Loki: Ragnarok and Roll #1, cover art by Alexis Ziritt
Imagine if Loki were just given a chance to grow and prosper on Earth without Thor interfering. What would he do? He’d probably get into some trouble, right? Or maybe he’d pick up an electric guitar…and then get into some trouble. Writer Eric M. Esquivel has a great time playing around with that scenario. Who said that Marvel Comics can only have fun with Norse gods? This comic from Boom! Studios shows us a side to Loki that we have never seen before: a rockin’ Loki!
What if it’s Thor who needs a reality check? What if Loki turns out to actually be cool? For me, this is one of those comics that you can feel the comics energy. These guys are really into what they’re doing and having fun, everyone from Eric Esquivel to artist Jerry Gaylord, to Colorist Gabriel Cassata, to Letterer Ryan Ferrier. And it all begins with that awesome cover art by Alexis Ziritt. There’s a sense of wonder to this comic that you can’t resist. It begins with the depiction of Asgard, as this magnificent tree big enough to hold a whole city upon its branches. And it flows into the House of Odin and the Allfather leading his sons, Thor and Loki.
There’s a level of hip that is authentic and fun to follow too. For example, there’s this huge party that Odin has put together for all the gods. It’s an ambitious display of artwork and party banter. And it’s an impressive gathering that includes Ganesha, Anansi, and Cthulhu, along with a new kid on the block, Flying Spaghetti Monster, Internet God (technically a “meme”) of Oppositional Defiant Disorder. It’s great to see how Gaylord commands the scene with vivid characterization and attention to composition and details. You get that same awesome vibe when Loki stumbles upon a hardcore rock club in Los Angeles. It’s a taste of life on the wild side that rings true and is reined in enough to appeal to tweens and up.
Eric Esquivel caught the attention of Boom! Studios with “Thor: The Unkillable Thunder Christ,” and wowed them with his work on FREELANCERS. Boom! Studios could hardly refuse when Esquivel pitched this Loki comic. And having FANBOYS VS ZOMBIES artist Jerry Gaylord on the project sealed the deal. This is a comic with a rock ‘n’ roll theme that gets it right.
“Loki: Ragnarok and Roll #1” is available as of February 19. Visit our friends at Boom! Studios here.
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