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Thor by Jason Aaron Reading Order

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In 2012, Jason Aaron took over writing duties on Thor. Before that, Matt Fraction was writing The Mighty Thor, while Kieron Gillen was in charge of the Loki-focused title Journey Into Mystery. This was during Marvel’s Heroic Age initiative, which gave way to Marvel NOW! later that same year.

As part of Marvel NOW!, Aaron began his run with Thor: God of Thunder, with artist Esad Ribić. While Ribić didn’t stay on the book, which was renamed multiple times throughout the run, Aaron went on for almost seven years, finally ending in 2019 with the crossover event The War of the Realms. During that period, he explored multiple eras of Thor’s life, juggling between storylines in the past with a brash Young Thor, the present Avenger Thor, and the future All-Father King Thor at the end of the universe. 

During this period, the series introduced iconic characters such as Gorr the God Butcher and Jane Foster as the Goddess of Thunder. After being deemed unworthy of wielding Mjolnir, Thor Odinson experienced a prolonged identity crisis that explores his ‘worthiness’ as a God and a leader in Asgard. 

This era is now considered one of the most influential, next to Walt Simonson’s. It put back the emphasis on the Gods and focused on epic fantasy and cosmic adventures storytelling. 

Thor by Jason Aaron Comics Collection

From 2012 to 2019, Jason Aaron wrote about Thor throughout multiple series. There were some title changes, renumbering, miniseries, relaunches, and events. It can be a little demanding to follow, as Marvel Comics didn’t make the branding of the books as clear as it could have been. 

So let’s start with a short and non-detailed chronology of the multiple series published during Jason Aaron’s complete run on Thor:

  • Thor: God of Thunder (2012–2014)
  • Thor (2014–2015) <- Goddess of Thunder Starts Here
  • The Mighty Thor (Vol. 2) (2015–2018)
  • Thor (2018–2019) <- Thor Odinson is back
  • War of the Realms (2019)
  • King Thor (2019–2020)

Thor by Jason Aaron Omnibus

However, Marvel eventually did make it easy to collect everything with two notable collections. This run is wildly popular, and the House of Ideas provided options, starting with the Omnibuses.

This is the classic oversized hardcover book. The two volumes amount to over 2500 pages of story. It collects everything written by Aaron (but not the Original Sins event), but also some issues by others (Noelle Stevenson, CM Punk). Most of the art is by Esad Ribic and Russell Dauterman, but other artists worked on the series over the years. 

  • Thor by Jason Aaron Omnibus Vol. 1 
    Collects Thor: God of Thunder (2012) #1-25, Thor (2014) #1-8, Thor Annual (2015) #1, Thors (2015) #1-4, Mighty Thor (2015) #1-12.
  • Thor by Jason Aaron Omnibus Vol. 2 
    Collects Mighty Thor (2015) #13-23 and #700-706, Unworthy Thor #1-5, Generations: The Unworthy Thor & The Mighty Thor, Mighty Thor: At The Gates of Valhalla, Thor (2018) #1-16, War of the Realms #1-6, and King Thor #1-4.

Thor by Jason Aaron: The Complete Collection (Trade Paperbacks)

In a more affordable, but less prestigious format, the “Complete Collection” gathers Jason Aaron’s entire Thor epic across five trade paperbacks, presenting the saga in chronological order.

Thor by Jason Aaron: The Oversized Hardcover

The complete run of Thor by Jason Aaron has also been collected in separate oversized hardcover editions, but not into one banner, which may complicate finding them. Also, some of those books are already hard to find, starting with Aaron/Ribic’s Thor: God of Thunder series from 2012.

The “Goddess of Thunder” arc (aka Mighty Thor) was published under the title by Thor By Jason Aaron & Russell Dauterman.

Then, Marvel Comics just went with “Thor by Jason Aaron” but kept the numbering. 

Note: miniseries like The Unworthy Thor and Thors were never collected in this oversized hardcover format. Events like Original Sin and War of Realms are also not included in this collection.

Thor by Jason Aaron Reading Order: A Closer Look

Part. I: “Thor: God of Thunder”

Originally published from 2012 to 2014, the Thor: God of Thunder series was primarily illustrated by Esad Ribić and lasted 25 issues.

A trail of murdered gods stretches across time, threatening to engulf Thor’s past, present, and future. In the Viking Age, a young, arrogant Thor first encounters the aftermath of divine slaughter. In the present, the Avenger Thor investigates the disappearance of gods across galaxies. And in the far future, King Thor defends a dying Asgard alone. At the center of it all, a mysterious figure known as Gorr the God Butcher, an ancient being on a crusade to eradicate all gods. To stop him, Thor must uncover Gorr’s origins and confront a weapon capable of killing deities: the All-Black the Necrosword.

Part. II: Original Sin

Written by Jason Aaron with art by Mike Deodato Jr., Original Sin is a Marvel crossover event published in 2014. The story begins with the murder of Uatu the Watcher, a cosmic observer who has silently monitored Earth for eons. His death triggers a galaxy-spanning investigation involving the Avengers, Nick Fury, and other key heroes, as well as the explosive release of long-hidden secrets.

