Writer: Tom Taylor

Art: Jorge Molina, Adriano Di Benedetto, David Curiel, and VC’s Joe Sabino

Price: $3.99

Release Date: May 22nd, 2019

Frost Giant Archers, flying horses that MAY actually talk, and that one time Spidey Black Friday RAGED, all in this week’s cleverly witty WAR OF THE REALMS STRIKEFORCE: THE LAND OF GIANTS #1 by Tom Taylor. Let’s jump in and see how this Strikeforce team rescues Thor from Jotunheim!

WARNING SPOILERS AHEAD!!!

SUMMARY

Tom Taylor kicks this issue off with Cap recruiting is “sausage party” to go to Jotunheim and save the God of Thunder. The team gears up in Avengers Mountain with Asgardian Frost Giant weapons, flying horses led by Queen Arctorius, and a team of New York’s finest heroes! After tracking Thor using a river of Frost Giant blood, our heroes find Thor surround by dozens of Frost Giant carcasses. However, their search came at the cost of Queen Arctorius and the rest of her flying horse brethren. Taylor ends the issue with our heroes back at Avengers Mountain burying Queen Arctorius on top of a mountain as close to the sky as possible, which is what she wanted.

THOUGHTS

Taylor’s humor continued to shine throughout the issue adding a lighter feel to the teams trip, which was to find Thor in Jotunheim. From Luke Cage calling this team a “sausage party”, to Wolverine giving Spidey a “magical” helmet to make him look like an idiot, Taylor used humor and wit similar to his FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN run to give this issue more of a Spidey feel to it, as well as making it very light-hearted.

Taylor makes sure everyone has some funny lines, including Danny Rand attempting to name their group “ The Four Horsemen Who’ve Punched Apocalypse”, even though Danny can’t count too well. However, leave it to Taylor to slide in a way for Cap to join the humor in a way that fits his character, like having a berserkers rage fighting Hitler. Come on readers, Taylor simply adds spice to the WAR OF THE REALMS by Jason Aaron that the main book just shouldn’t have. Taylor gets to add action, comedy, and a complexion that just shouldn’t be included in a world-ending mega-book.

Taylor continues to make the issue fun by surprisingly sliding in the idea that Spidey’s helmet is ACTUALLY magical, as well as talks to horses, and even understand them. Taylor’s humor continues by taking this sentimental scene of our heroes bowing to the dead flying horses and changes it into Spider-Man talking in “neighs” to the fine stallions. However, Taylor’s line as Queen Arctorius rejoins the fight explains the issue perfectly. She says, “Let us fight together noble jester warrior.” Spider-Man is exactly that very thing and Taylor gets the character all too well. Fantastically done issue, Taylor!

ART

Jorge Molina and Adriano Di Benedetto’s art is so crisp and polished. I love the thick outlines, bright colors, and realistic look of the characters that make each fight and action sequence leap off the page. The art is just so eye-catching, which drew this reader deeper into the story. This reviewer especially loved seeing Daredevil somehow superimposed over space-time AND holding the sword for the rainbow bridge while purple lightning crashes behind him. In addition, the dark purple river of Frost Giant blood was done so well that it looked thick and had a reflection of the sky through it as the team flew over. Overall, the art was so well done!

MINOR DISAPPOINTMENT

There are so many positives with this book, from the art to the masterfully witty fights, and even the emotional moments surrounding horses dying. Yes… horses dying. Taylor did an excellent job. That said; this reviewer wanted more about Thor, how the team got him home, and more centered around the battle to get him home. How did Thor break the berserker rage? Why not focus on his battle against the Frost Giants before the team showed up?

75% of the issue was spent recapping how the team got to Jotunheim, which really didn’t matter since readers already know they got there. It genuinely wasn’t important to the story. Was this issue supposed to come out weeks ago but got delayed? This reviewer thought the purpose was to gain perspective as to how the team escaped with Thor. But alas, that was not the case. This fan was expecting a battle between the team and Thor while he was enraged. But again, that didn’t happen. So ultimately, this reviewer was disappointed in the focus but not the overall story. Taylor wrote a wonderful issue. However, it wasn’t what this reviewer expected. So, was that a good thing or a bad thing?

FINAL THOUGHTS

Taylor can write action-packed comedy well and this issue was no exception. Taylor took his FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN tone, style, and indulged readers in a tremendously heroic tale from start to finish. The issue is charming, witty, and full of fun with some amazingly vivid and sharp art from Molina and Di Benedetto. This is a stunningly impressive tie into WAR OF THE REALMS that everyone will enjoy. However, this reviewer was simply hoping for more of a focus on Thor, his battle, and his escape, which would have taken this issue way up into a 9 or HIGHER!!!Maybe we will see this in another tie in? Maybe we won’t? This fan can only hope that the remarkable battle of Thor’s escape won’t be forgotten in this amazing event. Either way, this issue is totally worth the purchase. Go pick this up and have a blast!