The journey of Tom Hiddlestone's Loki, from the main villain in the first Avengers movie to a tragic hero in Infinity War was, pun possibly intended, marvelous. Even if the character was technically killed off, it was understandable that the MCU wasn't done with him yet, and nor were the fans. The upcoming Loki series on Disney+ will put some much-needed spotlight on the character and is shaping up to be an extremely exciting and ambitious new chapter for him.
Like any other MCU character, Loki has decades and decades worth of stories that have been told in the comics. He may have been given a lot of screentime than any other villain or side-character, but there is still a lot from the comics that have yet to make their way to the screen. These storylines could be featured in Loki, which is why the following list gathers ten Marvel comics that are bound to make the viewing experience much better if read before the show.
Trapped By Loki, The God Of Mischief (1962)
Created by writer Stan Lee and Larry Lieber with penciler Jack Kirby, Loki made his first appearance in 1962's Journey into Mystery #85. The quintessential tale of any fictional character, for obvious reasons, is their origin story, and "Trapped By Loki, The God Of Mischief" describes the origin of Loki (albeit very briefly). Drawing inspiration from Norse mythology, he is introduced as a being who was jailed inside a tree by the Gods for his evil deeds. This issue also marks the first mention of Asgard and Heimdall in Marvel comics, a landmark comic indeed.
Thor #372-373 (1986)
Not much has been revealed yet about the plot of the Loki series, but one of the very few things that has been confirmed is that the Time Variance Authority (TVA) will be making its debut. The organization will certainly play a big part in whatever events that will happen. Although not nearly as prevalent as some of the other groups in Marvel comics such as SHIELD or Hydra, they carry the important responsibility of acting as, in simple words, time cops. Issue 372 of 1986's Thor was the first time their existence was referred to in the comics.
Fantastic Four #353-354 (1991) And Annual #27 (1994)
While the TVA first appeared in Thor, their history and objectives as an organization were further explained in issue 353 of Fantastic Four, when the team was taken into custody by the TVA for their alleged time-travel-related crimes. It is also revealed that their base is situated in a place called the Null-Time Zone, which exists outside the flow of time.
Fantastic Four #353 also introduced the character of Mobius M. Mobius, a high-ranking official of the TVA who appeared in the trailer for Loki being played by Owen Wilson.
Loki Vol 1 (2004)
From Robert Rodi and Esad Ribic, 2004's Loki was the character's first solo comic series. While most stories related to him usually focus on his attempts to get one up on Thor or take control of Asgard, this miniseries looks at what it's like after Loki has won. By looking at him from a different point of view than how he is usually, the comic presents an unfamiliar side of Loki to the readers, his motivations for what he does, and his relations with people, especially his brother.
Loki: Agent Of Asgard (2014)
During the 2010 event Siege, Loki was killed by the Void, and from his death, another Loki was born, a younger version of him that was more heroic and less evil (although still mischievous). This was a great turning point in his character, and for a short while, he acted as one of the good guys. These noble actions of his were chronicled in issues 622-630 of Journey Into Mystery during the Fear Itself event and then furthermore in the critically acclaimed Agent Of Asgard series.
The Trials Of Loki (2011)
Loki's second solo comic series, helmed by writer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and artist Sebastian Fiumara, is more of a story about Loki from the Norse mythologies than the supervillain of Marvel Comics. They are the same in this context, but "The Trials of Loki" is devoid of any of the flashy visuals that are a staple of comics, and explores the history of the God of Mischief in more depth than ever before.
It is a tale of tragedy and Loki's earliest misdeeds, and of his downfall to what he is today.
Loki: Sorcerer Supreme (2017)
The events of Loki are undoubtedly going to be related to the upcoming Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness film, so what better way to prepare for both than to read a comic about Loki becoming the Sorcerer Supreme. Taking place in issue #381 of Doctor Strange from Donny Cates and Gabriel Hernandez Walta, it finds Loki as the holder of the mantle of Sorcerer Supreme after he tricks Dr. Strange into giving it up.
Loki Vol 3 (2019)
Loki's third and latest solo series, written by Daniel Kibblesmith and drawn by Oscar Bazaldua, picks up directly after the events of War of the Realms, in which Loki played a significant role. After killing his father Laufey and saving the day he is made the king of Jotunheim and the frost giants.
But as expected, a life of responsibility and peace doesn't suit him, and he gets involved in various escapades fitting of him as the God of Mischief.
King Thor (2019)
From the hands of writer Jason Aaron and artists Esad Ribic and Ive Svorcina, King Thor revolves around an alternate-reality version of Thor who is the future of the canon Thor of the main Marvel continuity. While there are many comics out there that highlight Loki's heroic side, King Thor is all about how evil Loki can get. Known as King Loki and then earning the title of Loki the All-Butcher, he destroyed Earth and engaged in a million other heinous acts.
Vote Loki (2016)
In the pages of Vote Loki, Loki finally gets tired of trying to take over the world with the generic villainous methods and decides to go legit, as in run for president of the United States. From writer Christopher Hastings and artist Langdon Foss, the mini-series was meant to be a spoof of the 2016 Presidential Election. Not directly tied into any canon storylines, it is an amusing read by its own merit. As a matter of fact, it has already been shown in the trailer that Loki will be wearing a suit near identical to that from Vote Loki in the Disney+ series.