Immortal Thor Annual #1: With Great Power…

In this summer’s Immortal Thor annual, Thor has gone in search of the Power Stone, believing there is no other way he can defeat the Utgard Gods since Enchantress’ spell continues to cloud his mind every time he goes to Earth. Unfortunately for Thor, the Power Stone got eaten by a himbo prince from the planet Muscula—now calling himself Powerstone—in Immortal Thor writer Al Ewing’s Guardians of the Galaxy run. While Ewing has shown Thor increasingly relying on his wits, Powerstone is pure brawn. 

While its garish and clichéd “heroes fighting” cover might be serious, the interior story is surprisingly lighthearted and comedic. The tone, setting, and cast combine to create a Guardians-esque romp unlike Immortal Thor’s typical profound metafiction. There’s even a talking animal. The annual’s comedy is nonetheless undercut by its marked similarity to Roxxon Presents: Thor, which came out a few months ago. Like corporate-brainwashed Thor, Powerstone speaks in a silly “brainless beefcake” voice made more grating by its familiarity. 

Interior artist David Baldeón’s artwork is suitably dynamic and comedic, with Powerstone’s dorky over-the-top facial expressions being a major highlight. Another treat is Baldeón’s one-panel tongue-in-cheek homage to Frank Miller’s Batman: The Dark Knight Returns. Colorist Federico Blee’s airbrushed shading gives many visual elements an unpleasant waxy smoothness, but his high-contrast colors themselves make characters pop off the page.