WOTN Review: Loki #4 (Marvel)

Loki #4: What’s in a Nightmare

It’s not every day you get to see a character like Loki be forced to face the best and worst about themselves. Yet that is exactly what happens in Loki #4. It would seem that even the god of mischief can be introspective when time calls for it.

Thanks to War of the Realms, Loki has been facing many changes. He was finally given everything he could have ever wanted. But for somebody like Loki, is that a good thing? This series has answered that question. All while sending Loki off on a new mission.

But this issue raises a new question: How would a showdown between Loki and Nightmare go down? Go theorize now – because you know it will be a good fight. Or a good battle of the wills, depending on how they handle things.

Writing

Daniel Kibblesmith has been pushing Loki’s character and plot forward as much as possible. In many ways, this series is intended to mirror all of the changes that Thor has been facing. But it’s also the tale of Loki. And any fan knows that Loki is his own worst enemy – in a quite literal sense, sometimes.

Loki #4 was written in such a way as to remind us how Loki deals with dangerous situations. Especially when properly motivated. It’s so easy to look at Loki and see nothing more than a trickster. When even he craves a change – from time to time.

This issue brought all those secondary elements bubbling to the surface, thanks to Nightmare. It was fascinating to get inside Loki’s head. And honestly? The plotting and fighting were shockingly satisfying. Kibblesmith did an excellent job bringing elements full circle.

Finally, this issue started setting up for something major. The ending wasn’t quite a cliffhanger…but it did very much remind me of the way Jason Aaron tends to write – with a quick hop to the future to give hints for what is to come.

Art

Regarding the artwork from Loki #4, there’s a lot to write about. The artists perfectly captured all of the emotions and events within this issue. And trust me, a lot is happening within these pages.

There were some truly iconic moments in this issue. The fight scenes included were…interesting. And fit in very well with Loki and the way he handles issues. But what was perhaps most striking from these moments were the ‘doorway’ and how she was portrayed. There was something so fragile and human about her. It was the perfect juxtaposition of Loki and Nightmare in so many ways. It was a perfect touch to an already visually appealing issue.

Oscar Bazaldua was the line artist for this issue, but he also provided some of the inkings alongside Victor Olazaba. David Curiel and Carlos Lopez provided the colors, and Clayton Cowles did the lettering.

Conclusion

Loki #4 is worth reading – especially for any fans of Loki out there. It’s been fascinating watching him pick up the pieces of his life. But this issue pushed that plot farther than I expected and is setting up for something much bigger looming. And personally? I can’t wait to find out what’s going to happen next.

This review was originally written for Word of the Nerd, but has been ported over to Quirky Cat’s Fat Stacks now that the site has shut down.

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