Whether you like or dislike Walter Simonson’s work, the one thing most people can agree on is that his work has been consistent throughout the years. I fall on the side of the latter, being one of his fan boys since the 80s. This is not an objective review. I loved him back then, and that love continues to this day.

Many reviews out there invariably compare this current work to his run on Marvel’s Thor. That’s unfortunate, because aside from the obvious connection to the Thunder God, there really is no other link. This is not the Midgard loving comic book Thor. In issue Ragnarok #7 we come face to face with the ‘The Last God Standing’: a desiccated purposeless God bent on avenging the long lost destroyed Nordic pantheon. He is a harsh God, willing to sacrifice made promises for the greater good. Perhaps he is no longer the God of Thunder, but rather a new Nordic God of Death, as he encounters the Black Elf assassin, Regn, and his young daughter, Drifa.

The art is standard Simonson. Again, either you like it or don’t; it is rough, strait-edged line work, but I find it effective. Between the well-drawn action sequences, and Walt’s dialogue, the story flows quickly and effortlessly. Plus, he is once again teamed with John Workman, whose runic letters and thunderous onomatopoeias blast across the pages.

Issue #7 is the perfect jumping point for old and new Walt Simonson fans alike, as Ragnarok’s mythic second chapter beings in ‘The Games of the Gods.”

Story & Art: Walter Simonson Letters: John Workman
Story: 9.5 Art: 9.5 Overall: 9.5 Recommendation: Buy

IDW Publishing provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review