Warning: SPOILERS for Jane Foster & The Mighty Thor #4Two of the most powerful gods who ever served as Ares, the Greek god of war who served as an Avenger for a long time, Thor will have to escape from a prison built from his nightmares before everything he loves is lost forever.
Marvel Comics is apparently bringing back one of its most popular characters after a long leave of absence. Ares, who was simply one of the many Marvel characters lifted from mythology and ancient religion, rose to prominence in 2006 with the limited series Ares: God of War, and then by ing Iron Man's Mighty Avengers team first, and the Norman Osborn's Dark Avengers. Ares' time as a hero came to an end during the Siege of Asgard when the Sentry ripped him in half. After his inevitable rebirth, the character was not used much, until Ares became the primary antagonist in the current Punisher ongoing series. If that did not keep him busy enough, Ares also appears at the climax of an invasion of Asgard orchestrated by some of the worst enemies of the Golden Realm.
In Jane Foster and the Mighty Thor, a limited series written by Torunn Grønbekk with art by Michael Dowling and Jesus Aburtov, Thor is kidnapped and imprisoned inside Liveworld, the realm of the Dreamqueen. The bastard daughter of the demon Nightmare has been scheming with Amora the Enchantress and Tyr Odinson to destroy Asgard, and they take advantage of Thor's absence to mount a destructive attack on the realm of the gods. In issue #4, while Jane Foster travels to Liveworld to free Thor, the full plan of Asgard's enemies is revealed. During the battle, each one of the assailants murmurs a prayer to the god of war, until Tyr finally dedicates the conflict to Ares, summoning him to the battlefield.
While Marvel's "gods" usually derive their powers from their superior physiology and ability to channel cosmic forces, sometimes they can also draw strength from worship. Tyr's oblation has not only summoned Ares to Asgard, but also likely filled him with holy power, making the god of war even more dangerous. However, if Thor and Jane arrive to save Asgard (as is to be expected), Ares will need every ounce of extra power he can get. Thor recently inherited the Odinforce from his father, making him the All-Father and the strongest he has been in a very long time. The outcome of their epic battle, then, is very hard to predict.
Thor and Ares have, surprisingly enough, never faced each other before in Marvel Comics in a one-on-one battle. They have also not served on the Avengers roster at the same time either, making this the first time they have set foot on the same battlefield after the tragic Siege of Asgard. It is surprising that it took decades to come to this epic showdown, but soon fans will finally learn who, between Thor and Ares, is the strongest god who ever held the title of Avenger.
Jane Foster & The Mighty Thor #4 is now available from Marvel Comics.
