New Thor is female

[Brian G Turner]

Marvel announce a female Thor:
Marvel Proudly Presents Thor | News | Marvel.com

Have to admit, seems a bit gimmicky. Can they not create a strong female character in her own right?

The BBC describes the new Thor as a "buxom blonde". Which IMO kind of highlights the danger of Marvel's attempt at "equality".

I guess we'll just have to see how the story stands.

 

[Ursa major]

I heard she would be called Thora....


Someone has claimed that this isn't Thor becoming female, but a new character taking on Thor's role.

 

[HoopyFrood]

Not so much claimed, it's what is actually happening.

The whole thing with the hammer is that it gives the power of Thor to whoever is worthy of holding it. So yes, new character worthy of it.

It would be nice to make more female characters, but making one of the biggest roles in comics into one held by a woman is pretty darn cool. As a female reader and collector of comics it often feels like it's only bad news when it comes to female representation. And it can only do good -- I've always considered myself DC but they've been less than sterling of late so things like this are really making Marvel attract my monies.

 

[thaddeus6th]

Mixed feelings about this (not that I've seen most recent Marvel stuff).

They could've given a more prominent role to Lady Sif, or used an actually female Norse deity (Freyja springs to mine).

If it's a woman who takes on the power of Thor, that might neatly square the circle of not retconning ovaries into Thor whilst giving a lady Asgard a big gig.

Hoopy, I'm baffled as to why there's not a Wonder Woman film (or three) out already.

I think changing demographics for a character is fine provided those demographics aren't integral to the character (Othello being black, James Bond being a British man etc). This may not be so much changing the character as using Thor as a job title for the Wielder of Mjolnir.

 

[Jesse412]

Isn't this like the third of fourth female version of Thor (not including Valkerie or Sif)?

I heard she would be called Thora....

I think I prefer Thorida, Thor Girl or even She-Thor to that.

It would be nice to make more female characters, but making one of the biggest roles in comics into one held by a woman is pretty darn cool. As a female reader and collector of comics it often feels like it's only bad news when it comes to female representation. And it can only do good -- I've always considered myself DC but they've been less than sterling of late so things like this are really making Marvel attract my monies.

I think Marvel has improved quite a bit in the past year or so when it comes to their female characters. Not perfect but definitely a step in the right direction.

 

[thaddeus6th]

Thorkatla?

 

[Ursa major]

I heard she would be called Thora....

I think I prefer Thorida, Thor Girl or even She-Thor to that.

Note that there is (or, rather, was) a well known actress over here in the UK, name of Thora Hird. I -- as well as other people on other sites -- was merely making a pun on the name, not making a suggestion (hence the ).

 

[Jesse412]

Note that there is (or, rather, was) a well known actress over here in the UK, name of Thora Hird. I -- as well as other people on other sites -- was merely making a pun on the name, not making a suggestion (hence the ).

or Thora Birch

 

[HoopyFrood]

I know a great joke about Thora Hird. But you'll all be expecting it now so I'll tell it in a couple of months.

Thad -- ooh, I wish. She's currently penciled in for 2017 or something. And I'm sure Gal Gadot will be good, but I wish DC would stop de-ageing everyone (films and comics). I want her to look like this: http://www.sffchronicles.co.uk/forum/547304-collectible-figures.html

One of my favourite things going around the internet, though, was:

DC: Wonder Woman is too tricky to do properly.
Meanwhile, Marvel: Talking Raccoon with a gun!

ASD -- Yes, Marvel are starting to entice me. I am absolutely loving the new Elektra comic.

 

[Kylara]

Also pretty sure there actually is a character called Thor Girl in the universe...but then the whole Mjolnir giving power to whomever wields it is how it did work AFAIR...it is only recently that they actually made Thor as a God/Asgardian thing...but I may be wrong.

I remember a dude in a wheelchair being Thor when he held the hammer and charging around sorting stuff out. So if someone else wields it/accepted by it then sure, why not a woman.

Tell you what upset me recently - what they did to Falcon :'( (in the film - made him all techy)

 

[ad233]

It would be nice to make more female characters, but making one of the biggest roles in comics into one held by a woman is pretty darn cool. As a female reader and collector of comics it often feels like it's only bad news when it comes to female representation. And it can only do good -- I've always considered myself DC but they've been less than sterling of late so things like this are really making Marvel attract my monies.

