Everything Burns - Marvel Asgard in turmoil

[sherkahn]

ComicBookResources.com has the announcement as Kieron GIllen and Matt Fraction announce what lies ahead for Asgard in the upcoming autumn.

As our world (in the northern hemisphere) turns to Autumn colors of orange and gold, Asgard turns red.





Divide and conquer.

Surtur is free. Surtur has a plan, and instead of applying the hammer technique of overpower shock and awe of the fury of Muspell, he applies techniques of guile and sabotage, and sets Asgardia against one another.

From the article:

"Everything Burns" begins in August's "Mighty Thor" #18, an issue that will take a little-known event from real Norse mythology and examine how it affects Marvel's current Asgardian mythology. "There's actually a missing chapter in the traditional Norse myth cycle. There's a war between the Aesir and the Vanir, the two upper most races in the Norse realms. It's referred to in other sagas, but the actual telling of the event; how it happened, why it happened, who won, who lost has been obliterated or lost," Fraction explained.

"That's always been fascinating to me. Not just as a fan of these myths in particular, but for the comics, because a lot of these characters are the ones that are kind of missing in the comics, specifically a lot of the women. Gillen and I have been doing a lot of gender stuff in our own ways, and this was a chance to amp that up, especially with the All-Mother taking over the throne from the departed Odin. Basically we'll see the kick off to the second Aesir-Vanir War and Thor is Asgard's general on the front line of it. In terms of important stories, it doesn't exist except in reference."

The Aesir/Vanir conflict rekindled? Thor a general, Loki as spy master? I am in.

Comments

[terrykun]

This sounds really cool.

When I first saw that preview image, with all the ladies geared up for war, my first thought was, "Fandrall, what did you do?!"

Also..isn't Hogun a Vanir himself? I definitely remember him being a not-Aesir, but I forget what it was...

[bruinsfan]

I think Hogun's supposed to be from some unspecified vaguely-Mongolian borderland of the Asgardian continent that doesn't have a source in Norse myth. Njord, Frey and Freya were the most prominent gods who were definitely Vanir, though by some accounts Heimdall is also from that group.

[kd_the_movie]

While im sure this will be enjoyable, im realllllllyyyyyy sick of internal clashing with the Marvels (even though this one makes sense given the climate of the Thor book) Fear Itself may not have been universally loved, but it was a step in the right direction by giving the heroes an actual threat to unite around and a big bad to fight.

[sherkahn]

Its the way of the world and history proves it time and again.. people are allies for a while, then turn on one another for different reasons.

I like it.

Asgard may be a grand place, but it's also not very nice happy-go-lucky place.

[mrstatham]

I have to agree with this. Marvel's been peddling heroes versus heroes for so long - even Dark Reign still got pulled into this since Osborn's crew were masquerading as heroes - that's it's just dull, these days.

Personally, I'm just sick of big events or just events in general. I know Marvel thrives on them, but an event every year and constant crossovers are just ridiculous. It's getting to the point where no books - even the supposed flagship books like Avengers or Uncanny X-Men, are allowed to build up steam with their own plot because every twelve issues there's some shit going down involving the whole MU. I know Marvel loves it's interconnected nature, but seriously. This story is going to get going whilst AvX is just about to wrap up, I think. It's insane.

[benuben]

This has been problem I had since Civil War (and some had it even before it). And I just love when Marvel anounced during "Heroic Age" nonsense "Great thing about Heroic Age, (which totaly means something), is that now we have open doors for all the characters to crossover." I so wanted to yell "What the hell have you been doing all this time!!!?". And I don't think I even have to mention "no more events" bullshit.

It's actually one of the best things about DCNU. Every book just tells its owns story. Except Animal Man and Swamp Thing, but that is perfect example of exception confirming rule.

[mrstatham]

The Swamp Thing/Animal Man crossover at least makes some sense, given the concepts have been tied together from the start, and the creators have had it in mind all along.

[kd_the_movie]

I never noticed that until you mentioned it.

And the thing is, there's the atmosphere that each book's individual plots don't really mean shit when compared to the crossover stories. Like when Avengers relaunched after Heroic Age the first fucking arc was a time travel story involving Kang and Ultron..THAT SHOULD BE SERIOUS FUCKING BUSINESS FOR THE AVENGERS....and yet AvX seems to matter wayyy more.

