By Jacob Cordas — Today was not a good day. I’ve been in pain - a headache that refuses to go away. I’ve been arguing with my girlfriend for reasons that I’m not going into here. My dog has recently discovered she can shriek and I will come running so now she does that every opportunity she can. My anxiety has been overwhelming. It has not been a pleasant time.

It’s in this light that I went into Thor & Loki: Double Trouble #1, and it’s in this light that I loved Thor & Loki: Double Trouble #1. It was the exact kind of escapism I desperately needed today. 

Mariko Tamaki’s (Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me, Detective Comics) script is charming from the get go. Starting with light meta jokes and immediate characterization, it perfectly captures a whimsical, wholesome world that I want to live in. Consequences will exist, but they will always be conquerable. Things can only ever get so bad. It’s the atmosphere I wish was present more in comics — a tone that is both more authentic and more engaging than the gothic epic-ness that has become the default in the Metal Age of Comics. 

This tone is perfectly performed by the creative team, Gurihiru (Superman Smashes The Klan). They bring a charm to every panel — mixing my favorite parts of Skottie Young and Chris Samnee’s work on Thor: The Mighty Avenger. This is cartooning at its truest, making everything so much fun. 

Hardly a page goes by that I didn’t love. From the bright Rainbow Bridge that greets us on the first page to the most dynamic apple fight I’ve ever read, it is so easy to get caught up in the momentum on those pages. Everything is saturated with joy. I especially loved the use of inset panels shaped like arrows. It’s silly in a way that only serves to heighten the experience. 

Finishing everything up is the playful lettering of Ariana Maher. It finishes the tone the rest have so perfectly served up. She gives the words a classic fantasy element while still maintaining the jovial overarching tone. 

Look, I’m not going to say I’m feeling great now after reading. I’m not even going to say that I’m feeling good, but that isn’t the responsibility of this comic, to cure a headache as this headline misleadingly implies. What it did is make me forget for a minute and just enjoy the reality of this very fun story. And it did it with aplomb and charm on every page. It’s excellent work, exactly what it should be — the kind of work that brightens your spirits as long as you’re reading it. 

Overall: Thor & Loki: Double Trouble #1 is an excellent start to a new four-part miniseries, and it’s one that immediately imbues the proceedings with welcome charm and delight. 8.5/10

REVIEW: Thor & Loki - Double Trouble #1

Thor & Loki: Double Trouble #1
Writer: Mariko Tamaki
Artist: Gurihiru
Letterer: VC's Ariana Maher
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Price: $3.99
They’re brothers, gods and sons of Odin — but Thor and Loki just don’t get along! Especially since Loki keeps tricking Thor into doing things that will get him in trouble. Even so, when Loki dares Thor to steal a powerful relic from Odin’s vault, how can the God of Thunder say nay? The fan-favorite team that brought you SPIDER-MAN & VENOM: DOUBLE TROUBLE returns!
Read It Digitally: Thor & Loki - Double Trouble #1
Pre-Order the Trade: Thor & Loki - Double Trouble GN

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My name is Jacob Cordas (@jacweasel) and I am starting to think I may in fact be qualified to write this.