Some long-forgotten narrative devices have come back to bite the God of Mischief in Loki's newly announced limited series. The different male and female variants of Marvel's resident maker of mischief have finally married into one being, and what better time is there to reckon with past mistakes than after a period of personal growth? Loki may not be doomed by the people they were before, but that doesn't mean they're fully free of the consequences of their past actions. A new creative team is getting their chance to follow Loki's steps into their new era, and the four-issue arc promises an adventure that will take Loki across the Marvel Universe and back.
Last week Marvel's announcement shared the solicit for the series' first issue as well as the cover for Loki #1. In of plot, the report teases that the four-issue arc centers on "a collection of ancient Norse weapons Loki crafted in his mischievous past. When they’re scattered throughout the realms, including Nidavellir, Kree space, and Earth, Loki must track them down to prevent them falling into the wrong hands." Loki is the only confirmed cast member, but the announcement also hinted that "readers will see Loki go head-to-head with iconic Marvel villains, provoke Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, and be forced to confront the dark truth that lies at his center."
Loki's New Series Follows A Period Of Upheaval For The God
Loki has long proven to be a star in their own right, but her arc as a character is still often subservient to whatever Thor's stories demand of them. This was handled most egregiously in Thor comics during Marvel's 2016 line-wide relaunch following Secret Wars, where all of Loki's development from their tenure as Agent of Asgard was apparently erased. Throughout the War of the Realms and on into their reign as the king of Jotunheim, Loki eventually revealed themselves to be more recognizable to the chaotic good God of Stories that so many fans had come to love. Nearly six years later, Marvel finally revealed that Loki's God of Stories personality had been hidden, dormant within Loki after Secret Wars, and now they're awake and integrated with the whole of Earth-616 Loki following the events of Defenders: Beyond.
Ancient Loki-forged magical weapons are an interesting hook for the series. Loki already is no stranger to using massively powerful weapons from across the Marvel Universe: their previous schemes have included the Infinity Stones, Thor's hammer Mjolnir, and the Eternity Mask. They've even had signature magic items for different eras: most recently the sword Gram, which was followed by Loki's personal scepter. But nothing is known about these mysterious new weapons that Loki created eons ago other than that they're Norse in origin.
Whatever these weapons from a bygone age of Viking sorcery turn out to be, it's clear that their presence has become a problem for Loki and the Marvel Universe at large. This new adventure comes at a time when Loki is more themselves than they've been in a while, and they're not beholden to any higher authority as Jotunheim's leader. With this in mind, the God of Stories is free to play any role they want, to take part in any number of adventures; liberated from narrative constraints in ways they never have been before. Truly, Loki can let loose until those old weapons come back to haunt them this summer in this all-new series.
Loki #1 will be available from Marvel Comics on June 7, 2023.
Source: Marvel Comics