It wasn't always like this. And mainly its a Marvel thing. And I remember DC being really good about this. 90's-late 2000's were very character driven; with most of the books, you could skip crossovers entirely.

[lonewolf23k]

"Surtur is free. Surtur has a plan, and instead of applying the hammer technique of overpower shock and awe of the fury of Muspell, he applies techniques of guile and sabotage, and sets Asgardia against one another."

As much as I love Kid Loki, this one is kind of his fault: Not only did he free Surtur to send him against the Serpent, but he also showed the Fire Demon the value of subtlety and cunning...

Our young Trickster is going to have his work cut out for him, trying to stop Surtur this time.

[halloweenjack]

Awww, Thor and Loki are square-dancing.

[ex_cherrybomb869]

Gillen and Fraction do know that the Vanir aren't all ladies, right?

[eaglet_auditore]

I'll welcome an Aesir vs Vanir conflict anyday. I just don't want kid!Loki to go away. Please let him stay! Please let him stay!

But I am confused as of late: Wasn't Thor's mother (well, wife-of-his-father) Frigga, not Freya? Why am I reading Freya lately? ...Should I reread everything I have? My short term memory does tend to get lost with so few pages once a month to tell a story.

And cherrybomb reminded me of something: will we see Frey? Did we ever see Frey in the Thor titles? I believe that Idunn, Freya and Amora were sometimes the same person, or something...

[salinea]

It's Fraction who has short term memory issues *snorts*

[terrykun]

Marvel!Thor's birth-mom is Gaea. Frey/Frigga(?) was Odin's wife.

[sherkahn]

yeah, with Loki spying on other panteons, I think Gaea may show herself at the end of Everything Burns.

[eaglet_auditore]

At least Gaea is still the biological mom.

So, Marvel!Odin, who did you marry, Frigga or Freya? *Stares intently*

[pallas_athena]

In mythology, Frigga was Odin's wife and the chief goddess. Freya came to Asgard following the Aesir/Vanir war, and was essentially the Norse Aphrodite.

However, some people have theorised that the two were originally either aspects of the same goddess or both wives of Odin (Freya's husband's name is Odr.)

[bruinsfan]

When the Shining Ladies first appeared Frigga was one of their number (as one would expect), though apparently given a makeover to appear much less grandmotherly than in Simonson's era. But all subsequent issues have referred to that goddess as Freya instead.

[q99]

Asgard gets it as bad as Themyscira, doesn't it? Blow up or invaded every year or two.

[terrykun]

Well, in fairness, that's kind of how those Nordics roll. Ragnarok and the endless cycle and whatnot...

[eyz]

At least, They got an excuse unlike the Amazons :/

[q99]

True, it's just rather coming in short order though, isn't it?

[eyz]

Gorgeous!

[endis_ni]

Surely nobody would dare step to Volstagg the Valiant?

[sherkahn]

Except his wife. And don't call her Shirley.

[espanolbot]

Been watching too much Game of Thrones, I almost thought that the blond member of Volstag's group was Joffrey for a moment there.

Which would... make the dynamic of the group somewhat different, if it was a trio of characters consisting of Hogun, Volstag and Joffrey. The latter two would probably never stop slapping him for one thing.

[md84]

I wonder if this arc will follow the myths and end with Surtur being defeated by Yggdrasil itself.

[donnblake]

Eh? My understanding was that Surtr wasn't ever particularly defeated as such, just that when he rode out and covered the Earth in fire it was the end of this world, finally making way for the beginning of the new (the return of Baldr, Líf and Lífþrasir repopulating Midgard, the new Sun and Moon, etc).

I mean, I know some interpretations have the wood Líf and Lífþrasir hide in during Fimbulvinter and Ragnarok being Yggdrasil itself, so I guess Surtr is defeated in that sense, not being able to light them on fire along with everything else, or is there some more literal defeat that I've missed reference to?

[md84]

I'm no expert on Norse mythology, so I could be wrong, but yeah, the two humans hide in Yggdrasil, which even Surtur's sword cannot destroy. Which is kind of funny -- the thing that ends the spread of fire is a tree of all things.