in the transition from series to series. It's a shame Doug Braithwaite couldn't have returned to deliver the same epic fantasy style he delivered during Fear Itself, as his style would have been a much stronger match for Davis'. Di Giandomenico's pages work well enough, they're just a bit cluttered at times. His Loki also has a tendency to shift dramatically in age from panel to panel. This may actually be an intentional effect, but if so, it doesn't work as well as it should.

Now that fans needn't worry about the Loki/Leah relationship being trampled, they can resume enjoying what is a very dramatic and worthy finish to Gillen's run.

Jesse is a writer for IGN Comics and IGN Movies. He can't wait until he's old enough to feel ways about stuff. Follow Jesse on Twitter, or find him on IGN.

Source : ign[dot]com

The Mighty Thor #19 Review

After two full issues and a prologue chapter, it's clear that Everything Burns is not overly friendly to Thor fans who have only been reading The Mighty Thor. This crossover is building on seeds laid mainly in Journey Into Mystery, to the point where many of the key developments in this chapter might go completely over the heads of those who haven't been reading JIM. And it certainly isn't welcoming for those hoping to dive into the Thor franchise head first. That said, the crossover is a thrilling read for the initiated and an example of how to handle event-level storylines. And really, if you haven't been reading JIM before now, you deserve whatever miseries life chooses to heap upon you.

The previous chapter of Everything Burns set the stakes marvelously high, as it seemed Loki and Thor were untied against the entirety of Asgardia. Kieron Gillen and Matt Fraction step back from that ledge somewhat, allowing Thor to play the diplomat for once. That's not to say the writers don't deliver some enjoyable moments of Thor beating on his allies, but the focus quickly shifts towards mounting a united assault on Surtur's forces. I didn't mind the change of focus, except that the overall sense of plot progression is a bit lacking compared to the previous two chapters. Also slightly disappointing is that the writers gloss over the battles raging across the Nine Realms, with many only unfolding across a single, hurried panel.

Regardless, there's plenty of juicy material to dive into with this chapter. A new flashback scene explores the fallout of Odin's arranged marriage ad how it didn't exactly patch up relations between the Aesir and Vanir as planned. There's also some more heart-wrenching interaction between Thor and Loki. As much as this material might be redundant in light of the previous chapter's Thor/Loki scenes, their bond really forms the heart and emotional center of this storyline. And then there's the twist ending. This image sums up my reaction best:

As before, Alan Davis is the artist tackling the Mighty Thor side of the crossover. Unfortunately, the transition from Davis to Carmine di Giandomenico and back is less than smooth. I really wish the editors could have found two artists whose styles are more of a match. Still, it's hard to complain about seeing Davis tackle the Thor universe again, even if it's only for half of a story. He captures all the emotional drama and epic action the writers throw at him. This is the best The Mighty Thor has looked since Olivier Coipel helped launch the series.

Jesse is a writer for IGN Comics and IGN Movies. He can't wait until he's old enough to feel ways about stuff. Follow Jesse on Twitter, or find him on IGN.

Source : ign[dot]com