Ockham Publishing, 2022 | Order from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or IndieBound
Verily, the back cover blurb reads...
We all know the Mighty Thor: Prince of Asgard, son of Odin the All-Father, and God of Thunder. He has long been one of the few in the universe worthy to wield the mystic hammer Mjolnir… until, one day, he is not. Soon, a new Thor emerges, a woman who commands the thunder and the hammer in ways all her own. She is none other than Jane Foster, and as she learns to be her own version of the Mighty Thor, the Odinson can only watch and wonder why he is no longer worthy, while this new Thor clearly is.
This is not just the story of two Thors, though. This is a tale of worthiness: what it means, how it can be lost, and how one can reclaim it. This is the journey of a god-prince, born and raised to be a hero who wields the ultimate weapon, who suddenly finds himself unable to even budge it and has to struggle to relearn who he is and what it means to be a god. This is also the adventure of Dr Jane Foster, battling the scourge of cancer whilst juggling the responsibilities of being a god, before being forced to choose between the two.
In this book, philosopher Mark D. White, author of A Philosopher Reads Marvel Comics’ Civil War and The Virtues of Captain America, introduces you to the world of Thor and leads you through the legendary saga of Jane and the Odinson, written by Jason Aaron and drawn by Esad Ribić, Russell Dauterman, and many others. Along the way, White draws on Western and Eastern thought, ethics and existentialism, as he explores the philosophy of self-worth and worthiness, as well as questioning the nature of gods in the Marvel Universe.
Written in his characteristic light style, A Philosopher Reads Marvel Comics’ Thor is the perfect mix of superheroes and philosophy, accessible to new fans as well as experienced Asgardian travelers.
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This is the long-awaited second entry in the A Philosopher Reads... series, following my book on the Marvel Comics "Civil War." It is a slim volume, about a third as long as the Civil War book (as well as my other books on Captain America and Batman). As the description above says, A Philosopher Reads... Marvel Comics' Thor: If They Be Worthy covers the seven years of Thor comics written by Jason Aaron in collaboration with magnificent artists such as Esad Ribić and Russell Dauterman, starting with Thor: God of Thunder #1 in January 2013 and ending with King Thor #4 in February 2020, covering four volumes of Thor comics plus miniseries such as The Unworthy Thor, War of the Realms, and King Thor. (To provide background for these stories, as well as the characters and concepts in them, I discuss plenty of older Thor comics too—the reference list is quite exhaustive, trust me!) You can read the introduction here to learn more about the book.
It is also the first superhero-and-philosophy book of mine that is not based primarily on ethics, focusing instead on different philosophical aspects of the concepts of worth and worthiness as suggested in the adventures of Thor from 1960s to today, plus other concepts relevant to the story, such as godhood, humanity, and mortality, all of which Jane Foster and the Odinson struggle with in their own unique ways.
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In the first review, Armond Boudreaux from A Clash of Heroes writes that:
Throughout the book, White draws upon a variety of philosophical traditions in order to help us better understand the fantastical ideas, characters, and events that make up Thor’s world. He deftly employs ideas from Eastern thinkers such as Lao-Tzu as well as Western philosophers like Immanuel Kant, showing not only how philosophically rich Thor comics are, but also how useful the philosophical tradition can be for helping us make sense of the world.
I have a number of podcast appearances planned, the first of which is with Leon and Alen at Seize the Moment:
I also spoke with Thor super-fan Ryan Does at Across the Bifrost:
And I reunited with my good friends Gwen and Rudy at Good Is in the Details:
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction (available to read here)
Chapter 1: Thor and Worthiness
What Does It Mean to Be “Worthy”?
What Do the Early Stories Say about Worthiness?
How Did Thor Finally Lift Mjolnir?
Chapter 2: Thor and Godhood
Let’s Talk about Godhood
Are Gods Worthy? Just Ask Gorr
Someone Begins to Doubt His Worthiness…
Chapter 3: Jane Foster, the Mighty Thor
If She Be Worthy
Who Judges Worth… and Who Should?
What Makes Jane Worthy? Just Ask Mjolnir
Chapter 4: The Odinson, the Unworthy Thor
The Self-Loathing Thor
On the Road Back to Worthiness…
…a Paradox Emerges
Chapter 5: The Two Thors
The Fate of Jane Foster
Passing the Name (If Not the Hammer)
Thor Odinson Once Again… But Is He Worthy?
Epilogue
Reading Guide for the Thor Comics
References
About the Author