I’m six issues into the new Thor series, and I am really enjoying it so far.
One of the things that stands out as especially amazing is the art (artist Russell Dauterman, colorist Matthew Wilson) which is spectacular. I want to focus on two moments in these first comics where the traditional campy sound effects are incorporated into the art in ways that I have never seen before. Unfortunately, the pictures I’m including in this post were taken on my cell phone and don’t capture how truly amazing the art is, but they’ll have to do (if I can, I’ll properly scan and replace them in the future).
One of the things that stands out as especially amazing is the art (artist Russell Dauterman, colorist Matthew Wilson) which is spectacular. I want to focus on two moments in these first comics where the traditional campy sound effects are incorporated into the art in ways that I have never seen before. Unfortunately, the pictures I’m including in this post were taken on my cell phone and don’t capture how truly amazing the art is, but they’ll have to do (if I can, I’ll properly scan and replace them in the future).
The art encompoasses the onomatopoeia “action” sounds that are really inherent to the comics genre, but it does something new with them. In the above image where Thor slams Odinson into a stone/concrete wall, the cracks spell out the “THOOM” sound effect. It is a very subtle, but very powerful image that incorporates the sound as an effect of the action. The lettering is part of the shattering wall and is easy to miss on a first read-through (or even a second or third) as compared to many other comics where the “POW” sound effects are a larger, more obvious part of the page. Here, the sound is present but not overwhelming.
In another instance, the sound becomes an inherent part of the action. In the panel below, the sounds create an action trailer of Thor and Mjolnir’s flight. The sound effects mark her incredibly complicated attack against them. The letters also cross between panels, with the final “M” wrapping around Thor as she crashes into her landing pose. The integration of the sound an action are incredibly dynamic and the bright orange letters stand out against the pale blue frost giants adding an extra vibrancy to Thor’s actions, while in the final panel on the page the frost giants fall crumble with a pale, sketchy white “KRASH” effect. The word is separated into two sections, breaking itself where it crashes into Thor who stands in the midst of the collapsing giants. It’s pretty awesome.
In another instance, the sound becomes an inherent part of the action. In the panel below, the sounds create an action trailer of Thor and Mjolnir’s flight. The sound effects mark her incredibly complicated attack against them. The letters also cross between panels, with the final “M” wrapping around Thor as she crashes into her landing pose. The integration of the sound an action are incredibly dynamic and the bright orange letters stand out against the pale blue frost giants adding an extra vibrancy to Thor’s actions, while in the final panel on the page the frost giants fall crumble with a pale, sketchy white “KRASH” effect. The word is separated into two sections, breaking itself where it crashes into Thor who stands in the midst of the collapsing giants. It’s pretty awesome.