Loki Appreciation 2018

[markstony]

I see in this new loki a part of his frost origin and that makes me happy.

[Toxicspy]

I've asked Lee about the differences between the concept art and the panel (link)

Here's what he answered:

"The concept art was designed months and months ago and based on Al’s idea to have him missing a tooth and barefoot. Both ideas threw me at first but I love them now. Originally he still had sleeves, gauntlets, gloves and longer hair but I preferred the dirtier, messier hair and Wil, our editor suggested no sleeves either, which worked great and seemed to free him up a bit.

My initial concepts were probably closer to movie Loki. As the costume and hair developed, I kept the original face as there was no point redrawing that over and over. The image was only ever about clothing and element detail though.

I much prefer the end result on page 20 to the concept art, personally. There’s more character in it and he seems more interesting and ‘other’. I’m sure he’ll develop as I go. That was the first time I’d drawn him in situ (and at 2am iirc) so I’m still getting a feel for him."

So... I don't know... maybe this Goblin faced Loki is the one he's gonna draw for now on. It's wait and see, I guess.

oh mannn, I was hoping it was just the way it was drawn in the panel. Well, I think it could still work and I do think it may just be because he is moving in it, but who knows until he draws more of him. He still looks pretty good, its just his face makes it seem odd in it. Also, dang he answers every question you ask him.

Anyways, I wonder if this Loki will still use a sword or not to fight, or was that only because he had gram at the time? Also, I do wonder if Loki was somehow partially responsible for starting secret wars or maybe sending King Loki into the battleworld right away? Because as soon as Loki disappeared, time flashed forward for King Loki and he mentions that he broke time. I haven't been paying attention to anything related to it so I could be way off on that assumption.

[kaimaciel]

oh mannn, I was hoping it was just the way it was drawn in the panel. Well, I think it could still work and I do think it may just be because he is moving in it, but who knows until he draws more of him. He still looks pretty good, its just his face makes it seem odd in it. Also, dang he answers every question you ask him.

Anyways, I wonder if this Loki will still use a sword or not to fight, or was that only because he had gram at the time? Also, I do wonder if Loki was somehow partially responsible for starting secret wars or maybe sending King Loki into the battleworld right away? Because as soon as Loki disappeared, time flashed forward for King Loki and he mentions that he broke time. I haven't been paying attention to anything related to it so I could be way off on that assumption.

I can't believe we have to wait until late May to know.

Also, I'm kinda sad about his answer... As I said, really, really liked the concept art a lot better, but he's the artist so he's the one who decides.

[markstony]

I hope perhaps lady loki is A-Force.

[kaimaciel]

I hope perhaps lady loki is A-Force.

I would prefer if he showed up during Kieron Gillen's Siege alongside Leah and Miss America! That would be so awesome (assuming Kieron doesn't end the tale tragically).

[markstony]

I would prefer if he showed up during Kieron Gillen's Siege alongside Leah and Miss America! That would be so awesome (assuming Kieron doesn't end the tale tragically).

that sounds good!

[markstony]

Sleipnir is lokis son in canon the bird calls him, mother of the gods.

[markstony]

Loki and Sleipnir
by Anstay

[Seastone]

I can't believe we have to wait until late May to know.

Also, I'm kinda sad about his answer... As I said, really, really liked the concept art a lot better, but he's the artist so he's the one who decides.

There's always the chance we'll get a teaser panel or something before the next issue and get a better idea of what New Loki looks like early. Since they aren't hiding the big reveal any longer, there won't be as much of a need not to show anything. I'm hoping at least. Sooooo much waiting otherwise.

Sleipnir is lokis son in canon the bird calls him, mother of the gods.

I'm not sure about that. Loki's title for that relationship in mythology is "Mother to Horses". "Mother of Gods" in context could just be describing the immense creative power of storytelling.

[Raye]

There is no right opinion or wrong opinion. We're allowed to love or hate a character's design as much as we want. Specially since we pay to see said character.

That doesn't give the disappointed fans the right to insult the creator or be incredibly rude to those who like it, but it also doesn't mean that other fans can force those who don't like the new look to "accept it because it's cannon".

As for Loki, I like the concept art, I found it sexy in a different way from Jamie MacKelvie's design which was also great and I loved when it came out a year ago. As for the panel where he appeared, not so much... Maybe it was just that panel that gave me this bad impression of a Goblin and I might like the next ones. I have to see more of him for form an opinion.

