Journey Into Mystery #651 Review

Writer Kathryn Immonen takes a break from multi-issue storytelling with Journey Into Mystery #651, a funny, heartfelt one-shot that gives us a look into the day-to-day life of Asgardia’s finest heroes. It’s a light romp that shifts the focus from Lady Sif to her extended family as what could have been a quiet night in turns into a knock-down-drag-out fight during which Thor can’t be bothered to put on much more than a bed sheet.

Journey Into Mystery #651 begins with Volstagg telling his arm of Asgardian brats a bedtime story and Immonen weaves that fairy tale quality throughout the issue. This tall tale owes a debt of gratitude to Little Red Riding Hood, as Immonen borrows the trope of a little girl stumbling upon a big, bad wolf—in this case, the vicious Fenris—complete with a hooded red cloak.

The issue is filled with loyal dogs, troublemaking dwarves, and a deficit of propriety. Immonen has written a strong contender for line of the week as Thor, resplendent even in the nude, swears that he will deal with the threat of Fenris as a scandalized Fandral shields his eyes, muttering “Deal with thine pants.” It’s that sort of clever quip that makes Immonen’s JiM such a pleasure to read.

Pepe Larraz’s art is joyous and energetic, just as an Asgardian interpretation of an old fairy tale should be. Jordie Bellaire’s colors are a saturated, vivid delight without verging into saccharine territory. This issue of Journey Into Mystery is a nice respite from the multi-issue arcs that dominate monthly comics. Sometimes, all you want is a well-developed single issue to curl up with and Immonen, Larraz, and Bellaire deliver just that.

Melissa Grey is a lover of all things cats, comics, and outer space. She can be found on MyIGN at MelissaGrey or lurking on Twitter @meligrey.