Walt Simonson’s work on The Mighty Thor still marks the most legendary heights ever reached by the series and it all began with the introduction of a horse-faced, hammer-wielding alien beloved by Marvel diehards, but seemingly too strange for wider audiences: Beta Ray Bill. Bill’s first appearance captured the Marvel Comics tradition of going big with a bold design including a skeletal face and powerful frame combined with a tragic backstory; Bill was found worthy of wielding Mjolnir after having been horrifically transformed to protect his alien race as they searched space for a new home. It’s a potent and strange tale, one that has continued to attract readers for almost 40 years. It also makes the pairing of Beta Ray Bill with a modern comics writer and artist renowned for their impactful layouts, rich design work, and explosive narratives an obvious choice. Beyond some awkward place setting in Beta Ray Bill #1, Daniel Warren Johnson’s Marvel Comics miniseries debut speaks to the power and potential in both of its leading men.