I agree it's a good thing, but I think there's loads of great female representation out there! I love wonder woman, black widow, and even any of the strong female characters in X-men are great! (Storm is my favourite) I even have a soft spot for Vampirella - apart from the outfit, obviously.

Can't wait for "Thora"

 

[HoopyFrood]

There are great characters out there -- Batwoman is, like, my role model -- but there are still too few who are headlining their own books. It's seems to be: we could create a new female led book, tap into a under-utilised market that wants to spend money on this? Nah, let's have another Batman, he's only got seven, poor thing.

But it does feel like we've hit a turning point. Which is bad news for my bank account. I totally started reading Batman: Eternal because Harper Row/Bluebird has the rocking-est superhero costume.

 

[Parson]

Hoopy, I can't help thinking that if you looked at that Wonder Woman from the neck up you would be convinced that what you had here was a Wonder Man.

Maybe I'm just getting old.

 

[Perpetual Man]

Thor

This is where I first saw the news. Putting aside all else it is another attention grabber from Marvel, that will probably revert in time for the next Thor big screen appearance. They don't want to risk alienating new readers when they have been attracted by seeing Chris Hemsworth in action.

It's much like the Death of Captain America a few years back, you knew that Steve Rogers would be back in time for the next movie...

That being said Marvel would argue that these 'major event/change' comics are not really anything new, and that they are just a means to explore and develop the character by way of adversity and change.

In comics the illusion of change is often the reality instead of a permanent change.

This though, is but part of a trilogy of illusions coming to Marvel over the next few months.

The first, and building over the last few months is Wolverine Dies!

And

A New Captain America

 

[Jesse412]

ASD -- Yes, Marvel are starting to entice me. I am absolutely loving the new Elektra comic.

The Mike Del Mundo artwork is incredible.

I think the new volume of Captain Marvel is much improved. The new Ms. Marvel is excellent. The current volumes of Black Widow and She-Hulk have also been solid. Looking forward to Storm's solo title.

Also pretty sure there actually is a character called Thor Girl in the universe

Yes there was also a female Thor who appeared in an issue of What If called Thorida as well as a female version of Thor on Earth X.

but then the whole Mjolnir giving power to whomever wields it is how it did work AFAIR...it is only recently that they actually made Thor as a God/Asgardian thing...but I may be wrong.

I remember a dude in a wheelchair being Thor when he held the hammer and charging around sorting stuff out. So if someone else wields it/accepted by it then sure, why not a woman.

Thor was always an Asgardian but for decades of publishing he was also a doctor named Donald Blake. He would tap his walking stick on the ground and it would turn into Mjolnir. Odin turned Thor into Donald Blake to teach him a lesson or something.

Tell you what upset me recently - what they did to Falcon :'( (in the film - made him all techy)

I believe the movie version is based on the Ultimate version of the character. (I don't read much Ultimate Universe stuff other than Miles Morales Spider-Man.)

 

[chongjasmine]

I really enjoy the thor series in the past.
I don't really want the character to be changed.
I do not like the idea of a female thor.

 

[Donal DeLay]

This is not Thor becoming female. Male Thor is deemed unworthy, and the hammer is picked up by someone new. Male Thor is still an active member of the Avengers.

Thor

This is where I first saw the news. Putting aside all else it is another attention grabber from Marvel, that will probably revert in time for the next Thor big screen appearance. They don't want to risk alienating new readers when they have been attracted by seeing Chris Hemsworth in action.

It's much like the Death of Captain America a few years back, you knew that Steve Rogers would be back in time for the next movie...

That being said Marvel would argue that these 'major event/change' comics are not really anything new, and that they are just a means to explore and develop the character by way of adversity and change.

In comics the illusion of change is often the reality instead of a permanent change.

This though, is but part of a trilogy of illusions coming to Marvel over the next few months.

The first, and building over the last few months is Wolverine Dies!

And

A New Captain America

Of course they're gimmicks. They're corporate properties, not creator-owned comics. There's a precedent that nothing permanent happens to these characters. Wolverine will die in his current mini series, and he'll be resurrected in another event. They aren't illusions, they're stories. Regurgitated ones, too. If you want to laugh about something, laugh at the fact that all the major storylines from the past 10 years were all stories in WHAT IF ... issues from the 80s and 90s.

I really enjoy the thor series in the past.
I don't really want the character to be changed.
I do not like the idea of a female thor.

He's still in the Avengers book.

 

[J Riff]

Theems thimply thwell I'd thay.