Marvel Announces Female Thor will debut in October
Today has been an interesting one for the future of Thor in Marvel Comics. Marvel announced via The View that October will see the debut of a comic simply titled Thor written by Jason Aaron with art duties by Russell Dauterman featuring a new female Thor.
According to Aaron, this Thor will be the new status quo and not a temporary place holder or ‘Thorette’. Hints had already been dropped that the near future would find the current Thor judged as unworthy to hold the power of his hammer, Mjolnir, and this announcement seems to bear that out. This raises the question as to whether ‘Thor’ is a name or a title. If this is the new Thor then what do we call the old Thor?
This is not the first time that someone else has held the power of Thor nor even the first time that we have seen Mjolnir in a female’s hands. Notable female versions of Thor include
- Thor Girl first appearing in Thor #22 (August 2000)
- Thor transformed into a female in an alternate future as shown in Earth X #5 (August 1999)
- Jane Foster gains the power of Thor in What If #10 (August 1978)
- Storm of the X-Men gained a hammer known as Stormcaster given to her by Loki in Uncanny X-Men Annual #9 (December 1985)
There is a great deal of internet speculation at this time that this new Thor may be the character Angela recently brought to the Marvel Universe by Neil Gaiman after a legal battle with Todd McFarlane.
Below is the official press release from Marvel Comics:
MARVEL PROUDLY PRESENTS THOR
New York, NY – July 15th, 2014 – Marvel is excited to announce an all-new era for the God of Thunder in brand new series, THOR, written by Jason Aaron (Thor: God of Thunder, Original Sin) complimented with art from Russell Dauterman (Cyclops).
This October, Marvel Comics evolves once again in one of the most shocking and exciting changes ever to shake one of Marvel’s “big three” – Captain American, Iron Man and Thor – Marvel Comics will be introducing an all-new THOR, GOD OF THUNDER. No longer is the classic male hero able to hold the mighty hammer, Mjölnir, a brand new female hero will emerge will who will be worthy of the name THOR. Who is she? Where did she come from and what is her connection to Asgard and the Marvel Universe?
“The inscription on Thor’s hammer reads ‘Whosoever holds this hammer, if HE be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor.’ Well it’s time to update that inscription,” says Marvel editor Wil Moss. “The new Thor continues Marvel’s proud tradition of strong female characters like Captain Marvel, Storm, Black Widow and more. And this new Thor isn’t a temporary female substitute – she’s now the one and only Thor, and she is worthy!”
Series writer Jason Aaron emphasizes, “This is not She-Thor. This is not Lady Thor. This is not Thorita. This is THOR. This is the THOR of the Marvel Universe. But it’s unlike any Thor we’ve ever seen before.”
THOR is the latest in the ever-growing and long list of female-centric titles that continues to invite new readers into the Marvel Universe. This female THOR is the 8th title to feature a lead female protagonist and aims to speak directly to an audience that long was not the target for Super Hero comic books in America: women and girls.
