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Writer Jason Aaron has crafted an impressive run on various volumes of Marvel Comics’ Thor over the last few years. He can do no wrong when it comes to the God of Thunder, and he proves that by using one of the publisher’s Generations-themed one-shots to examine what makes our two Thors (the original and currently “Unworthy Thor” and the Jane Foster “Mighty Thor”) worthy. RELATED: Generations: Thor Lays Fiery Groundwork for Marvel Legacy #1 Joining Aaron on Generations: Unworthy Thor & Mighty Thor #1 are artist Mahmud Asrar, colorist Jordie Bellaire and letterer Joe Sabino. It’s great to see Asrar and Bellaire team up for a Thor story. Some of Asrar’s line work lacks detail in wider shots, with one instance being a room full of Asgardian figures ranging from Valkyrie to the Warriors Three. It may be a deliberate artistic choice, to allow Bellaire’s colors to shine through — and it doesn’t take away from how impressive some full-page layouts of both Thors turn out. One example is

In horror stories, you’re supposed to side with the victims. They might be young and dumb but they’re not evil, and they certainly don’t deserve the torture, maiming and inevitable death the story brings them. In Redlands, the new Image Comics series from writer and colorist Jordie Bellaire and artist Vanesa Del Rey, the victims are cops. They’re trapped inside the police station in Redlands, Florida, while three nooses hang from a burning tree outside. Heroic cops are also a horror trope, so it’s familiar territory, until you notice the first words these cops use: “Where did them bitches go?” And the Confederate flag hanging beside the gun rack inside the station. And the complete lack of care about the prisoners in the cells down below. And the easy violence between the sheriff and his son, also a cop. Maybe these guys aren’t heroes after all. That’s not to say that the witches (“bitches,” as the cops put it) they tried to lynch are righteous victims themselves. They might be, an

Fearless, fiery, and ready to fight, the Defenders are the ultimate street team. Fresh off the conclusion to his brilliant run on Guardians of the Galaxy, writer Brian Michael Bendis switches settings from the stars to the streets in Defenders #1, joined by his Civil War II and Ultimate Comics Spider-Man collaborator, David Marquez. The architect of a title that will mirror the cast of the Netflix series but remain unique to the comics medium, Bendis gives us a team very different from the 1970s squads featuring Doctor Strange, the Hulk and a cast of fellow superheroes who combined forces to halt supernatural threats. Bendis’ new version of the team reflects a gritty, “boots on the ground” approach to a Marvel team composed entirely of street-dwelling heroes, and it works on every level. This is one mean group of heroes. Showing his unparalleled finesse for team titles, Bendis wastes no time gathering Daredevil, Iron Fist, Luke Cage, and Jessica Jones in Jessica’s hospital room, aft

Following “Civil War II,” Carol Danvers has been plagued with problems, both professionally and personally, and writer Margaret Stohl, artist Ramon Rosanas and colorist Michael Garland have set a focused course to get Captain Marvel back on her feet. No challenge is too great for the former Air Force pilot-turned-superhero, and Carol Danvers has come a long way since an incident with alien technology left her with amazing powers. Part-Kree, part-human, Carol is now the most powerful and popular hero on Earth. From the Alpha Flight space station miles above the planet, Captain Marvel and her crew defend the world from intergalactic threats. Now, as an alien refugee crisis hits Earth, Carol and company face a new kind of threat — one they can’t punch their way out of. Unfortunately a crisis of this scope needs the funding to match, and Carol is forced to oversee a television show based on her life. Our hero finds herself frustrated with shallow dialogue, unnecessary bared skin and a d

SPOILER WARNING: The following review discusses events in “The Unworthy Thor” #4, on sale now. What does it take to be worthy? In “Unworthy Thor #4,” writer Jason Aaron reveals the emotional price and perspective required for worthiness. The Collector has taken possession of Old Asgard, the resting place of Ultimate Thor’s hammer. Odinson and Beta Ray Bill escaped The Collector’s prison last issue and with the help of a Hel-hound they freed are fighting their way to the hammer. But Thanos sent Black Swan and Proxima Midnight to retrieve it, and they are already engaging The Collector’s forces when Odinson and his friends join the fray. The issue would have been entertaining enough if it was just one huge battle, but the day is finally here where we learn what it takes to be worthy. Three gorgeous flashbacks tell the story of Thor’s long struggle to be worthy of Mjolnir and to remain so. Each flashback utilizes a different artist, making it very clear that the story has been removed f

