Media Release -- One of most acclaimed comic runs of the decade concludes this September as award-winning scribe J. Michael Straczynski brings his historic Thor story to a stunning conclusion! Thor: Defining Moments Giant-Size #1, from JMS and Young Guns '09 artist Marko Djurdjevic, is an action-packed conclusion to the Eisner-nominated epic that IGN.Com calls "The best Marvel comic on the stands." As the final curtain falls, will Thor's closest allies save him from the machinations of Loki? What does Dr Doom have planned? And just who will rule Asgard? JMS delivers the Thor finale that no Marvel fan, new or old, can afford to miss.
"It's been a terrific run, and a lot of fun," said JMS. "Warren Simons and Dan Buckley are to be thanked in particular for giving me the room to play and the freedom to just tell stories, a rarity in this business. Creatively, Thor was a high-water experience for me."
Thor editor Warren Simons added, "We're extremely proud of the extraordinary work J. Michael Straczynski has completed on Thor over the last two years. Along with Olivier Coipel and Marko Djurdjevic, JMS seamlessly reintroduced Thor and the other Asgardians into the Marvel Universe, returning the God of Thunder to his rightful place as one of Marvel's greatest icons. From the brilliant set-up of Asgardians living side-by-side with salt-of-the-earth folks in rural Oklahoma, to the current storyline featuring Asgard divided, JMS deftly wove great humor with great action, and the combination has made Thor a critical and commercial success. We couldn't be happier with his work, and we continue to look forward to working with him in the future."
This September, JMS will leave your jaws on the floor in Thor: Defining Moments Giant-Size #1, as his award-winning run concludes!
THOR: DEFINING MOMENTS GIANT-SIZE #1 (JUL090554)
Written by J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Pencils and Cover by MARKO DJURDJEVIC
RATED T+…$4.99
FOC—9/10/09, On-Sale—9/30/09
Note from Chuck: JMS explained to Comic Book Resources why he is leaving Thor:
The one concern at the back of my head was that of being pulled into a Big Event that could affect the forward momentum of the book and alter its direction... Prior to the reboot, when "Thor" was selling in the mid-50s, a Big Event wouldn't have been much of a concern, but now it was selling in the top ten month after month, and that increased visibility meant it could precipitate an event. And, again without saying much because this has to come from Marvel, such an event appeared on the horizon.
I agonized over this for months, then finally -- and I'm trying to remember when the email chain took place, but I think it was somewhere either just before or just after the first of the year -- I went to the ever-patient and wonderful [editor] Warren Simons, and the equally patient, warm and fuzzy [Publisher] Dan Buckley, and said of the coming event, "I really, really hate this, because creatively I'm having the time of my life, but I think I need to let go of the book or risk screwing it up when we hit the Event." It was an awful decision, not just because it's a hit book, but because it's the only place I could do that sort of faux-Shakespearean style of dialogue that I love so much. There's simply no other book out there where you can indulge in that.
There were no creative differences, no animosity, no rancor... just the question of how to handle being caught in the switches by my own shortcomings and ineptitude. I have to say here that Warren and Dan were absolutely understanding and supportive and gentle with me -- there are no horror stories here. They are gentlemen and scholars and the kind of business-men you want to work with, because through it all they remain human beings, and that's rare.
