Review by Jamie McNeil

Thorgal: The Battle of Asgard opens with Thorgal Aegirson hot on the heels of the men who’ve abducted his son Aniel (see Thor’s Shield), leading him to a seedy and suspicious port town. His quarry has upset the locals and Thorgal must rely on his wits and new friends if he hopes to free Aniel. Meanwhile, over in the Betwixt—a dimension wedged between Asgard and Midgard— Thorgal’s eldest son Jolan is set a challenge by the enigmatic sorcerer Manthor. His task? Nab a golden apple from the hallowed orchards of Asgard to restore divinity to Manthor’s mother Vilnya, an exiled goddess. With Thor’s Shield in hand and the odd but tenacious Army That Lives, Jolan has to use his cunning to navigate capricious gods and malicious challengers.

Yves Sente, the writer, deserves credit for shaking up the portrayal of Norse gods. Forget the noble, idealised figures Hollywood loves to serve up as Sente’s deities are closer to their mythological roots: fickle, vain, and more than a little petty. Every one of them has their own agenda, blinded by personal weaknesses and prejudices, only really caring about themselves. Loki, of course, is in fine form as the master schemer, doing his best to trip up Jolan with trickery and threats, all for his own twisted amusement.

Asgard has always had a presence in Thorgal’s stories, but previous series creator Jean Van Hamme tended to stick to classic fantasy tropes when he presented them. Sente flips that on its head, giving us an Asgard that’s breathtaking and magical thanks to artist Grzegorz Rozinski, but also uncomfortably recognisable, where the powerful play by their own rules and the rest are left to scrape by. Odin’s enmity with Thorgal and his kin for refusing to bend to the gods’ will has been a constant thread throughout the series, and Sente brings this arc to a conclusion here. Jolan’s tale is the main plot, and it meanders a little but is elegantly balanced by Thorgal’s exploits.

On the artistic front, Rosinski, co-creator and long-time artist, makes his years of experience clear in every panel.  as he conjures up a mystical Asgard brimming with atmosphere. Aged 70 at this stage Rosinski leans less on the minute details he rendered in his prime, but he has always been an adaptable artist. He’s lost none of that ability to make each character uniquely identifiable and he can still skilfully dictate the mood through his palette. The opening sequences (see sample) are tense, and a smoky tavern is evocative.  He may not be able to render a battle scene like he used to (see Lament of the Lost Moors), but his full-page encounters are graphic and engaging in a way that few artists have been able to match.

All told, The Battle of Asgard is a moody, immersive, and satisfying read. Sente and Rosinski have delivered while respecting Van Hamme’s legacy and paved the way for future plotlines in Thorgal and developments within the spin-off series Kriss of Valnor* and Wolfcub* which begin about the same time as the events here.

Sente and Rosinski keep their momentum in Thorgal: The Blade Ship.

*Both Kriss of Valnor and Wolfcub are currently only available on digital platforms, though translated by Cinebook.