1574 ( )

The early adventures of Marvel's god of thunder receive a new interpretation, courtesy of writer Matthew Sturges and artist Pepe Larraz, in Thor: Season One. Obviously created as marketing opportunity surrounding the impending release of Thor: The Dark World, the duo successfully merges the disparate movie and comic book visions into an interesting and entertaining composite that recounts Thor's earliest days on Earth. Sturges's well-crafted story, punctuated with lighter, comedic moments, recalls the finer moments from the legendary Walt Simonson run of the 1980s. While the excellent Larraz's art looks nothing like Jack Kirby's work, several of his images appear to pay homage to the character's co-creator's influential work. ( )