Thor #436

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• 8.0
  

  Demarcoa

  Oct 14, 2026

  Not sure I love this focus on Eric. It felt right before due to his lack of development, but him feeling newer and less experienced than even Spider-Man is a very weird dynamic for a hero like Thor. Some of that works, like it is neat seeing Eric trying to figure out these powers on his own and that sort of thing. Other parts of it feel like Eric simply can't do anything right and Masterson feels so guilt-ridden it's hard to get fully on board with his character. He kind of seems like a jerk and a bad father.
  
  I like Captain America's cameo in this one and how it's all about an escaped Absorbing Man seeking revenge on Thor with his ally Titania. In this "new era" for the character, it's nice to have a basic story like this to kind of get an idea of what the new status quo will be. Some of the dialogue is very on the nose, though, like Absorbing Man talking to himself and conveniently talking about his powers and how strong he is. This comic is a great showcase of Absorbing Man's powers, though. It's simple things like how the villain can dip his toe into water to turn liquid and completely avoid any damage from Mjolnir. It's not a huge moment but a great detail we often never get to see in stories featuring this character, and the whole issue really shows how Absorbing Man is a tough opponent Eric can't rely on his powers to defeat. This version of Thor has weaknesses and limitations the normal one doesn't and the comic showcases that well, too. I really like how it kind of ends with the two foes just agreeing to go their separate way rather than one outright defeating the other. more

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