Heroes often find that they aren’t as awesome as they think they are, that the hype from the public is just that. Sometimes they become unworthy of their own title and need to do some soul searching. Self-righteousness can only carry someone so far, then it’s time to see if that special something is still there underneath it all. Unworthy heroes bred worthy issues this week, and surely a worthier reader a good time.

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Action Comics # 35 “Doomed Aftermath”:

Who needs Superman? Apparently no one. Clark’s been gone for six months since purging the Doomsday virus from his system by flying through various black holes. After arriving back on Earth he finds little sympathy or joy. Thirteen thousand six hundred and twelve people died during Brainiac’s invasion.

Earth’s rebuilding though, humans band together when it gets rough.  Lana Lang, Lois Lane (free of Brainiac’s influence) and Bruce Wayne all have harsh words with regards to Superman. He’s caused too many problems, maybe the world doesn’t need him after all.  Even Clark Kent wrote an article about it. (He even wrote an anti-Superman article about himself.)

Lois, meanwhile, is the only hold out for Superman, claiming he needs to get back here to see humanity being at it’s best.  He needs a reminder of how to be Superman. The issue does a fine job of showing just how much other heroes step up to fill the role of the last son of Krypton and how life goes on. Relationships come and go, people are made and break, and Superman really hardly fits into either. What does that mean for the Big Blue Boy Scout? I’m Superman’d out for now. Who needs Superman?  Not me for a while.

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Death of Wolverine # 3 of 4:

Last issue Deathstrike was trying to kill Logan and Kitty arrived at the tail end of the issue to save him.  This issue picks up right there with Deathstrike calmly saying that Kitty Pryde is no killer. In response Kitty behaves very out of character. No, she doesn’t kill, but honestly she uses her powers in a way I didn’t think she could. She resuscitates Logan with some temporary regeneration serum and the master and pupil go have a nice chat.

Some more out of character things happen between them and Logan puts a stop to that immediately. At this point I as well as Logan san decide that this is not Shadow Cat. Logan realizes that it’s actually Ogun! After a quick martial arts extravaganza Ogun realizes kitty is too strong a host to possess for long and leaves her. Logan tracks him down in a chemical plant and confronts him a final time. Turns out Cyber’s lying face up in a pool of acid cooking all the meat away from his adamantium skin.

After a brief conversation, Ogun blackmails Logan into leaving him to his work with the safety of innocent people held hostage. What work you ask? He obviously needs Cyber’s skin for something.  As Logan leaves it all makes sense. Doctor Cornelius is the one behind all of this! (Dr. Cornelius is the man who gave James Logan Howlett his adamantium skeleton back during Weapon X.)

The final issue is bound to be a doozy: How will Wolverine finally bite the dust? I’m betting it won’t be any one thing, but rather a combination of strain on the body, blood loss, infection and wounds. With McNiven on art, we could also expect one hell of a gory splash page too. Regardless, I look forward to a blood-soaked finale.

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Thor #1: 

 A despondent Thor is found on the moon by most of the Asgardians trying to lift Mjolnir. Odin who enchanted the hammer in the first place cannot move it. How odd.

No one can move the hammer, apparently no one is worthy. Odin’s ravens warn him of frost giants attacking Midgard.  Thor finally gives up on the futility of his actions and returns to the Asgardian armory to retrieve his axe.

We switch to a Roxxon oil sea base on the ocean floor. Giants are aquatic now…I guess. He fights off the frost giants as best he can, but his spirit is broken. After a solid blow he lands not far from Malekith the Dark Elf a long time villain of Thor’s. They battle fiercely, but Malekith bests him and removes one of his hands in the process. The issue ends with Thor sinking into a trench and a new Thor lifting Mjolnir. The Thunder Goddess has arrived!

I’ll reserve judgment until I read the first issue, but I may have to read a few to find out who the new wielder of Mjolnir is… she shows up on the last page. Classic Marvel. (I’m pretty sure it’s Freya, though since the hammer is picked up mostly off panel it could still be anyone.)  After reading this issue I had lots of questions. One big one: What happened Jason Aaron!?!? His Thor run has been phenomenal and I’m genuinely a fan, but this comic really let me down.  I can only hope that EIC (the editor in chief) or whoever is in charge of content mandated this.  It doesn’t;t live up to the writer’s usual quality.

Problems with the issue are numerous, but I’ll be blunt: Odin’s the God of Wisdom and should know what Nick Fury whispered to Thor. Thor should have answered when asked what was whispered to him. No one in Asgard has any inkling as to why Thor cannot pick up the hammer.  Rather than explaining why Thor is unworthy Marvel has decided to just leave it as a “mystery”.  I honestly think they have a reason in mind, but when book’s are written this way, it gives the feeling that even Marvel is just as in the dark as to why Thor can’t lift his hammer. That isn’t a feeling I like from my storytellers.

Why I don’t like is the new Thor: This storyline’s been done at least twice before and there are already plenty of female versions of Thor (including his alternate universe daughter who is currently in the main universe), a new one is not needed.  It feels like nothing more than a marketing gimmick to match the new Iron Man and Captain America.

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What hero prevailed in your eyes? Is Thor still worthy of then hammer she wields? Does Wolverine deserve a worthy death? Tell us in the comments below!