Four 5-Star reviews from Amazon. I bolded one part concerning the content and physical aspects of the book. Man, I can't wait to get this gem!

1. Let's get right to the point: This is without any question the finest Omnibus collection Marvel has issued since the program started over a decade ago. It all comes together, the creator ( Walt Simonson),the character (the Mighty Thor), & the reColoring (Steve Oliff and Olyoptics). It really is a challenge to describe how gorgeous this book is...I'll try.

The storyline itself maybe the best run featuring the Mighty Thor ever, only the classic Lee & Kirby run of the 60's compares in quality and length. Simonson pulls out all the stops bringing in old favorites ( Loki, the Executioner, and Surter) while simultaneously creating new ones ( Kurse, Malekith, and Beta Ray Bill). Simonson truly understood the epic scope and grandeur that a Thor comic deserves. His Thor runs reputation is truly deserved and easily stands the test of time for new readers. I could go on and on mentioning specific moments and characters but I think it would only diminish the surprises for the new reader and interfere with the rediscovery of the old time fans.

The Omnibus' presentation is superb to put it mildly. Logging in at almost 1200 pages the book is enormous in size and content. The bonus pages include approximately 50 pages of bonus artwork and pin-ups (this could be why this Omnibus does NOT include the letters pages but that is a minor loss). The original covers are all present but have the sales indicia and logos removed, while some might gripe about this I GREATLY enjoyed a look at the amazing covers without all the unneeded verbiage. The book lays flat and there is very, very minor if any gutter loss when viewing; nice work on the sewn binding!

Now for the most controversial aspect of the book: the recoloring/ remastering process. Please keep in mind that this opinion is coming from someone that owns all the original issues as released and purchased from the newsstand. I have reread these books numerous times and consider myself intimately familiar with the material. With all of that in mind I am happy to say that these books have NEVER looked this good!! It's like upgrading from VHS to Blu Ray and watching it on a 60 inch HD screen. It's that good. The colors burst off the page and the line work remains sharp! What more could you ask??


The only regret I have for this Omnibus is that Amazon will not let me give it 6 stars instead of 5. Job well done Marvel!


2. I have to say that I am a huge Marvel Comics fan and in particular many of the stories of the 60s, 70s and 80s. This is by far the best interpretation of Thor I have ever read. The book is a well put together collection remastered and pretty darn cool. Its an expensive book but its worth the price. I am not someone who buys every graphic novel hardcover that comes out. It has to be something I really want and as a Thor fan I really wanted this. The battle with the Midgard serpent is the best. I highly recommend this book. It won't be too long before its sold out. Amazing body of work. The best run on this book hands down. Some very classic moments. The recoloring they did is pretty cool. Very Cool.


3. Just received this volume today, and it is simply beautiful. Highly recommend this to anyone who grew up reading comics in the Bronze Age, or is a fan of incredible storytelling and amazing art, or is a lover of mythology. Walt Simonson rejuvenated the character and the mythos of this Marvel staple character and, in my opinion, no one has been able to touch his achievement with this particular hero. Worth every penny and more.


4. Walt Simonson's legendary run on The Mighty Thor was the best of all worlds. It combined the grand stature and wonder of the Lee/Kirby era (bringing back many characters from that memorable work) with Walt's own sense of epic storytelling combined deftly with bits of humor. The first three pages start the wheels turning on a story that has little to do with the first story arc ("The Saga of Beta Ray Bill") and won't be resolved until deep into Walt's run on the title. This sense of timing is something that modern comics greatly lack.

Additionally, Simonson is a large fan of the old Norse epic tales, and he goes to great lengths to incorporate actual Norse mythology into these stories to help maintain the epic feel of what's happening around Thor. And if you want epic, this tale has it all. "The Saga of Beta Ray Bill" starts it all off, and Thor will come into conflict with the death goddess Hela, Surtur (a being bent on destroying the entirety of the Nine Worlds), the machinations of Loki (who turns Thor into a frog at one point), and it all leads up to a final battle at the dawn of Ragnarok (the Norse myth for the end of the world) with the World Serpent, Jurmungand, who is destined to kill and be killed by Thor in one final, deadly blow that will begin the end of the world.

And it's not just about Thor. Simonson's attention to the minor characters of Asgard is also highlighted in these stories. This is a rich sense of storytelling long lost by the current creative staff at Marvel Comics. Simonson's 4-issue miniseries "Balder the Brave" is also included in these pages.

So, what about the book itself? It includes all of the stories that Simonson wrote and drew (Sal Buscema capably took over the art chores late in the run, with Walt returning for the battle with Jurmungand), all of the covers (without the titles, bar codes, corner art, etc.) and a 50-ish page sketchbook that includes work Walt completed for the house ads, the pages of The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe for the Thor entries, and many other pieces. In short, this is every piece of artwork Walt completed that was commissioned by Marvel Comics. This also means that the book weighs in with nearly 1200 pages of material. The binding appears to be suitably strong for such a large book, and the paper, while not as good as that used for the DC Absolute Editions, is still of enough quality to make the artwork and colors leap off the page, which is a huge improvement on the near-newsprint quality paper comic books used during the 80s.

Please note that these pages have all been recolored by Steve Oliffe and separated at Olyoptics. While some might scoff that the artwork should not have been changed, Oliffe has made sure that the original feel of these stories is preserved while improving upon the print process. Simonson's thick line work (and John Workman's larger-than-life sound effect lettering) has never looked this beautiful.

Is this book worth the hefty price tag? Epically, yes. This is possibly the greatest run any creator has had on any title in the history of comics, all under one attractive cover. What's not to like?