This is one of the down-sides to ultimate collections and cross-title events: There are big ol' chunks which are missing/summarized, and sometimes it's not entirely clear where to go to read those missing pieces. ( )

Kieron Gillen first hooked me with Journey into Mystery. I was a newbie to comics and that was suggested as a good point to begin. I enjoyed that series so much that I decided to jump back in the timeline (but not too far). Since I wasn't too keen on Civil War, I decided to start with Straczynski's Thor, which had so many positive reviews, and work toward Siege. Gillen's Thor Ultimate Collection follows on Straczynski's storyline and continues into the aftermath of Siege.

One challenge of this collection is that it spans around the Marvel event Siege - meaning it includes material that happens before and after that pivotal story. But, the editors did a fantastic job organizing the structure. About two-thirds of the way through, there is a separation page of panels that simply say "The Monster's Rampage. The Traitor Redeemed. The Traitor's Doom. The telling Strike. The Final Strike. And the Villain Apprehended." Siege in a nutshell! This was very effective. Those who wish could put the book down, go to Siege and return. However, it isn't absolutely necessary. I was already familiar with the basic plot of Siege and was able to continue without any confusion. A testament to the skills of the author and artists is presenting the stories.

And these stories are excellent. I won't deny that Loki is my favorite villain and he figures prominently in this collection. This is fitting since he is the architect of Siege, though other villains take center stage for that conflict. But, I think Gillen has a particular flair for writing the Trickster. His machinations and schemes are par for the course, and made for very entertaining reading, but I was surprised to see a different side to him. Frankly, it was awesome to see Loki kick some a@@ "You have no idea what I am. No one does." And, it was also great to see him express regret - when no one is around to see it (e.g. not manipulation). The scene with Kelda is quite moving. Gillen gave the character a new dimension that lends credence to why Thor is willing to forgive and even miss him when he is gone. But, this is a Thor book and there is no shortage of amazing fights and noble acts of courage and sacrifice to keep a reader enthralled. And Volstagg throws a bit of humor into the chaos when he starts throwing his, ahem, weight around! Moreover, this Thor showed more wisdom than I am accustomed to seeing, and his journey through Mephisto's realm is an exciting way to end the collection. Gillen deftly continues Straczynski's story, carries the reader through Siege, and sets them up for Matt Fraction's Mighty Thor.

Finally, the production values of this book are top notch. The cover is thick and glossy, as are the pages. The colors are vibrant, the text legible, and the book is logically laid out with no bubbles creeping into the spine, and with section breaks with recaps to help orient the reader. Overall, this is an amazing collection and I cannot wait to jump into Siege. And, I hope to read more of Gillen's Marvel stories in the future. ( )