WARNING: This article contains spoilers for Loki episode 1.
Loki, the God of Mischief is very familiar to fans of the MCU a decade on from his first appearance. With the new Loki streaming series, comic fans might have the edge on casual fans of the movies as the show gets into deep comic book lore. Loki's history in comics is deeper than some may even realize, going back before the beginning of Marvel Comics.
The long and complex history of Loki in Marvel Comics and beyond could hold some clues to where the new streaming series is going. With the Evil Loki variant being the main mystery of the series, comics fans know all his many forms from the last fifty years and more are in play.
First Appeared In The Golden Age
Comic fans likely know Loki's origins well, but even they may not realize that his comic book history goes back to the Golden Age. Loki actually first appears in comics in Venus #6 back in August 1949. This series was published by Timely Comics, the forerunner of Marvel, and was written by legendary comic book writer Stan Lee. This version is different in appearance and context than the Marvel one, with Loki an Olympian god banished to the world. Even so, this version of the character could be one that shows up in the series and this alternate timeline one that the Loki series visits.
Journey Into Mystery
Loki properly debuts in the Marvel Universe not long after its inception. Loki, now re-imagined as more of the trickster that he was in Norse mythology, debuted in Journey into Mystery #85 in October 1962. Stan Lee brings him back, along with his co-writer and brother Larry Lieber. Iconic artist Jack Kirby updated his costume into the now iconic look for the character. All of the essential elements were in place: his hate for his brother, Thor, and his duplicitous nature.
Tragic Origin
Loki is distinguished from the mythological version of the character through his unique and tragic backstory. As told in the movies, Loki isn't the actual son of Odin or brother of Thor. He's in fact a child of their sworn enemies, the Frost Giants. Odin discovers the child, who is human in size and considered a freak by his own people, after a major battle with the Frost Giants. Loki would inherit many of his powers from the Frost Giants, including immunity to the cold and superhuman strength and stamina.
Bringing The Avengers Together
As he did in the first Avengers movie, Loki is responsible for the formation of the Avengers in the comics. The circumstances were very different, however. In Avengers #1 in 1963, also by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, Loki uses the Hulk as a very destructive form of bait for his brother.
Loki uses his powers of illusion to send the Hulk into a rage. This catches the attention of not just Thor, but Iron Man, Ant-Man, and the Wasp as well. The first, perhaps the best Avengers roster defeats Loki and goes on to become the key superhero team in Marvel Comics.
The Absorbing Man
One thing that MCU hasn't done with Loki yet, but may in the future, is to use his henchmen. One of his most famous and most powerful is The Absorbing Man. Carl "Crusher" Creel actually gains his powers to take on the form and substance of any material he comes into contact with. Loki created him in Journey into Mystery #114 in 1965 to take on Thor. Loki created a magic potion which Creel then drank. As with nearly every Marvel character in this period, The Absorbing Man was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.
King Loki
Most of Loki's schemes in the comics, as in the movies, centers on his desire to rule Asgard or Midgard or both. In the Loki: Agent Of Asgard series, he finally gets his wish. It's not exactly what comic fans or even Loki expects, as the villain of the series is revealed to be an older version of himself from the future. King Loki destroyed the Earth, defeated his brother, and claimed the throne of Asgard. King Loki is certainly one candidate for the Evil Loki variant in the streaming series, given the alternate timelines in play.
Acts Of Vengeance
In the comics, Loki has been at the center of many evil acts, including the Acts Of Vengence storyline from the early 90s. In this epic comic book crossover, Loki manipulated all of Earth's major superheroes like the heinous Doctor Doom and the Red Skull into launching an all-out attack on the Avengers and Fantastic Four. In this story, Loki sought the Infinity Gems, which would become the Infinity Stones in the MCU. Given where the MCU is headed, it's potentially a crossover the comics and movies could revisit.
Impersonating The Scarlet Witch
Loki has the power to create illusions, and in the Mighty Avengers run from 2009, he made one of his most unique. Loki impersonates the Scarlet Witch and deceives the Avengers into attacking the Elder God Chthon, the Lord of Chaos and source of chaos magic, the root of Wanda's powers.
The Avengers and Young Avengers both team up once it's revealed Loki is impersonating the Scarlet Witch. At the time, Wanda was missing, and everyone was searching for her around the world. Loki pretending to be Wanda in the MCU could be a fun way to complicate things in the near future.
Death And Rebirth
Just like in the movies, Loki has died and returned to life in the comics as well. During the Siege storyline from 2010, Loki's schemes escalate. He manipulates the Avengers, at the time led by Norman Osborn, the former Green Goblin, into invading Asgard. This leads to a catastrophic series of events that escapes Loki's control. He ultimately sacrifices himself to save Asgard. Not long after, he is reincarnated as a child. Kid Loki would go on to become a member of the Young Avengers, a team the MCU seems to be building to.
Lady Loki
Kid Loki is just one form of the trickster who could appear in the new streaming series. Another major one is Lady Loki. Lady Loki first appears Thor #5 in 2008 after Loki appears to die in the Ragnarok cycle. Loki is reborn as a woman after tricking her brother into restoring her full power. It gets more complicated from there, with Loki being the mother to the reincarnated Sif. But with the multiverse and Loki's own nature being fluid, an appearance by Lady Loki in the series seems likely at this point.
Loki releases new episodes every Wednesday on Disney+.