By d. emerson eddy — The second of the DC/Wildstorm approach to the IPC/Fleetway characters was from Alan Moore's Watchmen co-creators, Dave Gibbons and John Higgins, tackling Thunderbolt Jaxon along with Jonny Rench, Wildstorm FX, and Todd Klein. Three kids find some weird relics in the ruins of an ancient church, unwittingly unlocking the powerful weapons of days gone by and sparking an old rivalry of Norse Gods and Giants left walking the Earth.

Although it shared a similar cover dress and was emblazoned with “From the world of Albion” on the cover, Thunderbolt Jaxon is very much its own thing. Aside from being another IPC/Fleetway character, there's no overlap with what went on in the earlier series or mention of the other characters. I suppose it follows a similar remit when it comes to the approach to the characters, reimagining them into a world where they've disappeared, but this series takes a different route to get there.

It thrusts us into a world where the Norse gods have made a pact with Christian Crusaders and their One True God to divest themselves of their godly weapons and heritage to remain as immortals on Earth. It locks them into a kind of endless war on Earth with their counterpart in a tribe of Giants, but it allows them to avoid a third winter and complete annihilation as the new religion takes hold across Great Britain. In practice, this becomes a kind of gang war in present day, with some nasty, brutish, bigoted “gods” that Jack, Saf, and Billy have to navigate when they discover Thor's relics and are thrust into their war.

It's dark, especially as it goes to lengths to portray that the gods are by no means the “good guys”, but it's an interesting take on the mythology. It's beautifully brought to life by John Higgins, Jonny Rench, and Wildstorm FX who capture the grit of both the Viking warfare and modern day gangs. They create an atmosphere where it feels like it's constantly within a storm, complete with three elderly women—probably the Norns, but they also conjure images of the witches from Macbeth—acting as a chorus for the beginning and ending of the tale.

Thunderbolt Jaxon is a different type of Thor tale from Gibbons, Higgins, Rench, Wildstorm FX, and Klein. It is a somewhat dark reimagining for the times, but it never gives in to cynicism and maintains the kind of magic that originally made the character work.

Classic Comic of the Week: Thunderbolt Jaxon

Thunderbolt Jaxon
Writer: Dave Gibbons
Artist: John Higgins
Colorist: Jonny Rench & Wildstorm FX 
Letterer: Todd Klein
Publisher: DC Comics / Wildstorm
When he puts on a belt he finds while on a hunt for buried treasure, Jack becomes Thor and must find a way to use the his powers without harming humans while appeasing the superhero's father, who wants him to regain their kingdom.
Release Date: April 25, 2007
Buy It Here:  Physical

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d. emerson eddy is a student and writer of things. He fell in love with comics during Moore, Bissette, & Totleben's run on Swamp Thing and it has been a torrid affair ever since. His madness typically manifests itself on Twitter @93418.