This volume collects the entirety of Walter Simonson's run on Thor, plus the Balder the Brave miniseries. The first half chronicles the fire giant Surtur's forging of the sword Twilight and his attempt to bring about Ragnarok by destroying Asgard with it. The second half deals with the repercussions. It is truly epic and still reads today as a shining example of the comics form.

I don't want to talk too much about the story. There are numerous subplots and side plots and shorter stories going on as well.

Some creator-centered omnibus collections end up being a hodgepodge of odds and ends as series cross over into others and completism dilutes the writer's vision (the John Byrne FF volumes are a mess) but this one, like Frank Miller's Daredevil, showcases a mostly pure story, a genuine "graphic novel" from start to finish. I am particularly glad that pages from the execrable Secret Wars II were not included, although Jim Shooter's idiot god, the Beyonder, does make an appearance which results in a recurring character. I do not know whether this was an editorial decision, or something Simonson insisted upon, but I am thankful.

All the content in this volume has been recolored using modern technology. I have mixed feelings about this. I'm something of a purist and usually desire an exact reproduction (paper quality aside) of the old comics I remember. When I first opened this book, I was rather shocked. It looked so very different from what I remembered. But now having read the book straight through from start to finish, I have to admit it looks great. There are only a few places where the computer coloring seemed overdone to me, and I miss some of the interesting coloring choices Christie Scheele made in the original comics*, but for the most part it is really beautiful.

The second half of the book suffers slightly--only slightly--from some forced crossovers with other comics events at the time. In addition to the aforementioned Secret Wars II, there is also the "Mutant Massacre" in which Thor encounters the strangely familiar X-Factor (the original X-Men). These few issues don't add anything to the book, just a small bit of filler.

Unless you really hate Norse mythology, this run is a must-read. If you're not yet ready to invest in the omnibus, I believe smaller softcover collections are still available.

*Please see Seth T.'s excellent review--currently at the top of the page--for side-by-side comparisons of the old and new artwork. ( )

Perhaps the biggest book I own.

I enjoyed this. It does not have the nuances or gritty realism of some modern stories but it is nevertheless enjoyable and well told. I agree with everyone that points out that the author is more interesting in writing about Thor the mythical Norse person than Thor the comic book hero. And it is well done. ( )

This is the best Thor run. Beta Ray Bill was a great creation and the artwork was inspired. The only drawback to this collection is the weight, definitely not light. ( )

One of the best runs to ever come from Marvel, or any comics publisher for that matter. ( )

Collecting the complete run