Review by Frank Plowright

While it may have delivered on power and energy, The Devourer King’s plot didn’t hold up, but in Prey Donny Cates picks up the slack and runs with the interesting developments introduced before Galactus interrupted. Thor is now king of Asgard, but senses there’s something not quite right, a manifestation of which is that he’s finding it increasingly difficult to hold Mjolnir, his traditional hammer. Conversely, others seem to have no trouble picking it up, which is unusual.

Aaron Kuder draws the opening two chapters addressing this very elegantly, while also finding the time to include some joyfully sentimental moments, and a fun disagreement with Iron Man. The charm continues into the title story as Cates reintroduces Don Blake, the human alter ego Thor’s found unnecessary for many years of continuity. Needing a break from his troubles he decides to resurrect Blake and spend time as an ordinary human again, although there is a clever ulterior motive. However, the unravelling of Asgard’s ancient magics has also affected Blake…

After the comparative disappointment of The Devourer King, ‘Prey’ fulfils the promise for this run. The previous story required definitive messing with Galactus, and this requires the same of Blake, but the difference is that he’d long been surplus to requirement. Cates also deals with numerous people having stood in for Thor in the past and retaining some of his godly essence. For the time being at least that dilution is halted, and as Cates has researched well, there’s a parade of delights for older Thor fans. Well, perhaps not if Red Norvell was your favourite Thor.

All seems lost, and Klein draws the horror and desperation with the same skill applied to the power and energy last time. It’s another great artistic performance and very different from Kuder’s stunning precision. It’s notable that after all these years Klein’s given Odin a makeover. The shaggy-haired hobo look is gone, replaced by the cropped hair and beard of the Minnesota frontiersman.

A few small items such as not explaining why Lockjaw is now in Asgard might have been addressed, but everything leads very satisfactorily to a gruesome ending. Altogether it’s what was wanted last time, and it’s by some distance the best of Cates’ time on Thor. Revelations follows.