Thor vol. 2 #63Thor vol. 2 #63
Title: “The Follower”
Writer: Dan Jurgens
Penciller: Paco Medina
Inkers: Larry Strucker and Juan Vlasco
Colors: Brian Reber
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Trent Skoglund is walking with a bunch of his friends and his girlfriend after school. Someone asks if he is going skating. Trent says that he will tomorrow, but that he is busy tonight. Marcy asks if it is a date with Virginia. Virginia says that is for them to know. Trent wishes the others a good weekend as he and Virginia walk off together. He asks how she did on the calc test. She says that she aced it as usual and asks how he did. He says that his brain is fried from the first page. She suggests it might help to study. He says that she sounds like his mother about going to college. Virginia says that it’s better than working the boat. Trent says that he likes lobstering and that it beats school. Virginia says that it sounds like a hard life and that her father says that the waters are all fished out. Trent says that it is just a slow year. There’s a car outside Trent’s house. He says that his aunt must be visiting. Virginia asks if it isn’t weird having a nun in the family. Trent says that she is cool and that she has always been his favorite relative. They say goodbye after hugging.
Trent’s father, Lars, asks how school was. Trent says that it was fine and asks if there is anything to eat. Aunt Mary asks if she doesn’t even get a hello. He says that he is sorry, but that he just wanted to get some food first. Trent asks his father how the haul was. Lars says that it was a great haul today. Trent says that he doesn’t want to be rude, but that he needs to do some homework now since he and Ginny are going to the movies later. After Trent leaves, Mary asks Lars why he lied about the haul. Lars says that he is just a kid and there is no sense dumping his problems on him. Mary asks about college for him. Lars says that they will get the money somehow.
Lars walks into his room. The walls and shelves are covered with superhero items. Mary asks if he has a minute. Mary says that she can’t believe that he is almost an adult. She tells him if there is anything he needs that he can call her. He asks if she has something in mind. Mary says that life can just throw you curves. Mary points to Trent’s poster of Thor and says that it is like him. She says that he is stirring things up, and that she finds it kind of disturbing. Trent says, “But… he’s an Avenger!” Mary says that when he talked about being a god that she thought it was a bit, but that now that he is using it justify his actions that she finds it troubling.
Inside the church, the priest is talking about Thor and how they are not to place false idols before God. He tells everyone to reject Thor.
Outside the church, Lars is walking with, Virginia’s father, Charles. He asks if he can talk in private for a minute. Charles says that he hopes there is nothing wrong with Trent and Virginia. Lars says that everything is fine there. Lars says that they are fine. He says that he wanted to ask how things were at the bank. Charles says that times are tough and that everyone is hurting. Lars says that he isn’t surprised with the whole town dependant on lobsters. Lars says that he has never seen it so bad. Lars tells Charles that they are hurting and that he needs to know what his options are. Charles says that as soon as Lars gets off the water to come and see him. He says that he isn’t sure what he can do, but that he will try to help. Karen, Lars’ wife, says that looked like a heavy conversation. Lars says that they were just talking about the failings of the Red Sox. He asks what’s up. Karen says that she needs some cash for the church bake sale. She asks if he has a twenty. Lars hands her five. She says that won’t get her far, but he says that it’s all he has. He says that it is all he has and that he dropped his last twenty in the collection basket. He says that it doesn’t grow on trees. They hug.
The next day, Lloyd and a friend of his greet Lars on his boat. Lloyd says that he would have thought Lars would be on the water by now. Lars asks how to get excited when he knows all that he will find is empty traps. He asks Lloyd who his friend is. Lloyd says that he is Willie Lawson. He says that he came all the way up from Boston to help with the church. Lars asks if Lloyd hasn’t given up on that yet. Lloyd tells Lars that they have known one another a long time and that he thinks Asgardianism is the way to go. Lloyd says that they have been worshipping the wrong god all those years. Lars says that he can believe as he wants and that it is no skin off his nose. Lloyd says that he was hoping Lars would join them. Lars says that he was born a Catholic and that his sister is even a nun. He says that he can’t turn on that. Willie says that is very understandable. He says that Thorists are taught tolerance. He says that in Boston people are coming out of the woodwork to join them. He says that they see the good Thor does. Lars admits that lots of people are better off, but that he is an old dog and new tricks are hard for him. Willie says that he appreciates that and wishes Lars luck. Lloyd tells Lars that they will have a seat for him if he changes his mind. Lars thanks Lloyd, but tells him not to count on it.
Lars opens his eighty-fourth trap to discover that all of his traps had been empty. He wonders what he is going to do.
At the bank, Lars is telling Charlie that they are a year behind in payments on the house. He says that all their credit cards are maxed out, and that the only thing he has that is paid off is his boat. He says that he was hoping that Charlie would let him borrow against it. Charlie says that it is an old boat, and that he doesn’t know how much it is worth. Lars says that anything he could give him would be more than he has. Charlie says that it is tough to be a banker in a small town because you have to say “no” to your friends. Lars says that it is the only way he can get Trent into college. Charlie ask if Karen doesn’t work. Lars says that she works 50 hours for minimum wage. He says that it is just enough for them to eat meat a few times a week. Charlie says that the Board of Directors has forbidden any more loans to lobstermen. He says that he is sorry.
Mary is talking to Lars and says that the bank turned him down. Lars says that they will be coming for the house soon. Mary says that she didn’t know that they were struggling so. Mary says that she thought that it was just a slump like when they were kids. Lars says that the sea are empty. Lars says that he is 54 and that starting a new career is impossible. He says that he didn’t even finish high school and asks what chance he has when every guy in town is in the same boat. He says that it is humiliating to live off his wife. He asks why life is so unfair and what he did to deserve this. Lars cries. Mary tells him to have faith and that God will provide. She says that He always does. Lars says that not this time he won’t. Lars wipes off his face as Trent walks out. Trent says that there is a dance tomorrow and asks if he can borrow forty bucks. Mary says that dances have gone up in price. Trent says that pizza and soda cost money too. Mary says that this one is on her and gives him the money.
Lars is sailing on his boat at night during
a thunderstorm. Lars thinks how the $250,000 life insurance
policy is enough money to pay off his mortgage and send his son
to college. He thinks about how when the boat goes down, and he
drowns, that there will be no evidence that it was intentional. 
Suddenly
Lars’ eyes open wide as he sees Thor flying in the sky. A
bolt of lightning comes crashing through the sky. Lars’ boat
is thrown about on an ocean that is behaving in a way that he had
never seen in his sixteen years as a lobstermen. Lars looks up
and sees what he can only interpret as “divine
intervention”. He sees lobsters on the deck of his ship. He
says that the seas are full of them and wonders how it happened.
He watches Thor fly away.
Lars looks at his son’s poster of Thor and thinks about Mary’s words, “Have faith, Lars. God will provide. He always does.” Lars puts his hand on the poster.
Lloyd says that they are blessed. He says that the miracle has come and that the storm from yesterday has returned their livelihood. Willie, dressed in Thorlike clothes, says that they should give Thor thanks for this and that surely he is responsible.
Lars stands outside the Thorite church. He hold his cross in his hand.
Lightning Crashes rating: 4 out of 10
Okay okay we understand that people have their own religions and that anything new is a conflict of interest. I’m not really into seeing every single person in the Marvel Universe’s life story and their reaction to Thor. Get on with it please. Likewise I’m not really into Paco Medina. Manga annoys me and people drawing styles similar to manga also annoy me. Everyone looks the same which kind of ruins next issue’s big surprise.
Review and pictures by The Leader