With his half-brother Balder and half-sister Loki watching over the currently Earth-based kingdom of Asgard, Donald Blake attempts to repair the damage done to his relationship with his former girlfriend Betty, after their heated first reunion since his resurrection several issues prior. While in New York City, visiting with Jane, Donald hears several television broadcasts referring to the evening being the one-year anniversary of the death of fellow Avenger Captain America. Traveling to a statue and shrine dedicated to the fallen hero, Donald offers his words of remembrance to Captain America, before striking his staff to the ground, allowing Thor to speak his mind to his old friend’s spirit, who he momentarily summons using the power of Mjolnir. After a touching conversation, Thor allows the Captain to return to his rest, while the God of Thunder offers a last gift to his lost comrade. . .

     I must admit that, aside from a few select issues from the 1980s, I had never been a huge fan of Thor; Straczynski and Coipel, however have made the title a much anticipated addition to my pull-list. Since the first issue, this series has been one of Marvel's, if not the industry's as a whole, finest works. If the team of Lee and Kirby will be remembered for inventing Thor, Straczynski and Coipel are the duo that will be known for his reinvention and reinvigoration. The writing is excellent; the reader is really given two main characters, with the interesting juxtaposition the writer creates between Donald Blake and the God of Thunder. The dialogue between Captain America and Thor is one of the most poignant scenes in recent comics, having a thrice-fold impact, acting as a final goodbye for Thor (and the reader, as well), a moving commentary on just what Captain America meant to the Marvel Universe, and an (strangely enough, yet fittingly) interesting observation on the mass media and its improper hijacking of symbols and events in order to spread its own particular view on a subject, whatever side that position may take. The art is exceptional as well, with Coipel creating the definitive Thor for this era; just as Ultimate Spider-man took some getting used to after Mark Bagley's departure, Coipel's Thor is the standard that future artist will have to attempt to meet in order to carry the character further.

     In a series that gets better with every issue, this particular episode is a high-point; a story that does not offer a great deal of action, but rather excellent insight into the title character(s), as well as an appearance by a hero whose presence has been sorely missed in his world.