My opinion is just that, my opinion. I'm not saying is better or worse than anyone else's.

My problem with some of the fans is not so much that they don't like it, everyone is entitled to their opinion and not everyone will like everything. It's the ones who are either excessively reactionary, or are upset because it goes against FANON. Some of them are upset because they created this idealized version of him which is MUCH more tame than what we actually had. And they are upset that it is incompatible with THAT, rather than what was actually appearing in the books. It is clear that this new Loki is wild, unpredictable, probably a bit unstable and weird, and probably lacking some of the more endearing 'nice guy' qualities he had developed in Agent of Asgard, and which had been exaggerated to be the whole of his persona by some fans. so it's completely incompatible with the nice guy poor victim persona he had in some fan's minds, except they are ignoring some of what was printed in order to get that. So I can understand the "accept it because it's canon" to an extent, because a chunk of fans are upset over losing something that never existed, or at least are omitting part of the picture.

Oh, speaking of omitting part of the picture. Anyone else super curious what's under the 'redacted' square? Is it a design element they decided to not use in the end, or is it a spoiler?

He's not calling them other people. They're part of him--parts of him that have hated himself--and I think he's finally realized that. He couldn't change by pretending to be someone else. First, he had to accept who he really is, so that he could really and truly be different. Part of him will always hate himself, but he doesn't have to let that part win.

The way that storytelling has been so important from the start of AoA and that this arc has reflected parts of Campbell's The Hero with a Thousand Faces can't be a coincidence. He's well and truly suffered ego death, but this is the hero's journey version of it. He's gone to the abyss and had his rebirth now. Things may change, but he held on to what's important so that his true self can live. The Loki we just spent thirteen issues with is only gone because he's grown past that. He's moving forward and changing in the way he chooses.

Yeah, he has kept some parts of himself, it's just that he had been spending so long trying to pretend those parts weren't him that he seems pretty different with him accepting them. I'm pretty sure that as the next few issues progress we will see more of the things he kept and he will start to feel a bit more familiar, even if some parts are different.

I've asked Lee about the differences between the concept art and the panel (link)

Here's what he answered:

"The concept art was designed months and months ago and based on Al’s idea to have him missing a tooth and barefoot. Both ideas threw me at first but I love them now. Originally he still had sleeves, gauntlets, gloves and longer hair but I preferred the dirtier, messier hair and Wil, our editor suggested no sleeves either, which worked great and seemed to free him up a bit.

My initial concepts were probably closer to movie Loki. As the costume and hair developed, I kept the original face as there was no point redrawing that over and over. The image was only ever about clothing and element detail though.

I much prefer the end result on page 20 to the concept art, personally. There’s more character in it and he seems more interesting and ‘other’. I’m sure he’ll develop as I go. That was the first time I’d drawn him in situ (and at 2am iirc) so I’m still getting a feel for him."

So... I don't know... maybe this Goblin faced Loki is the one he's gonna draw for now on. It's wait and see, I guess.

Well, keep in mind that Lee is only on the book for 4 more issues. He did create the design and will define it, but at this point it is more up to who follows him what it ends up looking like long term, particularly the face. We will have to see what Russel Dauterman does with him, as well as whoever else is handling Loki after Secret Wars. Dare I hope for Esad Ribic? He did good things with this new Loki int he one whole drawing he did of him.


The costume is wrong, we've already learned that he was just drawing whatever, Lee's costume may not have been designed, but the face.

oh mannn, I was hoping it was just the way it was drawn in the panel. Well, I think it could still work and I do think it may just be because he is moving in it, but who knows until he draws more of him. He still looks pretty good, its just his face makes it seem odd in it. Also, dang he answers every question you ask him.

Anyways, I wonder if this Loki will still use a sword or not to fight, or was that only because he had gram at the time? Also, I do wonder if Loki was somehow partially responsible for starting secret wars or maybe sending King Loki into the battleworld right away? Because as soon as Loki disappeared, time flashed forward for King Loki and he mentions that he broke time. I haven't been paying attention to anything related to it so I could be way off on that assumption.

That is something to ponder. It wasn't entirely clear before if King Loki and King Thor had experienced Secret Wars already or not, but now we see that King Thor is in Thors, and King Loki seemed surprised at the incursion, so it's looking like they HAVE NOT. so... did King Loki traveling back in time, or maybe Loki re-writing his role (?) do something to start a chain reaction?