This is an important event in Thor’s story, as one event led to Thor being no longer able to lift Mjolnir. The hammer lies abandoned on the Moon, and no one, not even Thor, can move it…

For a detailed breakdown, see the full Original Sin Reading Order. But for what is essential to Thor’s story, here’s the short version:

  • Original Sin: Thor & Loki: The Tenth Realm
    Collects Original Sin: Thor & Loki: The Tenth Realm #1-5. This miniseries takes place after the opening of Original Sin, and it’s better to read it before the conclusion.
  • Original Sin
    Collects Point One #1 (Watcher story), Original Sin #0-8.
  • (Optional) Axis
    Thor’s hammer plays a role in the event, so it’s pretty optional, and it takes place before Thor #1.

Part. III: The Goddess of Thunder

With Thor Odinson rendered unworthy, a mysterious woman lifts Mjolnir and takes up the mantle of Thor. Known only as the Goddess of Thunder, she wields the enchanted hammer with skill and determination, earning the respect of allies and the suspicion of former foes. Meanwhile, Odinson—stripped of his name and power—continues to fight under the weight of his lost identity, seeking answers and redemption.

This is the launch of a new volume of the Thor series. Jason Aaron now mainly works with artist Russell Dauterman on the book.

Secret Wars 2015 - Thor by Jason Aaron Reading Order

This Secret Wars (2015) tie-in is written by Jason Aaron with art by Chris Sprouse. Set on Battleworld, the series follows a police force made up entirely of alternate-universe Thors (including Ultimate Thor, Storm Thor, Beta Ray Bill, and others) investigating a string of mysterious murders. It ties into the larger Secret Wars event, but stands on its own as a noir-style murder mystery with divine detectives. For full context, see the Secret Wars of 2015 reading order.

After Secret Wars, the Marvel Universe was reshaped in the wake of the multiversal collapse. This led directly into the All-New, All-Different Marvel publishing initiative, which relaunched many titles, including The Mighty Thor (2015) by Jason Aaron and Russell Dauterman, which continued directly from the story in Thor (2014).

The Unworthy Thor is a five-issue miniseries written by Jason Aaron with art by Olivier Coipel follows Thor Odinson in the aftermath of Original Sin, as he struggles with the loss of Mjolnir and his identity (it also reveals what Nick Fury whispered to him). It’s a story that set the stage for Odinson’s eventual return as Thor in the next phase of Jason Aaron’s run. 

Part. IV: Marvel Fresh Start’s Thor

As part of Marvel’s Fresh Start relaunch in 2018, Thor returned with a new #1, once again starring Thor Odinson as the sole bearer of the name. Written by Jason Aaron with art by Mike Del Mundo and later Cafu, this series picks up after The Mighty Thor and The Unworthy Thor, with Odinson reclaiming his role, though still without Mjolnir.

The story follows Thor through the escalating conflict of the War of the Realms, as he battles to unite the realms against Malekith’s growing forces. In parallel, Aaron also launched a new Avengers series in 2018, with Thor as a core member (but mostly as a supporting character).

War of the Realms logo 88
It was inevitable. The War of the Realms is Here. Malekith the Accursed has spent years waging war across the Ten Realms, conquering them one by one. Now, only one realm remains unconquered: Midgard, Earth itself. Thor must unite the heroes of Earth with allies from other realms, including the remnants of Asgard, to stop Malekith’s invasion.

While being a full-scale Marvel Universe event, it is also the climax of Jason Aaron’s Thor storyline, resolving major arcs from across the Thor mythos: Malekith’s rise, Loki’s ambiguous path, the legacy of Jane Foster, and the meaning of Thor’s “worthiness.”

For the full reading order, see the dedicated guide. But what’s required reading for following Thor’s story, the next two books are essential:

King Thor is a four-issue miniseries written by Jason Aaron with art by Esad Ribić. It serves as the epilogue to Aaron’s Thor saga. Set at the end of time, the story follows All-Father Thor, now ruler of a dying universe, as he faces Loki one final time, possessed by the All-Black Necrosword, the same weapon once wielded by Gorr the God Butcher.

After seven years, Jason Aaron left the title. In 2020, Marvel relaunched Thor under the Fresh Start banner with a new creative team: writer Donny Cates and artist Nic Klein. This run is now available in the Thor By Cates and Klein Omnibus, but you can find more details in our complete Thor Reading Order. 

As for Jane Foster, following the War of the Realms, she takes on a new role in the series Valkyrie: Jane Foster, written by Jason Aaron and Al Ewing, with art by CAFU. In it, she becomes the last of the Valkyries, taking on the duty of guiding the souls of fallen heroes to the afterlife.

Note: An earlier version of this guide appeared on our site in 2021. It has been refreshed and updated with new information and new images!

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