Asgardians: Loki

I thought it might be appropriate in the month of trick-or-treating to take a look at one of the biggest tricksters of all. If everything you know about Loki comes from Marvel Comics or MCU movies this book is going to blow your mind. First off, Loki here is a half-brother to Odin, not Thor. He is the son of a ice giant, and he engages in all sorts of chicanery. Some of it is in service of the Asgardians, like negotiating the building of a defensive wall around the city, and some for nefarious reasons, like plotting the death of Baldur, the most beloved of all Aesir. Along the way, he gives birth to a 8-legged horse, uses his testicles to play tug of war with a goat, and fathers a giant wolf, the Midgard Serpent, and Hel, the goddess of the underworld. He lived a wild life for sure.

What I loved about this book was how it is crafted in a way that more clearly shows that how all the books in this series fits together to tell one grand narrative. Loki and his kin all will play huge roles in the ultimate demise of the Norse gods, Ragnarök, which will be the focus of the fourth and final book. And instead of portraying all of the major players there as villains, this book gives insights into how and why they are pitted to combat against the Aesir. The tale of the Fenrir the wolf I found especially distressful, with how they tricked him into bondage while also sacrificing the right hand of Tyr, who had played a big part in raising him, in the process. The Norse gods are petty, deceitful, greedy, and prone to bullying, and it is interesting to juxtapose this pantheon with the Olympians, the Greeks gods that author George O'Connor chronicled. 

Also, like the other books in the series, there are copious endnotes that lend lots of insight into O'Connor's artistic choices and visual themes. There is much to digest from this wonderfully rendered graphic novel.  

O'Connor has created many graphic novels in the past two decades, including the American history journal account Journey into Mohawk Country and the dystopian future book Ball Peen Hammer, written by Adam Rapp. He also drew the political graphic novel Unrig: How to Fix Our Broken Democracy with author Daniel G. Newman. He speaks about his penchant for drawing mythological tales in this interview.

All of the reviews I have read about this book have been positive. Kirkus Reviews called it "a semi-sympathetic portrait of a god too clever for his own good." Ian Keogh wrote, "Asgardians has been an excellent series from the start, well researched and engagingly presented, but the additional nuance in telling Loki’s story, the sheer variety of other material and the always excellent art raise the quality higher."

Asgardians: Loki was published by First Second, and they offer a preview and more information here. I am so looking forward to book four!

Asgardians Book 2: Thor

Many people, myself included, know a lot about the Thor from Marvel. He's big, strong, blond, wields a big hammer, and can control lightning. The mythological Thor is some of these things, including the muscles, power, hammer, and lightning, but he is also somewhat different.

This second volume sheds more light on that Thor, telling a good number of tales that show him to be a sort of dunderhead despite all of his strength and abilities. He's loud and impetuous, and he often gets taken advantage because of that, particularly by his clever half-brother Loki, though he does strive to do his best.

I really love this book, and I also love that it has a very different sort of flavor than the Olympians series by the same author. Norse legends are a bit more gritty and earthy, and the artwork and storytelling here reflects that. This Thor has to get his hands dirty when he fights, he slaughters and eats goats, and he drinks a lot of ale. He is also sort of goofy in the way he has to get himself out of sticky situations. Still, he is heroic in his own way, and this book does an excellent job of conveying the original legends in an intriguing and engaging way. The third book in this series, Loki, is slated to come out in October and I am really looking forward to it.

George O'Connor has a slew of excellent graphic novels under his belt. In addition to the aforementioned Olympians series, he adapted the American history journal account Journey into Mohawk Country and also illustrated the dystopian future book Ball Peen Hammer, written by Adam Rapp. He has also drawn the political graphic novel Unrig: How to Fix Our Broken Democracy with author Daniel G. Newman.

All of the reviews I have read of this book have been positive. In a starred entry, Kirkus Reviews called it a "close and spirited take on original sources." Carol Youssif summed it up, "A well-rounded title that will appeal to fans of the titular god and Norse mythology, and readers looking for an action-packed story." Ian Keogh concluded his review, "These are a bunch of great stories by any reckoning, and O’Connor really brings them to life, and not just for the intended young adult audience."

Thor was published by First Second, and they offer a preview and more information about it here. 

Asgardians Book 1: Odin

How do you follow up the Olympians, a 12-volume series of graphic novels that took more than a decade to come out? With another series of graphic novels, ones that focus on Norse mythology, naturally. George O'Connor is back with more mythological adventures, and I am glad to say that this new series is just as excellent (so far), even though it tackles a much different sort of culture and ethos. The Norse gods and legends have a much more earthy feel, with a lot of literal spit and blood (among other bodily fluids) involved in the proceedings. The artwork is also subtly different, and O'Connor is mindful to change his art style and coloring to suit different subject matter.

 

This volume follows Odin, the king of the gods and warrior, searcher, and man of many faces and names. Among the adventures here, he loses an eye, gains great wisdom, battles giants, and travels the nine realms. Additionally, much of this book introduces the narrative world of Norse mythology, conveying an excellently detailed account of this strange, new universe. It features many weird creatures, like six-armed maws, beardless dwarfs, and an eagle full of mead. I learned so much from it, including just how much I did not know about these stories, because I have read tons of Marvel Comics about them and the actual source material is waaaaaay different, even if  the names are the same. If you like reading about myths and having your mind blown, this book is for you.

In addition to all of his graphic novels adapting mythology, O'Connor has adapted the American history journal account Journey into Mohawk Country and illustrated the dystopian future book Ball Peen Hammer, written by Adam Rapp. He also drew the political graphic novel Unrig: How to Fix Our Broken Democracy with author Daniel G. Newman. He speaks about his work on Odin in this interview.

All of the reviews I have read about it have been celebratory. Kirkus Reviews gave it a starred entry that summed up, "A rainbow bridge to a fresh set of mythological places and faces." Chris Cole concluded his review, "Overall, this book was a great start to the series. I’m excited to follow it to Ragnarok." Benjamin Russell called it "an excellent authority in distilling the complexities of Norse mythology and making it accessible to younger readers interested in folklore."

Odin was published by First Second, and they provide more information and a preview here. Because of violence, bodily fluids, and booze, I recommend this book for middle school and above readers.