ANOTHER COMIC BOOK DREAM TEAM

All right, Joey Q - put yer ears on cause here's my comic dream team for...

THE MIGHTY THOR

Writer: Jeff Parker

Pencils: Chris Sprouse

Inker: Al Gordon

Yeah, I know Marvel's got a Thor relaunch on the way by JMS and Olivier Coipel, but c'mon... I can't be the only one that's a little worried about it.

Oh, sure it's going to look pretty and no doubt it's going to be structured and paced well, but I can't help but wonder, especially having read about some of the changes they're making.

But I feel confident that if Marvel put Parker in the writer's seat and let Sprouse and Gordon handle the art chores, they'd have one FOOM-tastic Thor book on their hands, and isn't that what we're all looking for?

I don't think I really need to go into why Sprouse and Gordon would be a great fit. I've loved Sprouse's stuff since I first noticed him on Batman Annual # 14 back when I was just a wee lad of 11... in fact, he's one of the first artists I remember recognizing. He's worked with Alan Moore on Supreme and Tom Strong, and now with Garth Ennis on the Midnighter, and I can think of some pretty outragous things that he's been asked to draw. Handling Asgard and everything that comes with it should be no problem for the guy.

If you read Agents of Atlas, you know Parker's got a good handle on the Marvel U, both past and present. He doesn't take his work so seriously that he can't have a good time, and that's something I sorely miss about many of the mainstream Marvel books. For instance, I LOVE Brubaker's and Epting's Captain America, but I'll admit, I can't remember the last time I thought it was a fun read.

But don't get me wrong, I don't think Thor should be a laugh-a-minute kind of book. I mean, afterall, he is the guy that had his bones shattered by the Midgard serpent, and plucked his own eyes out... so, there's that to consider. Parker has a knack for bringing in some pretty weighty stuff when you least expect it, and I have a lot of faith in his ability to find the perfect balance on a book like Thor.

Bottomline it: I want Thor to be good, and if I was in charge of the ol' Idea House at 417 5th Avenue, these would be my boys - Parker, Sprouse, and Gordon.

CAN YOU MAKE IT HAPPEN, MARVEL?