LOKI: AGENT OF ASGARD #1
Writer Al Ewing brings this series to life which sees Loki, once again an adult, serving as a secret agent for the All-Mother of Asgard. As he points out though he doesn’t have flying cars like S.H.I.E.L.D. instead he has to employ the use of magic. From various spells to mystical objects, you’ve never seen Loki quite like this before.
The most noticeable thing about Ewing’s story is how he’s crafted it specifically for the new reader. Sure people that have been keeping up with Loki’s exploits for the past few years will be ready to jump in, but that’s not a requirement. That may be the most noticeable bit, but the best part about this comic is its non-linear storytelling. Starting at the middle, jumping to the beginning and back and forth seems like a lot to grasp upon the first read through, but when you get to the end and see the surprises in store for the future you’ll be eager for more.
Artist Lee Garbett does phenomenal work even when his pencils range from completely mundane activities to an epic Hulk-out from Banner, from Midgard to Asgard, and from rooms filled with computers to flashbacks with Loki’s first Avengers encounter. Garbett is a master at expression as none of the characters’ faces ever appear flat or simple. There’s enough detail squeezed into the panels that you can’t help but -ahem- marvel at it. Given the all-star cast of this debut issue, it could easily have been screwed up, but I’m happy to say Garbett knocked it out of the park.
The purpose for All-New Marvel NOW! has been to bring new readers into the fold and there’s no better book out there that serves this purpose than Loki: Agent of Asgard. New readers will feel right at home even if they’re not familiar with the longstanding legacy of the character and only know him from Tom Hiddleston’s portrayal. Get on board of this one, it’s going to turn into something special.
Rating: 9/10
WOLVERINE #1
Cornell is a capable writer. The 15 issues he wrote of the previous Wolverine volume clearly showed that, and he even moved him into territory he hadn’t seen in quite some time. What makes this latest new number 1 a little worrisome is the plotting of the issue. When the last issue of Wolverine came out, Logan was broken, a man on the end of a rope, and now he seems to be back to his old ways, albeit with a few modifications.
Some elements of this new series seem to harken back to the days of the ’90s comics, where characters had endless gizmos and gadgets, and were looked upon as total badasses. This is no more evident than Wolverine’s new found claw-bracelets that serve the same function as his regular claws (which he no longer uses given his mortal state). Now killing people isn’t a total step over the line for the character, but if the whole point of the previous arc of Wolverine was to change him, morph him, and break him, why restore him to a place where he’s just as effective in this new tale? I’d like to think that it’ll pay off in the end, there are after all some interesting plot twists in the first issue, but it seems like a waste of the previous series to start Logan off on equal footing.
The praise that I can put on Wolverine #1 is on Ryan Stegman’s artwork. His designs for the character make him look as tough and gruff as he’s ever appeared, but he also draws some very intimate moments that will tug at your heart strings. Some elements of the images do look rather silly, especially with Wolverine’s wacky helmet hair, but overall it shows a lot of promise, and is further elevated by David Curiel’s colors. Action is their strong point though, and if this first issue is an indicator, things are going to be super explosive throughout this comic.
Unlike the previously mentioned Loki: Agent of Asgard, Wolverine #1 isn’t a great start up issue for the series, and furthermore it seems to dismiss a lot of the important points of the previous series. Cornell and Stegman are both capable in their respective fields so there’s surely time for them to adapt and make it work, but for now it’s a frustrating story with really pretty pictures.
Rating: 6.5/10
