What, No Helmet Laws in Asgaard?

Rating: 7/10 (4 June 2011)

WELL IT IS surely with mixed feelings that we come away with after viewing THOR (Marvel/Paramount, 2011). On the one hand it is an excellent, comic derivative story with outstanding fx, attractive & able cast and fine, exciting musical score. The only question at film's end is, is this the Thor that we remember from our youth?
RATHER THAN STARTING off the proceedings with (as they say in the Comics Price Guide)the usual "Origin and 1st Appearance", we are transported to a sort of background history of the 'Immortals' of Asgaard and how they came to be deified by the ancient Norsemen. We learn of petty family jealousies and intrigues of the sons of Odin. The scenario brings us in contact with an array of twists and dramatic devices that would do even old Will Shakespeare proud. It doth appeareth that be it on Earth or in a mythological Viking Heaven, Royalties is sure bleeped up!
THE GREAT THOR stories that we enjoyed so were more of a mixture of this Ancient Norse Mythology with standard Super Hero fare. Thor may have been the god of thunder; but he still had a dual identity, an "Alter-Ego", if you will. In his case, it was that of frail, lame Dr. Donald Blake. The good physician came about his new identity quite by accident; by picking up the hammer of Thor, which bore a warning sign. It was something along the lines of "Whosoever Picketh Up the Hammer of Thor Will Become The God of Thunder!"* Well, Dr. Don did and then did!
ALL THE WHILE, there was already the quietly loving, Nurse Jane Foster; who was so often given thought balloons filled with such typically melodramatic Stan Lee-esque thought dialog as "Oh Dr. Blake, if you only knew how I've longed to be held in your arms!" You see, Jane Foster was already known to Dr. Blake; though not in the Biblical sense, of course.
TO THIS OLD, now long in the tooth, comics aficionado, the script and the occurrences bear a strong resemblance to the "TALES OF ASGAARD" stories that Mr. Stan Lee ran as a secondary, back-up feature to the main THOR Story in his JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY Comics magazine.* The stories as we recall, were exciting, even epic in nature. The involved happenings surrounding Thor, Odin and Loki; but all happening in "the old sod". They were well illustrated (by superior comics draftsman,Gene Colan, I think). The illustrated continuities even had somewhat of a resemblance to the old PRINCE VALIANT Sunday Pages by Harold Foster or Alex Raymond's FLASH GORDON.
ONE VERY MARVEL-TYPE occurrence was the characterization of the four of Thor's deputy warriors. They all had diverse, feisty and wholly 3 dimensional personalities. This had long been a Marvel Comics Hallmark.
WELL, WE SURE CAN hardly wait for the CAPTAIN America movie next month and for next year's THE AVENGERS. Maybe they can manage to tie up any loose ends and make a little more comic book sense; especially with the addition of Captain America, the Hulk, Iron Man and others.
IN CLOSING LET us leave you with a couple of public pleas. Please give Thor a shave and put his helmet where it belongs, on top of those golden locks!
NOTE: * That's right, JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY was the original title of the mag that was to be the Thunder God's home. Originally it was one of those Weird Science/Fantasy anthologies; which were so popular in the 50's. With the '60's Super Hero Revival in full swing, the title was eventually changed to THE MIGHTY THOR.