What If Donald Duck Became Thor? #1 really just says it all right there in the title: what if Donald Duck became Thor?
Recently, Marvel has been taking advantage of their proximity to the House of Mouse with kooky “What If?” crossovers. To celebrate Donald Duck’s ninetieth anniversary, they published the What If Donald Duck Became Wolverine one-shot earlier this summer, and What If Minnie Became Captain Marvel is coming later in the year. This week, though, sees the release of yet another Donald-centric title in What If Donald Duck Became Thor? #1.
The premise, as with every What If, is right there in the title: What If Donald Duck Became Thor? While the prospect of Donald Duck becoming the Mighty Thor may sound strange at first, there’s actually a kernel of sense to it — Donald is very popular in Scandinavia (and Europe in general), even more so than Mickey Mouse. Why not have him wield Mjolnir in tribute to the part of the world that reveres him?
There’s really nothing else to know, and the comic itself is fairly straightforward, which makes sense because they likely want and expect young kids to read it. Although I’m definitely not a child anymore, I am a Disney fan —having literally just been at Walt Disney World a week ago— as well as a Marvel fan, so this is something incredibly targeted to me. It’s also just a very funny idea, and that’s often enough to justify something.
Steve Behling & Riccardo Secchi, credited with the plotting and scripting of the comic respectively, don’t take the concept too seriously, and that’s the right call. It’s inherently very silly and they deliver accordingly. Artist Lorenzo Pastrovicchio, however, does take it very seriously and as such provides perfectly whimsical visuals that will be appreciated by children and adults alike. Donald looks like Donald here, and that may be a given, but there’s no attempt made at subversion or trying to be unique with the material, which is another correct call. Color artist Lucio Ruvidotti enhances Pastrovicchio’s art with candy bright hues you would possibly expect from an old timey comic like the ones this is riffing on. What If Donald Duck Became Thor? #1 is just a very good, clean, fun package that could be enjoyed by anyone.
What If Donald Duck Became Thor #1
4.99
Credits
- Writers: Steve Behling (plot), Riccardo Secchi (script)
- Artist: Lorenzo Pastrovicchio
- Color Artist: Lucio Ruvidotti
- Letterer: Laura Tartaglia
- Cover Artists: Lorenzo Pastrovicchio & Lucio Ruvidotti
Credits (cont)
- Editor: Mark Paniccia
- Publisher: Marvel Entertainment
