War of the Realms – Journey Into Mystery #5
“The Daughter of Odin”
“Demon or no, Laussa is still Balder’s (adorable) baby sister, so the team resolved anew to protect her. But while they were distracted by a convention of henchmen, Ares kidnapped Laussa!”
Published : June 19th, 2019
- Written by Clint McElroy Griffin McElroy Justin McElroy Travis McElroy
- Art by André Lima Araújo
- Cover by Valerio Schiti
The McElroy’s have done it. They were able to cap off this ‘tie-in’ story with an amazing stride. I have enjoyed the WotR headline story, don’t get me wrong, but JiM has been an absolute monster. We start #5 not long after where we were at number four. Ares has Laussa in his hell-on-wheels tractor trailer. Ares had been communicating with The Queen of Cinders through his radio via Firetooth? CinderTime? Just straight up magic? Well she seems to be distracted or off her game at first, but gets Ares his new orders. WHANK! Wonder-Man rips that damn passenger door off. Unkie Simon to the rescue!
Ares the God of War rips through the cab of the demonic semi-truck and slams Wonder Man to the ground. He really wants that baby. Simon does not strike him back. Ares cannot understand why Simon is holding back in fighting him in glorious combat. “How could a pacifist possibly hope to protect a baby from ME?” Now, the answer is the best line of all five issues. “Movie magic, Jagweed!” Oh Simon…
Ares raises his war ax to end Wonder Man. THWIP! Miles slings the ax away. Now Spider-Man is in possession of Laussa. Miles jumps and swings Ares’ helmet sideways. Ares lets them know they have not stopped anything. Ares knows that blood must be shed to stop him, he craves that. Wonder Man and Spider-Miles aren’t going to get that done. But wait there’s more! They were only a distraction! SMASH! Simon’s RV just smashed The God of War!
But wait there’s more again! I’m wearing that one thin. Ares was ridin’ dirty in that trailer. Fire Demons! ALL HAIL THE QUEEN OF CINDERS! These guys are terrifying. The team faces off against the demons. Thori bites a leg, Kate throws some bolts, and Death Locket lights them up. The team has got some moves. Ares gets a hold of Sebastian Druid who is currently watching the baby. Sebastian takes Laussa and puts her into a magical pocket in his Big Lebowski over coat. Plop! Laussa falls onto a bean-bag chair in Arizona.
Ares tosses Druid like a rag doll who is rescued with a Thwip! Ares is after Laussa because he was promised the sweet death on the battlefield and a walk through the Elysian Fields to meet his family. Balder ends this fight with a magical light show. Ares has the second best line of the series, “WHO…ARE…YOU…PEOPLE?!” We’re just the babysitters!
It matters not, Ares says, who they are. He was led by the divine assistance of The Queen of Cinders…Well… It wasn’t her. Kushala, the Ghost Rider-Sorcerer Supreme of her time. She hijacked Ares’ radio frequency. Ares wants to know why. Her response is, “she asked me to.” They all turn to the one who summoned the demons and ghosts in the first place, Laussa. She has orchestrated this entire trip; where they went, who they met. All at Laussa’s design. Thori points out that even as a baby, Laussa is still a goddess and of Royal Birth of Asgard. Nothing is beyond the realm of possibilities.
Balder looks out. He understands now. The war had ravaged all realms and Laussa has taken it upon herself to help end it. She did what any teen or adult royal would do…She amassed her army. Kushala tells the team that Laussa is a mixture of the demonic and the divine, she can influence the hearts of mortals, immortals, and spirits. Ares wants to know, why him though? Laussa takes her first steps and walks to Ares. She just touches his face. Ares agrees to join the team.
The team finally makes it to the Helicarrier that Death Locket promised. The team makes it to the Avengers Mountain. The Skrulls find a home, the ghosts find a home, and most of all, the hence-people found a home (see an earlier issue). The team approaches a meeting led by Lady Jane Foster, All-Mother of Asgard. Thor thanks the team for their service in keeping Laussa safe. It’s time to end a War of the Realms.
Man, that still puts chills down my spine. What an amazing tale. I hope this isn’t the last time we see this team. BUT i really hope it is not the last time we see Laussa. Even as a baby, she carried her weight in the story through all five issues. I say this a lot, but I cannot wait for the future of comics. We live in an exciting time of change.
8/10
Beta Ray Greg is the Comic Critic for SoBros Network, the ‘Fangtastic 5K 2018 Mr. Irrelevant.’ The man has the single most impressive spreadsheet in existence that is used to document his historic collection. He’s a big time Spider-Verse guy. Follow on Twitter: @BetaRayGreg.
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