Thor #802: Pay The Angel

Thor #802 begins with Sigurd Jarlson falling from Hel into Heven, following the ending of the previous issue. Immediately, he is met by an inquisitive angel. Wingless, without all the usual powers of Thor, Sigurd’s only play is to make a deal with the Angel.

The angel is depicted as a transactional being, a mercenary who trades in gems and information. The angel only offers to help Sigurd, something that would be easy for her to do, in return for a reward.

All of Thor #802 plays directly on this dynamic; the issue is mostly a long dialogue between Sigurd and the Angel about the worth of gold and honor, respectively. It plays on one of the themes of Al Ewing’s Thor run so far, going back to Sigurd’s rebellion against corporate employers when he was a construction worker during The Mortal Thor.

The angel, who herself remains unnamed throughout the issue, is a counterpart to Sigurd and his character arc. Ewing’s dialogue makes their differences immediately apparent: how they are focused on different things, Sigurd on surviving and the Angel on profit.

Pasqual Ferry reuses this six-panel grid again and again, creating a sense of rhythm for most of the issue that makes each moment occupy roughly the same length of time. Occasionally, those panels spread out, forming a full-page spread with several linking panels.

This choice of layout, combined with Ewing’s dialogue, keeps the speed and flow of the issue even. Matt Milla’s colors in this issue bring a lot of ambient lighting to the scenes. There is a shining light in the distance, covering both Sigurd and the Angel as he falls.