Here’s how you know you have a great comic book on your hands. When you actually want to read the recap pages at the very beginning because they are so fun to read, that’s when you know it’s a great comic. I mean where else are you going to have a writer put that much effort into a recap page? No where, that’s where. That aside, this is yet another strong issue by this duo into making this one of the best comics on the stands today.

What makes this comic so great is that Gillen just knows how to write Loki. Your along for the ride in that you have no idea what Loki is scheming while reading this. So when you have great moments with Surtur or the mysterious benefactor at the end, you have no idea where that’s gonna lead until the very end of this story. Now to be clear, Loki isn’t a villain in this comic. Far from it and you know that he’s got some ulterior motive at the end of the day. So when you see him make a deal with Surtur to destroy Asgard, let’s say, you just think to yourself: “Oh Loki’s got some way to make sure that doesn’t happen.’ Again it shows how great Gillen is at writing Loki but also how great he is at writing the Asgardians in general.

I think this is the strongest issue by Doug Braithwaite in that the scope of the issue is pretty vast. Surtur is so massive in these pages that sometimes he can’t even fit into a panel. I mean the Hel-Wolf that Loki has had for a couple of issues have been pretty big in terms of scale. So when you see this massive red demon pick the Hel-Wolf up it’s pretty impressive. Other moments like Surtur giving Loki his sword, or the final page reveal are also showcases on why Braithwaite’s pencils are perfect for this series. What helps is the painted style coloring by Ulises Arreola and Andy Troy. If it wasn’t for them then this book wouldn’t look half as good aesthetically without them.

So yeah, I really think this is the best Marvel title on the stands right now. Kieron Gillen and Doug Braithwaite have redeemed themselves after their first Thor run by telling a great story with Loki. Gillen is perfect at writing these Asgardian characters and Braithwaite (along with Arreola/Troy on colors) have given us some gorgeous looking issues with the art. This issue is no different by being a pretty damn fun story with Loki once again scheming his way into getting what he wants but not having any idea what the ultimate goal is. I can’t wait to see just what Loki has in mind next issue especially with his new ‘pal’ on his shoulders.