LOKI

A magic ring threatens to derail the efforts of the god of mischief to mend his ways and so be allowed to return to Asgard.

Exiled to Midgard (Earth) in the guise of a human middle schooler by (as he puts it with characteristic maturity) “smelly bum-bum Odin,” Loki finds his progress grinding to a halt in this third series entry. He steals a ring that turns out to bear a legendary curse that feeds on his vanity and lingering resentment, bespelling his nascent conscience and egging him on to kill Thor, who’s come along for the quest in the role of pesky older brother. In the ramp-up to the climax, the laughable boasts and comeuppances of this most unreliable of narrators give way to some scary moments as the two disguised gods confront one another as hero and villain in a school play. Thanks to some timely onstage intervention by Loki’s human friends Valerie and Georgina—and with his own better judgment making a tardy but welcome entrance—violence is narrowly averted. By the end, Loki has a lot of apologizing to do, but he’s at least inched closer to making good on his highly aspirational claim to be a “Good God™ now.” Ample illustrations and a varied visual layout add to the humor and reader appeal. Central characters present white; Georgina is Black.

More hilarious mythological tweaks and narrow squeaks.