Infinity Wars #2 Review/SPOILERS

[vitruvian]

On a very basic level, the whole idea was the vision of a single writer, Ewing. In itself it is not directly compatible with Loki’s traditional role, but it has a certain elegance and appeal to the modern self-referential style we often see in comics these days. Much like any expansion of a character it will sit in the canon and can potentially be picked up and expanded upon by future writers. However, writers don’t tend to retread other people’s ideas.

Ewing explored that aspect, he did what he wanted to do with it and the story is finished. Since then Arron has done his own thing. He acknowledged it in his story but importantly he didn’t give especial emphasis to the idea and Loki in his stories has been much more traditionally focused on Loki’s role as an inscrutable antagonist.

Of course that emphasis in Aaron’s story is no surprise. In Ewing, Loki was the protagonist. His character and motives could be explored more throughly. Essentially Ewing was seeking to put Loki back together and hand him on to future writers in a more usable and nuanced form. I don’t believe his contribution was specifically about making Loki the god of stories. Rather he used that conceit to allow him to achieve his desired outcomes. Aaron has no need to do any of these things. Loki is fit for his purpose without any self authorship aspect.

No writer would decide to undo Ewing’s story, so it is a fair comment to say until that happens this aspect will remain available to future writers. I just don’t imagine any writers will pick it up in the same way in the foreseeable future.

Whatever. Unless they specifically retcon, the Loki of the main universe is the same guy as Ewing's Loki, so would not be in any way surprised by metatextual stuff he already knows.

[JKtheMac]

Whatever. Unless they specifically retcon, the Loki of the main universe is the same guy as Ewing's Loki, so would not be in any way surprised by metatextual stuff he already knows.

But he is surprised. He didn’t know this information before. That’s in the story. As I suggested, I don’t think this is the same character anyway. I think this is either a different universe or a simulation. If that’s the case there is no contradiction.

Essentially though this is retreading the same ground as the coherence thread. This kind of comic book criticism is entirely counterproductive because comics will never have the kind of coherence you are advocating. They never have had it in any era.

[vitruvian]

But he is surprised. He didn’t know this information before. That’s in the story. As I suggested, I don’t think this is the same character anyway. I think this is either a different universe or a simulation. If that’s the case there is no contradiction.

Okay, you've convinced me. Since the Loki of the main/prime MU learned that he was a creature of story and how to use that to his advantage during Ewing's run, and has never been shown to lose that knowledge in any explicit way, he would not be surprised by the revelation of the comics. Therefore, this is a different Loki and different universe in Infinity Wars.

[JKtheMac]

Okay, you've convinced me. Since the Loki of the main/prime MU learned that he was a creature of story and how to use that to his advantage during Ewing's run, and has never been shown to lose that knowledge in any explicit way, he would not be surprised by the revelation of the comics. Therefore, this is a different Loki and different universe in Infinity Wars.

Ha ha. Well for the sake of the argument let’s hope it is a different universe. I need to reread the countdown tie-in with Merlin in it. In that I was convinced he was running the simulation.

(BTW I am more interested in what you think of my addressing of your Tolkien point in the other thread.)

[Daniel22]

Whatever. Unless they specifically retcon, the Loki of the main universe is the same guy as Ewing's Loki, so would not be in any way surprised by metatextual stuff he already knows.

Tons of stuff just...goes away. It's a thing that happened, and it might or might not be picked up again. If we're taking the stance that every thing still stands unless specifically shown otherwise, the whole concept of an airtight shared universe falls apart. There are whole websites dedicated to "Lost and Forgotten" story lines.

I don't know if this is some sort of other universe/simulation. I think in the end it will turn out to be very close to those things, though. We have magic and reality shifters running around, plus a time gem and a literal reality gem... I think it's going to be a sort of Secret Wars-lite ending, meaning almost everything gets put back together by someone... Almost everything. What's different?! What changed?! Tune in next week to find out!

[JKtheMac]

Tons of stuff just...goes away. It's a thing that happened, and it might or might not be picked up again. If we're taking the stance that every thing still stands unless specifically shown otherwise, the whole concept of an airtight shared universe falls apart. There are whole websites dedicated to "Lost and Forgotten" story lines.

I don't know if this is some sort of other universe/simulation. I think in the end it will turn out to be very close to those things, though. We have magic and reality shifters running around, plus a time gem and a literal reality gem... I think it's going to be a sort of Secret Wars-lite ending, meaning almost everything gets put back together by someone... Almost everything. What's different?! What changed?! Tune in next week to find out!

I just have the sense that something will be revealed and we will realise that some of the things we think are happening concurrently are happening in different forms of reality. Like a multiversal Westworld reveal. But unlike Westworld there are no heavy hints that allow you to work it out far too early for one’s own enjoyment.

When I see major characters like Thanos being killed I just start looking for how they will fix it without a reset.

Considering almost every story strand has some multiversal or alternate reality aspect it seems like there is more going on that meets the eye.

[vitruvian]

I just have the sense that something will be revealed and we will realise that some of the things we think are happening concurrently are happening in different forms of reality. Like a multiversal Westworld reveal. But unlike Westworld there are no heavy hints that allow you to work it out far too early for one’s own enjoyment.

When I see major characters like Thanos being killed I just start looking for how they will fix it without a reset.

Considering almost every story strand has some multiversal or alternate reality aspect it seems like there is more going on that meets the eye.

Of course, any story containing the Time Stone has within itself a perfectly legitimate means for what you might call an earned reset - and any story with Thanos seemingly dying since his return from being turned to stone way back when, an implicit acknowledgement that Mistress Death might just choose to kick her suitor to the curb again.

But yes, given the amount of multiversal stuff going on, especially the square jawed heroic Loki from the 'first universe', that may very well play a role in how things are resolved as well.

[Daniel22]

I just have the sense that something will be revealed and we will realise that some of the things we think are happening concurrently are happening in different forms of reality. Like a multiversal Westworld reveal. But unlike Westworld there are no heavy hints that allow you to work it out far too early for one’s own enjoyment.

When I see major characters like Thanos being killed I just start looking for how they will fix it without a reset.

Considering almost every story strand has some multiversal or alternate reality aspect it seems like there is more going on that meets the eye.

Thanos getting killed definitely signaled an impending reset button to me. Having Cap and Dr. Strange do the fusion dance just solidified my feelings, even though that can be undone without widespread changes.

I just don't want alternate reality versions/time displaced versions of characters brought into the 616. Extermination seems to be weeding some of them out of the X-Corner, which is great news to me. I hope the ending of Infinity Wars doesn't introduce new ones to take their place.