THOR #491-494 (1995-1996): World Engine

Warren Ellis hammers out a Thor story, with art by the legendary Mike Deodato, Jr.

Thor is slowly dying of some illness, and doesn’t know why. Odin is no help.

“Die well”???? Odin has never before been this much of a complete dick.

So Thor teams up with Enchantress to get to the bottom of his own sickness and of some attacks by dead bodies animated by robot parts.

And when I say teams up, I mean they bump uglies.

And it was good.

The robots are part of a Nazi plot called the World Engine, created by Hitler to kill superhumans and bring about Ragnarok back during World War II.

When Thor finally destroys it, he is cured of his illness.

So, yeah, it’s typical Ellis: Big themes and legends, very different–and dark–takes on existing themes and characters. It’s very good, but it’s also kind of rushed. I don’t think Marvel wanted to give him more than a handful of issues.

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