Yeah, that's a five star book. The art is cool, and Gillen has somehow managed to, by the insertion of just the right amount of snark, make Asgardian dialogue NOT the clunkiest verbal albatross in comicsville. Well played sir. ( )

Teen!Loki is delightful and Gillen's writing is super on point. Highly recommended. ( )

I've always been a fan of superhero movies and TV shows, but beyond a few graphic novels adapted from traditional novels, I haven't really read comics before now. After seeing the blockbuster film "The Avengers", I wanted more of those characters. However, I was uncertain where to begin since Marvel has 60+ years of existing history and continuity. So, I decided to start with Thor since I at least had familiarity with the Norse myths he is derived from (and yeah, I LOVE Loki). And, I went to Wikipedia. I learned that after major events like House of M, Civil War/Dark Reign and Siege, the Marvel universe had been reimagined. Specifically, the Aesir gods had broken a cycle with a final Ragnarok, instigated by the supervillain Loki, and been reborn. And Thor found Loki as a child and, inexplicably, chose to bring him back to the newly built Asgard. That is where Journey into Mystery, Volume 1 begins, with "kid Loki".

I have to say I loved the story! Not only is the child Loki a fun and captivating protagonist, but he is an imaginative and still faithful interpretation of the character. Here is the trickster, the mischief-maker, of mythology that is not yet an outright villain. And, Gillen perfectly captures the voice of a young teen boy. Certainly Loki would be as smart-ass, but so would any other 13-15 year old boy (about the age I'd judge the character to be). Add to this the fact that everyone in Asgard remembers the previous incarnation of Loki, that nearly destroyed the world, and this boy's life is challenging to say the least. In Volume 1, Loki learns how he came to be reincarnated (a clever twist worthy of a god), but also goes on an adventure to save not only Asgard, but the older brother who is the only person who does not hate him - Thor.

The art in the book is vibrant and stunning. I love how the characters are rendered, and the backgrounds are rich and detailed. The art not only complemented the story, it helped with clarity and flow. The volume also concluded with a "recap" of the Thor storyline that lead to the events of JiM, V1. This was a nice addition to help newcomers find their footing. This book is a good place for a newcomer to comics to dive into the Marvel universe, and especially for fans of Loki. But be prepared to continue the investment. I enjoyed this so much I immediately ordered volumes 2-4. And, it hooked me enough that I have several Thor omnibus collections on my wishlist, as well as Siege. I think it won't be long before I have to add another bookshelf just for my Marvel graphic novels. Highly recommended! ( )

Really wish I would have read this before I read "Everything Burns" which is the next graphic novel. Loki's treachery/heroism is very twisted and complicated and knowing the future made it less fun. That aside this was still really cool, especially the intro, the puzzles that Loki must solve to meet Ikol.

I don't have the 2 spotlight comics included in this graphic novel (they're harder to find for some reason) but I don't think they contribute that much to the story (hopefully). ( )

Loki is such a little shit. ( )