Talking about comic books, TV shows, movies, sports, and the numerous other pastimes that make us Gentlemen of Leisure.

Sunday, January 19, 2014

To Better Know a Villain: Loki

LokiSimonsonReal Name
Loki Laufeyson

First Appearance
Venus #6, August 1949 (historical); Journey into Mystery #85, October 1962 (modern).  

Powers and Abilities Loki is an accomplished sorcerer, capable of using magic to shapeshift, teleport, fly, generate energy blasts, ensorcell individuals, and more.

Additionally, like most Asgardians, Loki possesses super-strength, durability, and longevity. He also has a genius-level intellect and is an adept liar and manipulator, capable of conceiving and enacting elaborate, multi-layered schemes.

Friends and Allies
The Enchantress, Skurge the Executioner, Fenris Wolf, Hela, and the Midgard Serpent, Tumblr.

Read the rest of the post here

14 comments:

  1. "For Asgard!"
    "For Midgard!"
    "For Myself!"

    Ah, classic.

    ReplyDelete
  2. @wwk5d: "For Asgard!"
    "For Midgard!"
    "For Myself!"


    I've always loved that bit. Talk about summing up a character in two words.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I enjoyed the hell out of Kieron Gillen's Kid Loki stories. Gillen hit the right balance of humor and pathos, and the last issue was heartbreaking. Although every other trade was connected to a crossover (most of which I didn't read), the series remained compelling throughout Gillen's run.

    - Mike Loughlin

    ReplyDelete
  4. "Arguably, no character has had their profile, relative to its original position within the comic book universe, elevated by the recent slate of Marvel Studios films higher than Loki."

    Ahem:

    "On the moon, the dead body of Uatu, the Watcher is discovered. His home destroyed. Looted of its valuable alien technology. Now, the manhunt is on. And the biggest heroes of the Marvel Universe – Captain America, Iron Man, Wolverine, Black Widow, and more are on the hunt for his murderer."

    Like, I mean, really.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Good for Natasha, I guess?

    Poor Uatu. Sacrificed as a jobber for an event crossover...

    ReplyDelete
  6. @wwk5d: Good for Natasha, I guess?

    No I think the other heroes are gonna be bitter as hell, after grinding through plasma all the years only to see her shooting to prominence all of the sudden only because they needed a token woman Avenger for the movie and she lands like *this* when dropping down from somewhere.

    Janet is especially pissed, Monica and Carol almost as much, while Wanda and Jessica are having their lawyers look exactly how the franchise rights borders are drawn between the film companies. Knowing Natasha's history, harsh accusations about how she landed on the gig can't be avoided.

    But commenting on the actual matter here, the character of Loki was best summed in those few Simonson's panels where Loki finds and reattaches his head which he pushed Balder to sever against an oath taken, thinking it was totally worth of couple days of stiff neck and grinning.

    ReplyDelete
  7. @Mike: I enjoyed the hell out of Kieron Gillen's Kid Loki stories.

    I haven't read them yet (I'm that far behind), but I'm just about to get to that series. I'm excited.

    @Teemu: "And the biggest heroes of the Marvel Universe – Captain America, Iron Man, Wolverine, Black Widow, and more are on the hunt for his murderer."

    Well, I did say "arguably". :)

    But yeah, you can definitely make a case for Natasha. Even though she co-headlined a book with Daredevil for awhile and led the Avengers in the 90s, she's definitely broken out of the "known only to comics fan" ghetto thanks to, as you say, getting selected to be the token female representative of the cinematic Avengers.

    @wwk5d: Poor Uatu. Sacrificed as a jobber for an event crossover...

    I know, right? Gotta kill somebody, I guess (apparently).

    ReplyDelete
  8. @Teebore: Well, I did say "arguably". :)

    Cue me arguing. ;) Though... judging by the female demographics among the audience taking sudden interest on comics-originated material, Loki takes it hands down.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Oh rats, just remembered Blade. Not Marvel Studios movies, but still a trilogy and a TV series for a mostly supporting character must count for something.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Ok, I own up. I don't have personal grievances against Natasha and now actually looking up her history going back to early 60s' and Iron Man she really has a deserved spot on the shortlist for the movie Avengers.