Frenetic and fabulous, Jeff Lemire and Greg Smallwood’s “Moon Knight” is reality-twisting mindbender that’s simultaneously addictive, exasperating and fun. Alternate realities that perfectly match Marc Spector’s disparate personalities are the norm in this book, and jumping between them is as disorienting for the reader as it is for Mr. Knight. Just when you think you know what’s going on, Lemire and company blow your mind and remind you that you don’t have a clue. And that’s the maddening allure of this title. RELATED: James Gunn Has A Great Idea For A Moon Knight Movie – And Marvel Knows At the close of Issue #9, murder was on Spector’s mind. He had spent the last few issues purging his alternative personalities in spectacular fashion, and his next mission revealed itself as a moment of clarity — clarity for Mr. Knight being a relative term, of course — Khonshu must die. The “Death and Birth” story arc begins with Issue #10, and before setting off on that mission, however, Lemire p

Years’ worth of hard work and effort yields a powerful and satisfying payoff in Congressman John Lewis, Andrew Aydin and Nate Powell’s “March: Book Three,” both in the literary and social sense. This third and final volume continues the story of Congressman Lewis’ historic involvement in the Civil Rights Movement, culminating with his iconic march in Selma, Alabama over a half-century ago — a moment widely seen as a turning point in 20th Century American history. Congressman Lewis’ story is legendary enough to have made it into the history books, but — as chronicled by Powell and Aydin (who’s also a director and advisor on the Congressman’s staff) — it becomes outright captivating and poignant. These passionate storytellers not only understand his message, but are able to convey that message to readers and instill its importance. Following the progression of real-life events, “March: Book Three” captures the evolution of Congressman Lewis’ efforts, which grew from small sit-ins to mu

In G. Willow Wilson, Takeshi Miyazawa and Adrian Alphona’s “Ms. Marvel” #8, Kamala chooses sides quickly in “Civil War II,” but it’s not until she’s leading a brand new team of Carol Cadets that she realizes the right choice may not be as clear-cut as it seems. Unfortunately, though, the event takes precious panel space away from “Ms. Marvel’s” signature humor in this issue, which ultimately hampers the title’s distinct voice. The issue begins with an unexpected and lovely prologue. It’s a flashback set in Bombay in 1947, narrated by Kamala’s grandmother, Aisha. Her mingled fear and hope feels vividly specific to one family and one place, yet her feelings are also profoundly universal. Alphona’s backgrounds capture the tumult of the city, and his eloquent body language is a thoughtful counterpoint to Wilson’s poetic rhythm and diction in the word balloons and captions, particularly when Kareem’s father quotes John Keats. Ian Herring and Irma Kniivila’s colors are exceptional as well.

One of the many charms of “Ms. Marvel” is the way the book balances the main character’s superhero life as Ms. Marvel with her more mundane one as Kamala Khan. That’s definitely the case in “Ms. Marvel” #7, where G. Willow Wilson, Adrian Alphona and Ian Herring put their own spin on “Civil War II” as Ms. Marvel and Spider-Man go head-to-head on opposing sides of… the science fair? There’s something wonderfully silly about “Ms. Marvel” #7, as Kamala and Miles’ two schools face off in a science fair that could only exist within a superhero universe. You know this isn’t going to be your average, everyday event when Kamala’s school opens the fair with a Skyshark, a “pressure-stabilized floating environment for rescue sharks”; in other words, it’s a giddily-grinning shark flying around in a big bubble of water. It’s as ridiculous and awesome as it sounds, doubly so when you have moments like a team member tossing in a wide-eyed fish for the shark to eat or when Bruno explains that the tea

In “Ms. Marvel” #6, G. Willow Wilson and Nico Leon conclude the “Army of One” story arc with Kamala’s day of reckoning after she becomes the source of her own problems. Kamala’s “Sorcerer’s Apprentice” fiasco is a situation ripe with possibility for spectacle, and Leon eagerly takes up the challenge to make the most of the opportunities, while Wilson adds her trademark wit and humor. Leon begins “Ms. Marvel” #6 with a bug’s eye view of Giant Kamala, and his full-page spreads of downtown Jersey City are both cinematic and filled with amusing details. There are plenty of background jokes in other panels, too, like a small dog with its teeth embedded in Giant Kamala’s shoelace or the coffee cups arranged in Bruno and Mike’s occult “summoning” setup. Wilson is known for her strength in dialogue and humor, but it’s worth repeating those praises for “Ms. Marvel” #6. Smaller jokes like “Patriot Pants” and a crack about how Loki “really does look like that one actor guy” enhance and lighte