This review is easy: Loki: Ragnarok and Roll is the best comic of 2014 YTD. (It’s only February, I know, but still.)  When I first saw the title, I naturally assumed the folks over at Marvel were cashing in on the latest Thor/Avengers/whatever movie and were making a comic featuring Loki, because he was cute on the screen.  That said, I’ve read Thor since I was 8 and love him.  Even when he doesn’t deserve it and his story gets all childish/dumb.  So, I pre-ordered the comic and volunteered for the review . . .

. . . now the thing is, I don’t get to review Marvel comics all that often, and I never even thought that maybe this wasn’t a Marvel comic.  When I saw it wasn’t, I was disappointed.  Now, I’m thrilled.

So.  Loki.  Walk with me.

Turns out the mythology a la Marvel is pretty much in play here, except Thor has dark hair and his hammer is infinitely more bada–.  Loki is portrayed less as a homicidal crazy person and more as the misunderstood/under-appreciated 2nd son.  He has his magic, his cleverness, and his good looks. (Remember Avengers?).  So, things happen, and he is banished to Earth to learn something.  Namely, he’s sent to LA at the door of a Goth club.  Minor shenanigans ensue. 

Voila!  That’s the comic?  Sound boring?  It’s not.  The character (Loki) is written the way all of us want him to be written by Marvel.  He’s clever, smart, mischievous, and funny.  Definitely an “anti-hero,” Loki will speak to the soul of every comic book mutant (like me) and make every comic book mutant (like me) love him.  The dialogue is awesome.  The humor (which is constant) is actually humorous.  There are lots of inside jokes for those of us who know about Thor (Marvel) and other deities (like the Flying Spaghetti Monster of South Park and internet fame).

So, the stuff I gotta write about: This is written by Eric Esquivel with art by Jerry Gaylord.  Eric is a God; as you can see by his Wikipedia page. I mean, seriously, he’s done pretty much everything, and done it well.  Some of my favorite titles dot his list, including Zombies vs. Cheerleaders (not all of ‘em, but some of ‘em), and American History Z.  Jerry Gaylord of Fanboys vs. Zombies is less well known but still pretty awesome.

Have a couple of bucks in your pocket and wanna try something new?  Read this comic; it’s refreshing, funny, and, hopefully, the first of many.