Marvel Heralds the THOR #5 Creative Team

At the very end of THOR #1 was a promise that the All-Grandfather's cosmic adventure would continue in THOR #5, which will go on sale September 19. While there will be plenty of Thor to hold readers over until then, THOR #5 will not just continue writer Jason Aaron's epic tale, it will also carry on Christian Ward's amazing artwork! Marvel.com asked Aaron about what we can expect from the upcoming story, and Ward shared his creative inspirations and what it's like to draw Thor as an aging god.

If you've read THOR #1, you know that a very famous mutant made a surprise appearance at the very end. Wolverine, also as an old man, and also possessed by the Phoenix Force, showed up while Thor was sailing through the dying universe. But Jason Aaron's plans for Thor and Old Man Logan's new incarnation may not be what you're expecting -- and they certainly won't be alone:

"When [Thor] goes looking for answers and runs into his old friend Wolverine, a very, very Old Man Logan who's now in possession of the Phoenix force, Thor figures he's found an ally in his quest to save creation. But it's not quite that simple. By reigniting the fires of life on Earth, Thor has drawn the attention of some dark cosmic forces. If you thought Old Man Phoenix was wild, just wait until you see who else is about to join the party."

While creating a look for THOR, Christian Ward drew inspiration from a number of sources from "1970s rock album cover artwork" to other comic artists including Moebius, Frank Quietly, and Bill Sienkiewicz. He also cited "illustrators like Roger Dean but equally fine artists like Gustav Klimt." He added: "I used to be more of a fine art painter, and one of the things I love about space scenes is that they feel more like big canvas paintings with masses of swirling colors and layers of textures." Citing his past work on BLACK BOLT, Ward said Jack Kirby was also a big inspiration since he "wanted the universe to feel huge with endless color and possibility." To capture not just an older Thor but an older universe, he wanted the latter to seem "dead and empty yet still interesting" and used oil and rust for color themes.

As for drawing an elderly Thor, Ward said that "[d]rawing old faces is always easier. Lines in someones face tell their story." He added that with this part of Thor's story taking place "untold eons from now," that is a very long story. Ward continued: "Beyond just being old, Thor's tired so I wanted him to feel heavy. (His armor is a great way to emphasis that too!) But at the same time he's more powerful than he's ever been, so all that power's built up in him like a powder keg. We're going to see some of that explosive power in #5 and it's been really good fun to bring it crackling to life."

With the appearance by a Phoenix-possessed Wolverine at the end of THOR #1, THOR #5 promises to be a tale of galactic proportions!

THOR #5, written by Jason Aaron with art by Christian Ward, goes on sale September 19! Contact your local comic shop to pre-order your copy!