A New Journey Begins in Marvel’s Thor: Metal Gods Episode 1

Serial Box (now Realm) has recently launched an initiative to bring the world of Marvel to a serial book (and audiobook) format. And the very first series to start it all is Marvel’s Thor: Metal Gods. Marvel’s Thor: Metal Gods Episode 1 begins the journey, introducing us once again to those two sons of Odin we love so much.

It seems like Thor and Loki just cannot catch a break. Once again, they’ve been pulled into a much larger plot, one that will eventually bring them across an ancient evil, space pirates, Frost Giant mercenaries, and who knows what else.

Marvel’s Thor: Metal Gods releases a new chapter each Thursday on Serial Box, so any curious fans should make a note of checking it out. And trust me, there are a lot of reasons to be curious about this one. For example, it’s written by Aaron Stewart-Ahn and Yoon Ha Lee. If you subscribe to the series, there will also be an audio reading available for each chapter. You might be a bit surprised to recognize the narrator, for the readings were done by Daniel Gillies (Vampire Diaries).

I should probably also mention that this is the first series of what we hope will be many. Black Panther, Jessica Jones, and Black Widow all have their own series lined up as well. And fingers crossed that they’ll add more if this series does well.

First Impressions

Marvel’s Thor: Metal Gods Episode 1 was a surprise for many reasons. I quickly learned that the title is, in fact, a direct link to the theme of the series. And a link to the mess that Loki mistakenly created. Though really, can Loki ever create chaos by mistake? …Probably.

Once over that initial shock, it was easy to get into this story. Loki was melancholy and godlike in ways that only Loki can be. Thor was likewise very much himself, once again putting the needs of others before his own.

We only have one chapter to go on (so far), but it’s already looking like Aaron Stewart-Ahn and Yoon Ha Lee have woven us quite the intricate tale. And they didn’t hesitate to introduce us to all of the important players in this series.

The plot itself is being a bit more elusive, and yet there are several hints or beginnings that could easily turn into something described as ancient and evil. And that’s enough of a hook to get me coming back to read/listen to the next chapter.

The Audio

As mentioned above, there’s an audio component for Marvel’s Thor: Metal Gods. That means that you can either read or listen to the series, depending on your mood. To get the full experience, I first read the chapter. And then I took the time to listen to it.

And I am very glad that I did so. Hiring an actor, Daniel Gillies, was a brilliant move on Serial Box’s part. The voice Gillies lent to this chapter was dramatic and evocative. I feel like Gillies was especially effective at diving into the emotions and expressions of the leading brothers (but doubly so for Loki). And that was a highlight while listening.

Conclusion

Marvel’s Thor: Metal Gods Episode 1 was the start to what is sure to be a thrilling read/listen. I, for one, am very much looking forward to learning more about the enemy, as well as the secondary characters introduced already.

This review was originally written for Word of the Nerd, but has been ported over to Quirky Cat’s Fat Stacks now that the site has shut down.