Thor: Who Holds the Hammer? (Volume 2)

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Thor:  Who Holds the Hammer? (Volume 2)
Jason Aaron
Russell Dauterman
Jorge Molina

The Summary
"The Odinson pops the question:  Who is the new Thor?

"The Odinson wants Mjolnir back--and that means uncovering the identity of the new heroine holding the hammer!  As he narrows down the list of suspects, tensions continue to flare between the All-Mother and the All-Father.  As Malekith the Dark Elf forges his most dangerous pact yet, the new Thor prepares to face her greatest challenge:  the unstoppable machine of death and destruction that is...the Destroyer!  While the battle for Mjolnir rages on, an unexpected character makes a shocking return--and the new Thor's identity is revealed at last!  Plus:  Young Thor enters a drinking competition!  The new Thor takes on a surprising foe!  In the future, King Thor's granddaughters quest to find him the perfect birthday gift!  And more!"

The Good
I have officially fallen in love with the new Thor.  I'll admit, I was on the fence about her in the first volume, but, after reading the second (and discovering her true identity, her true motivation for taking up the hammer of Thor), I can't help but fall in love with her character and her story.  She's wonderfully complex and amazingly courageous.

Of course, I love the artwork.  It's detailed and colorful, vibrant and beautifully depicted in a way that's almost difficult to describe, because it reflects so much of the attitudes of the characters, the unique characteristics of each scene--and it just works perfectly with the narrative.  I love the art in Thor:  Who Holds the Hammer?, but there's something more to it, something in the way the story is told and in the way that Thor's identity is revealed that makes it extraordinary.

I liked the mystery lingering behind Thor's mask, the intrigue that her new identity invokes.  And it's nice to know that someone else (namely, a woman) is worthy of wielding the hammer.  It's a nice change of pace, as I pointed out in the my review of the first volume.

Moreover, I love the depth and complexity of the story with the addition of new characters.  I found it fascinating to see how the authors would incorporate the different facets and stories of Norse mythology to create a brand-new tale.  I also like that the narrative manages to incorporate subtle political and social undertones, giving it an added layer of intricacy.

I could go on, but I think I made my point.  I love the new Thor, so let's just leave it at that.

The Bad
I've never been a big fan of Thor.  I'm still not a fan of the language, the attempts to make speech more reminiscent of "archaic" dialects.  I mean, it just doesn't keep me engaged.  I much prefer Thor's internal voice for this reason.

The Ugly
War.

The worlds may not know it yet, but they are in the midst of a great and terrible war that may or may not mean the destruction of several realms--and much, much more.  It's a desperate situation that many seem blind to confronting or resolving.  Equal parts infuriating and depressing, it's really not fun to see the gradual breakdown of all political stability.