While Gram is gone, Loki still has Lævateinn, so it would not surprise me to see him using that.

[rpmaluki]

Oooohh, what I would give to have Ribic take over, I can hardly breathe. Dauterman is awesome too but if I had to choose, Ribic is my first choice.

[kaimaciel]

My problem with some of the fans is not so much that they don't like it, everyone is entitled to their opinion and not everyone will like everything. It's the ones who are either excessively reactionary, or are upset because it goes against FANON. Some of them are upset because they created this idealized version of him which is MUCH more tame than what we actually had. And they are upset that it is incompatible with THAT, rather than what was actually appearing in the books. It is clear that this new Loki is wild, unpredictable, probably a bit unstable and weird, and probably lacking some of the more endearing 'nice guy' qualities he had developed in Agent of Asgard, and which had been exaggerated to be the whole of his persona by some fans. so it's completely incompatible with the nice guy poor victim persona he had in some fan's minds, except they are ignoring some of what was printed in order to get that. So I can understand the "accept it because it's canon" to an extent, because a chunk of fans are upset over losing something that never existed, or at least are omitting part of the picture.

Oh, speaking of omitting part of the picture. Anyone else super curious what's under the 'redacted' square? Is it a design element they decided to not use in the end, or is it a spoiler?



Yeah, he has kept some parts of himself, it's just that he had been spending so long trying to pretend those parts weren't him that he seems pretty different with him accepting them. I'm pretty sure that as the next few issues progress we will see more of the things he kept and he will start to feel a bit more familiar, even if some parts are different.



Well, keep in mind that Lee is only on the book for 4 more issues. He did create the design and will define it, but at this point it is more up to who follows him what it ends up looking like long term, particularly the face. We will have to see what Russel Dauterman does with him, as well as whoever else is handling Loki after Secret Wars. Dare I hope for Esad Ribic? He did good things with this new Loki int he one whole drawing he did of him.


The costume is wrong, we've already learned that he was just drawing whatever, Lee's costume may not have been designed, but the face.



That is something to ponder. It wasn't entirely clear before if King Loki and King Thor had experienced Secret Wars already or not, but now we see that King Thor is in Thors, and King Loki seemed surprised at the incursion, so it's looking like they HAVE NOT. so... did King Loki traveling back in time, or maybe Loki re-writing his role (?) do something to start a chain reaction?

While Gram is gone, Loki still has Lævateinn, so it would not surprise me to see him using that.

Russel Dauterman will be the new artist? Where did you see that info, Raye?

[Shura]

Well, if Loki is going appear in Thor´s book sooner or later Russel Dauterman would be artist, honestly I don´t think that Agent of Asgard it´s gonna last much longer after Secret Wars, and if Loki remains with a solo series it´ll be a relaunch with a different name, because "agent of asgard" doesn´t fit anymore.
I would love to see Esad Ribic drawing this new Loki (well...any Loki) he might didn´t know how the costume was going to be, but I´m sure he knew about his current status quo, that would explain the point ears that makes him looks more wild and of course the broken horn and missing tooth
About King Loki surprises with the incursions...it´s weird because he notices that 8 months passed looking outside, but he said "that´s new"? so I don´t know, but if he and King Thor didn´t experienced the Secret Wars, then Loki´s role could be more important than we think.
One thing I like about this new version it´s that he looks secure like if he is enjoying what he´s doing, look at the last page of the last 4 issues and how miserable and lost he was.
mmmm by the way...where´s the bracelet? something about the "redacted" square?

[Raye]

Russel Dauterman will be the new artist? Where did you see that info, Raye?

No, I just meant when Loki finally shows up in Thor. He's due to appear soon. (pretty sure this is the longest stint Thor has gone without Loki appearing. 25 issues of God of Thunder + 7 so far of Thor. coming up on 3 years of Loki-less Thor books unless you count the Tenth Realm. oh wait, i guess there was the annual... but that story was set in the past)

and yeah, pretty sure Agent of Asgard is done with issue 17. But I do think he is getting a new book, it's just that we don't have very much info yet on what that book may be like. It could be another solo, he could be joining a team (though his new version of him doesn't exactly scream 'team player' to me, but you never know) no idea.

[marvelousmetalmouse]

Storyteller Loki seems like the sort of Loki that would ask for your turkey leg and take it before you had a chance to answer. Like, he has the naughty streak of classic Loki but without the malevolence.