Finally found my copy of MarvelĀ“s Loki collection (by Rob Rodi (writer) and Esad Ribic (artist)) and read it again - and I have to say: read it. You really, really miss something if you donĀ“t. It is breathtakingly brilliant. It frustrates you, it makes you cry and it makes you understand.Ā
HereĀ“s the summary written by Rob Rodi. Read this and then decide if you want to read the whole comic. :) Already the summary is great and brought tears to my eyes.Ā
Feel free to comment on this.
LOKI will take a long, hard look at one of MarvelĀ“s most complex villains. For two decades readers have heard ThorĀ“s side of the story. Now itĀ“s time to hear LokiĀ“s.
This 4-issue miniseries will prove that there are always two sides to every story. Just as John GardnerĀ“s landmark novella Grendel deconstructed the Beowulf myth, allowing readers to see the legend from the monsterĀ“s point of view, LOKI will reveal the dark nooks and crannies of asgardian legend from the perspective of OdinĀ“s least favorite son. In this story LokiĀ“s insatiable lust for power, his conflicted sentiments toward Sif, his antipathy toward Balder, and the deep-seated feelings of longing and resentment toward his older brother, Thor, and uncaring father, Odin, will take on new meaning.
We open with Loki in charge of Asgard. HeĀ“s somehow managed to topple the Allfather Odin from power, has had the whole court - Balder, Sif, Warriors Three - imprisoned, and heĀ“s parading his older brother Thor through the streets in triumph. Most of Asgard is, of course, horrified by the sight of ThorĀ“s humiliation. But that only delights Loki all the more. He really rubs their noses in it.
The parade over, Thor is returned to Prison - or better yet, put in public display. Loki returns to his quarters. He finds Hela, Goddess of Death, waiting for him.Ā
Thor, she tells him. ItĀ“s no secret that she`s long desired the Thunder God`s soul, but never been able to win it on her own. Now that Loki has defeated him, sheĀ“s come to claim it.
Loki protests; he has no intention of killing Thor.
Hela scoffs; he must kill Thor. After all, if he doesnĀ“t, Thor will soon escape and take Asgard back, just as heĀ“s defeated Loki time and time again.Ā
Loki is shocked by this. HeĀ“s never considered killing Thor. All heĀ“s ever wanted was ThorĀ“s humiliation. But Hela has a point. Loki was the Trickster God; now that heĀ“s played his ultimate trick, he must become something else - as Lord of Asgard. He must change. Alter. And this transformation must begin with ThorĀ“s execution.
If he can bring himself to do it.Ā
Loki goes off by himself, and tries to convince himself that Thor deserves to die. He recalls his boyhood, when he was brought into the asgardian royal family - as Loki sees it, to function as a counterpoint to ThorĀ“s perfection. HeĀ“s convinced that all Odin ever wanted from him was that he make Thor look good in comparsion. And Thor, too, gloried in his superiority, taking every opportunity to show Loki up, make him look bad.
Even so, Loki felt no rancor at this point in his life - his stepbrother was perfect: beautiful, powerful, golden. He adored him. And if Thor repaid that adoration with little slights and humiliations, it was a price Loki was only too willing to pay for his company.Ā
But then, while they were still youths, along came Sif, Balder and the rest - and Loki was able to witness his adored brother in the company of others whom he openly loved.Ā
And Loki realized how much he as disdained. His love turned to anger, and his anger to hatred. He took his revenge on Sif, cutting her hair - he tried to kill Balder. But his real fury was reserved for Thor, who had shown him he was not loved. So he began a long life devoted to revenge on Thor and all whom the Thunder God cared for.
While Loki is recalling all of this, we take an occasional look in on Thor, whoĀ“s struggling to escape from confinement. (DonĀ“t know exactly how LokiĀ“s holding him; weĀ“ll work that out later.)
Loki still hasnĀ“t talked himself into killing Thor. To embolden himself, he goes to see Odin, Sif and Balder. One after the other, and tells them heĀ“s going to execute the Thunder God. Each argues with Loki, and we see how LokiĀ“s version of events differs from theirs. We also begin to realize that Loki is right - these noble asgardians have from the start looked down their noses at him, disdained him, scorned him. It was they - and Thor especially - who created the evil in him. Realizing this, LokiĀ“s pride and anger grow strong again; unwittingly, they convince him he would be right to kill his brother.Ā
But as Loki leaves his prisoners, his will weakens again. The idea of a world without Thor is bleak to him. What would he live for? He has no real desire to rule Asgard. The hard work of sovereignty doesnĀ“t appeal to him. HeĀ“s the Trickster God ā¦ and gods canĀ“t simply change theyĀ“re elemental principles; cosmic constants.
Whe heĀ“s again confronted by Hela, she urges him to carry out the execution, and he refuses.
Hela taunts him: āYouĀ“ve defeated your enemy. YouĀ“ve shackled him, youĀ“ve humiliated him - now you must kill him! If not, what would you do?ā
Loki thinks for a moment, then sadly says, āI would do it all over again.ā
HeĀ“s made up his mind: heĀ“s going to free Thor. As he says this, Hela nods her head and says, āSo it shall be. There is, I fear, only one whom the great trickster cannot trick ā¦ himself.ā As she says this, she changes into Loki.
For a moment, there are two Lokis staring at each other across the panel. Then, the original one disappears, leaving only the Loki-who-was-Hela.
We realize that Hela was never there: the whole You-must-kill-Thor scenario was shape-shifter LokiĀ“s way of trying to trick himself into murdering his brother. (How he appears in two places at once remains a mystery: IĀ“d like to inject a little of that old sense-of-wonder into the book. These are gods, after all.)
Having failed to trick himself, he goes off to free Thor.
As he goes, he wonders whether this act of mercy will win for him one moment of gratitude from Thor. He realizes that ThorĀ“s good opinion - his friendship, his love - is that which he has always desired, and, starved of them, have made him what he is today. He loathes Thor for his treatment of him, but he loathes himself even more for still loving his tormentor.Ā
But heĀ“s delayed to long.
Arriving at ThorĀ“s cell, he finds that Thor has escaped, and is barreling right for Loki.
Seeing this, Loki is horrified - he protests; he was going to free Thor! Really he was! Honest!Ā
But Thor has a major mad on; he beats the crap out of Loki.
We end with Thor standing over the defeated Loki. He says something along the lines of, well, what have you got to say for yourself, my brother?
Loki looks up at him, at Thor, at all that beauty and perfection, those golden shoulders, and says, I would do it again ā¦ I would do it all again ā¦ I will do it all again.Ā
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