It’s teaser season in comicsland, particularly in the Marvel domain where the denizens of the House of Ideas have outdone themselves in a barrage of controlled “leaks” concerning their November titles. Is Marvel ceding September to DC, only wrench back the keys to the kingdom with a host of high profile projects in November? The latest Marvel quasi-revelation concerns Tanarus, a wizened warrior who is being touted as the “new God of Thunder,” and who debuts as such in The Mighty Thor #8. The Mighty Thor #8, which is being written by Matt Fraction and drawn by Pascal Ferry, is slated for publication in, wait for it, November.
Now where have we seen that figure before? Hmmm, that Y-patterned staff certainly rings a bell. Wasn’t Tanarus lurking in the back on the left hand side of the “Battle Scars” image that Marvel unveiled at Comic-Con (see “Marvel Saves the Best for Last”)? Could Tanarus be the post-Fear Itself mystery character who will be the focus of everyone’s attention? It appears from the cover of The Mighty Thor #8 that the new God of Thunder may have aged a bit (Comic-Con will do that to you), but it sure looks like the same guy (oops, God) from the “Battle Scars” image.