    I just got beef with 40% of "World's Greatest Heroes" being non-superpowered. Like, if you don't want superpowers and don't want spandex should you be doing anything with comics superheroes in the first place?

    And the bigger beef of course is that there just shouldn't be Avengers installment without Hank Pym. If we look at who has had his profile lowered come the filmatisations...

    I mean really, one un-scripted punch inadvertly hitting your wife, and it's the Scott Lang Ant-Man that gets the movie... and your founding member wife doesn't.

    ReplyDelete
  11. @Teemu: Oh rats, just remembered Blade. Not Marvel Studios movies, but still a trilogy and a TV series for a mostly supporting character must count for something.

    Yeah, Blade is definitely in the running for most elevated profile, at least in terms of going from supporting character to movie star, though he's had a harder time parlyaing that into a recurring comic gig, and in this case, I was speaking specifically of characters from the Marvel Studios films, and not all Marvel movie adaptations.

    I don't have personal grievances against Natasha and now actually looking up her history going back to early 60s' and Iron Man she really has a deserved spot on the shortlist for the movie Avengers.

    I never really objected to her being in the film, since she kinda snuck in the back door by appearing in the second Iron Man movie, and that's pretty much the transition she followed in the comics (Iron Man villain to Avengers). That said, I wouldn't have minded one of the other Avengers women (especially Wasp, who was in the film at one point) showing up.

    And the bigger beef of course is that there just shouldn't be Avengers installment without Hank Pym.

    Agreed. The character has never really recovered from that unintended backhand.

    ReplyDelete
  12. @ Teebore: The character has never really recovered from that unintended backhand.

    And that is a damn shame, because the most awesome quality in Henry Pym is that he is Reed Richards failed in every way.

    The scientist supreme of Marvel Universe: always Reed, never Hank Pym. Reed invents something, everyone cheer. Meanwhile Hank, well, once you have heard the "pimp articles" joke you can never unheard it.

    Codenames: Reed makes essentially really stupid "Mr. Fantastic" work. Hank can't stick with anything.

    Spouse: Reed has Susan, the mother figure for the whole Marvel Universe. Hank has Janet, an emptyheadish socialite. Who divorces him.

    When they set to create life: Reed makes Franklin Richards, a nigh-omnipotent mutant. Hank makes Ultron, the homicidal robot.

    For nemesi: Reed got Dr. Doom, the most awesome villain ever. Hank... yeah, the aforementioned robot is oidipal.

    And of course the Hank Pym special: an unintentional backhand, character ruined for life and all reboots to come. Reed slaps Sue intentionally point blank, it's a genious outside-the-box stroke to beat a villain. Everyone cheers.

    And most of all, joining a superheroics group: Reed is calling the shots, obviously. Hank joins a group, there's the other folks. "I am Thor, the God of Thunder!" "I'm the Golden Avenger, feel the power of my repulsors!" "I'm Captain America, the living icon!" "HULK SMASH!"

    It's not a group you want to go in saying: "I am the Ant-Man! I can make myself teeny-tiny and talk to ants - with mt helmet!", especially when your wife can say: "I am the Wasp! I can make myself teeny-tiny AND I have wings AND I can shoot energy blast I call The Sting!"

    Small wonder he very soon changes identity to be able to go: "I am the Giants-Man and I got a dick bigger than the God of Thunder!"

    Open love-letter to Henry Pym ends here.

    ReplyDelete
  13. @Teemu: Hank has Janet, an emptyheadish socialite. Who divorces him.

    And who only becomes a competent leader and interesting character after she does so.

    For nemesi: Reed got Dr. Doom, the most awesome villain ever. Hank... yeah, the aforementioned robot is oidipal.

    And don't forget Egghead! Wait, yes, forget Egghead. :)

    ReplyDelete
  14. @ Teebore : And who only becomes a competent leader and interesting character after she does so.

    Oh yes. Hank was totally holding her back so he was.

    As for Egghead, I seem to have been completely saved from knowing him in the first place by the non-Venger emphasis of the Finnish publisher.

    ReplyDelete

Comment. Please. Love it? Hate it? Are mildly indifferent to it? Let us know!