Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Has Marvel lost its collective mind (again)? Thor to be female in a new series

Will Marvel never get it?

First, there was a report that Steve Rogers would be replaced as Captain America. Now comes word that a 2nd Avenger is getting a unnecessary makeover, even if it's just short-term.

Thor has been replaced before, most notably by Beta Ray Bill during Walter Simonson's run on the series in the 80's. Marvel even postulated an alternate reality where Thor's mortal sweetheart, Jane Foster, would adopt the guise of the Thunder God(dess) in What If? (1st series). However, with the annual Comic Con in San Diego a few days away, Marvel's really pushing the envelope this time, but you and I both know this will not stick. After all, Cap came back from the dead. Peter Parker was restored as Spider-Man not too long ago. This is just another grab for mainstream attention.

As it happened, news broke on national television on ABC's The View just a short time ago. Moderator Whoopi Goldberg made the announcement, and even joked it would be her being used in the role. All we know is that Thor is being relaunched at #1---again---this fall, probably alongside the umpteenth Captain America #1 in the last 20 years. Jason Arron, who is the writer for the current Thor monthly, stressed that the name is nothing more than a title to be bestowed by Odin.

I'm sorry, but I'm not buying. Considering that the next Avengers movie comes out in 10 months, that tells you right away the lifespan of this book.

Now, Marvel can say they are doing this for the sake of gender equity, but to paraphrase the late Jim Croce, you don't tug on Superman's cape, spit in the wind, pull the mask off the Lone Ranger, or mess with Thor. Under publisher Dan Buckley's watch, Marvel has repeatedly messed with tradition for the sake of a quick buck and a spot on the nightly news. To that, I say, enough already.

2 comments:

magicdog said...

Thor is now just a title bestowed upon by Odin?

Riiiiiight.

Marvel: You suck! I'n not even a reader but even I garbage when I smell it.

These comic guys are getting desperate. Bad enough they're killing off Archie in his own series (he takes a bullet for his gay buddy and the next issue will be a treatise on gun control - yes you read that right!). Now this! They've truly flipped!

Luckily I don't spend any money on this.

hobbyfan said...

Bear in mind that Life With Archie, where Archie buys the big one, is an alternate reality series postulating his adult future. The core books remain intact.

As for Thor, well, as I said, it is a grab for mainstream attention, to lure the casual, non-comics buying reader. With Age of Ultron 10 months away as I write, this already has epic fail written all over it.