ADVANCED REVIEW: ‘Thor & Loki: Double Trouble,’ Issue #1

Thor & Loki: Double Trouble #1 is published by Marvel Comics, written by Mariko Tamaki, with art by Gurihiru and letters by Ariana Maher. Thor and Loki. Possibly the most iconic bickering step-siblings in all the nine realms. Thor’s good-natured honesty has often proven to be fertile ground in which Loki can sow his mischief. But maybe this time Loki has gone a little too far, and getting out of this jam may be too big for even the sons of Odin.

Thor is one of my favorite characters. One of the first comics I ever collected, I always love the character’s particular struggles as his classic paragon style personality tries to confront evil in a world where it is often hard to tell the evil from the good. These sorts of conundrums and the general universe-threatening scenarios they lead to tend to put Thor in overall dark and serious situations. And while I have always enjoyed these stories, there is nothing wrong with an occasional change of pace for a multi-decade old character. The exact sort of change of pace is provided by Thor &  Loki: Double Trouble #1.

The light-hearted tone of this story is instantly established by writer Tamaki with the opening narration of “Asgard. A nearly perfect world (Rent’s a little high). A world worthy of this gloriously refined font.” If that doesn’t establish the playful, self-aware nature of this story perfectly, I don’t know what could.

This comical intro is followed up by the grand appearance of a rather dashing Thor. He arrives at the applause of the Asgardians present and begins to put on a show for those interested. This moment of showboating is soon interrupted by the heckling of Loki.

This heckling soon leads Thor &  Loki: Double Trouble #1 into a classic scuffle between siblings. However, this part of the brother’s act is old hat around Asgard and the duo soon find themselves alone. Loki uses this moment of isolation to manipulate his brother into being an unwitting accomplice in a rather hair-brained scheme. It just remains to be seen if Thor and Loki, well, all of Agard, really, will survive the experience.

The comical mischief throughout this story is emphasized wonderfully by Gurihiru’s pitch-perfect art. With its exaggerated character designs, over-the-top expression, and brightly colored panels, the art instantly reinforces the Saturday morning cartoon vibe that is present throughout the narrative.

But while the cartoon aesthetic in Thor & Loki: Double Trouble #1 is the star of the show Gurihiru shows equal skill in adapting the two leads to this new style. Both characters are instantly familiar despite the obvious changes to their design. Making something old into something new while keeping the best aspects of the old is always a pleasure to see happen.

Rounding out the presentation here is Maher’s lettering. The letter work here is well implemented, with both great placements as well as the previously mentioned refined font for the narration.

When all is said and done Thor & Loki: Double Trouble #1 brings a lot of energy and fun to the sibling’s squabbles. Perhaps a bit too lighthearted for many older readers, young comic book fans should find lots to love here.

Thor & Loki: Double Trouble #1 is available on March 10th wherever comics are sold.