Welcome back to another episode of The Stack, a discussion on whatever comic books I happen to have laying around. Today we’re going to be talking about The Mighty Thor #1 written by Jason Aaron. This is a new issue in the Post Secret Wars era so spoilers will follow. This issue picks up directly after the Thor Goddess of Thunder story where we have just discovered the identity of the new Thor as Dr. Jane Foster.

While it’s still a secret to Asgard and wanted posters line the streets with the image of the masked goddess, her mortal self is very visibly suffering from breast cancer. A cancer that is only made worse by the activation of her godly powers when she picks up Mjolnir, due to her healing powers negating the chemotherapy she is undergoing. Despite the consequences, being the only person in the universe worthy of carrying the weight of the hammer Jane continues to save Earth from otherworldly forces.

The Mighty Thor #1 begins with Dr. Foster continuing her chemotherapy and narrating the pain she is going through in the process, “By the end of the week I’ll have realized for the hundredth time that, except for the dying part, having cancer is a piece of cake compared to getting rid of it.” This is a god who knows what it means to be mortal yet, upon hearing the news of a falling space station she picks up the hammer and flies off to save it.

This issue was a beautiful addition to Jason Aaron’s Thor series and features a massive fold out cover that foreshadows an epic battle between the ten realms, all with Thor and Jane Foster at the center of it. The question remains where the story will go from here. We have seen Thor become a prophet for Justice in the Secret Wars, exposing the truth about the false god Doom to the Thors in Doomgarde, and leading the charge to Castle Doom. Now it appears we are seeing the prophet suffer an agonizing slow death. What’s next? Reincarnation after a week?

Time will tell what’s in store for Dr. Foster and Thor. The growing threat of the Roxxon conglomeration harvesting oil and other resources for profit is going to force Thor to travel through the Bifrost and intervene eventually. I’m hoping there is some sort of magic that presents itself to save Jane from her cancer to save us from having to endure the loss of this great character.