Journey to Mystery 626.1

Before I get into the review check out below this post for my honorable mentions.

My top pick this week was Journey into Mystery #626.1.  If you're confused by the the weird numbering its because Marvel wanted to give readers a chance to jump onto a series they haven't been reading. The .1 usually aren't part of the current storyline or is separated in some way to catch readers up on what the story is about. For the most prat this works and this issue just does it well it gives us exposition of the story, but does so as a character study of who Loki is now and it doesn't talk down to us gives us some nuance and lets us make our decisions about Loki.

A little back story  first, yes these are the Norse gods from mythology, only difference is their is more history now thanks to being a comic icon since 1949. Recently Loki died trying to protect Asgard from a calamity of his own making. Because of a deal he made with Hela to strike his name from the book of the dead breaking his cycle of death and rebirth. Thor found his brothers soul and brought him to life only now he is a child without out his years of villainy weighing him down. A child that does not understand why everyone seems to hate him. 

So in an attempt to understand every one's thoughts about him he summons a eldritch creature called a teller.  And one by one he listen in to the whispered conversations about him. From the warriors three who had celebrated Loki's downfall and lament Thor's decision to return Asgard's bane among them especially when Thor has suffered at his hands more than anyone. It is the conversation between lady Sif and Brunhilde (also known as Valkyrie) that raises the question about Loki we all should be asking:

Why is Loki still here? It is what bothers readers we're wondering if this is all one big scheme of Loki's another of his manipulations. Rodi, the writer of this comic, has kept things ambiguous about Loki.  We do not know his motivations. The fact that he is a kid now gnaws at my heart strings (I love Kid Loki) and I want to believe that he really has good intentions, he's still Loki mater of the long game (unless of course he's not anymore). Coming up he hears a conversation between Odin and Heimdall on what to do with Loki when Odin insists that he will not abandon any of his children despite Loki is not of his blood.

The teller now asks Loki if he wishes to hear what Thor says about him and Loki replies:

I love this scene look at Loki's face everyone has been talking bad about him bad his back and he's afraid of what Thor actually thinks about him. After this things quickly degenerate as the Teller seeks his payment some complicated metaphysics crap about taking Loki's story before it comes to pass. As the Teller attacks him Loki calls out for Thor who quickly arrives (he was on his way already) and banishes the creature. The comic ends with a touching scene between the two siblings where Thor tells Loki that he has to be patient, that trust and even affection will come from the rest of Asgard and that he'll protect him till it does.

This really was the top comic this week, I really love child Loki and the direction they are taking with the character and the question of can you trust someone who has lied their entire life? Can you really get a second chance to be better than you were? I think the panel were Loki is worrying over what Thor thinks of him is very telling and I love how the artist makes it clear that Loki isn't speaking the truth. The adult Loki would have spun a silver tale that we would only figure out at the last moment. This Loki doesn't have that experience he isn't a liar and a villain. Clever? yes. A trickster? yes. Is he hiding things from us? Oh yea. However that's in his nature as the kind of god he is I don't think he can help being secretive, but there is uncertainty there and so much love for his brother and I fear the time when adult Loki comes back because I love the dynamics of this character. So till next time this is the geeksplorer signing off.