Craig Russel, Galen Showman, David Rubin, and Xulia Pison nail the assignment, making Norse Mythologyan essential read for fans of fantasy.Neil Gaiman has long been inspired by ancient mythology in creating the fantastical realms of his fiction. Thor's adventure with Hmir is one every fan of mythology knows, and yet Norse Mythology III #1 successfully tells it anew, and it's clear the entire creative team is all-in on the importance of finding new life in these ancient fantasies. Russell's scripting and Rubin's art embody this outsized sense of a world simultaneously more and less real, embracing a notion of scale that inspires wonder even in the issue's gorier moments. Rubin embodies the same creative instincts that have made Gaiman so successful, never embracing the obvious answer where something more imaginative and expressive is possible. Galen Showman's lettering is perfectly married to the story's layout and contributes immeasurably to the inviting tone, showing why comic fans are so quick to raise the importance of this underrated art form. There’s a charm in these myths, with their rampaging giants, elemental ocean gods and massive craft beers, which invite an older sense of imagination stripped of modern limits, and therefore brimming with color and character and vividness. Related: Dark Horse's Daisy Brings Biblical Horror to Life in Exclusive Preview

This first issue, adapting the famous poem “Hymiskviða” features Æsir Thor and Tyr on a mission to claim a massive cauldron from the giant Hmir, which ends in Thor fishing for the World Serpent, Jörmungandr. This love of myth exists throughout his works, especially his 2001 novel American Gods, and the 2007 motion picture adaptation of Beowulf co-penned by Gaiman, culminating in his 2017 novel Norse Mythology, from which this comic series (the third such series, each consisting of six issues) is adapted. An immensely satisfying part of the award-winning Sandman saga was watching Gaiman develop this discipline over the course of the series, incorporating dynamic and psychologically intense styles of older storytelling into his own modern myth-making. A constant proof of what the comcis medium can do, Gaiman has always shone brightest when he’s indulging his love of ancient myth and legend. Few names resonate with comic fans like that of Neil Gaiman, and with good reason.

Neil gaiman thor