Loki has a big problem, especially now that he’s a good king and not a mischievous toad. The problem for him is that sometimes the past comes back to bite you. More specifically, a cursed ship called Naglfar, made of the fingernails of the dead, has gone missing. Now existing in three fragments, Loki has rushed to the realm of the dwarves to retrieve the first piece. One can imagine angry warring dwarves don’t take too kindly to the former god of lies!
Loki #2 opens where we left off as the dwarves aim to cut off Loki’s head with one of the pieces of the ship. That piece is now an ax, and its sharp edge wants for Loki’s throat. Other magical weapons are introduced in this issue, each of which offers an intriguing story.
Truth be told, it’s weapons and items made for war that lead the charge of this tale. The narration from Naglfar continues right from the start, cleverly woven into the tale logically. How else would the spirits in Naglfar know what it would be like for a blade to hit Loki made of them? It’s a trippy notion that continues the massive fantasy element of the series, and while they are the McGuffin, it works magically nonetheless.
It seems that magical items are a key element of this series, and each has a tantalizing tail woven by writer Dan Watters. That includes a new item turned into a weapon that is quite close to Loki, personally.
Book it, snake Loki!
Credit: Marvel
This issue also sees a change for Loki as he’s transformed into a woman. It doesn’t factor too heavily into the plot, but it’s a nice reminder that Loki takes on many forms. It goes along nicely with Lokis as gods of stories, which plays a heavy part in the conclusion of the issue.
The art by German Peralta continues to be a true strength for this run, with the dwarves facial hair being particularly well done and detailed. Battle damage is also highly complex, conveying the utter failure of a character he toys with an item of Loki’s.
One downside of this issue, or at least how it’s framed, is how little Loki is presented. The narration and dwarves take up much of the tale. When you read it a second time, it’s clear the events transpiring were Loki’s doing, but it still feels off to have Loki not featured on the page or directly affecting the tale. Another minor gripe is the final few pages, which are a bit tacked on and serve to set up the next issue more than flow from the main story itself.
If you like stories within stories and fantasy themes, you’ll love Loki #2. This series has a strong handle on how a Loki story can work while threading the different fantasy realms and concepts that are usually a blip in a tale rather than the be-all, end-all focus. Inventive and exciting, Loki is a series that’s as well constructed as unique.
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