The Avengers Assemble: Loki

Character: Loki

Alter ego: Loki Laufeyson

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Created by: Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, Jack Kirby

The Artist: Tom Hiddleston

Team: The Avengers, The Defenders, The Champions, S.H.I.E.L.D.

About Loki:

Loki is a fictional character, a supervillain that appears in publications by Marvel Comics. He is the adoptive brother and archenemy of Thor. He is based on the being of the same name from Norse mythology. The character first appeared in Venus #6 (August 1949) and was created by writer Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber, and penciller Jack Kirby.

Tom Hiddleston portrays Loki in both the 2011 superhero film, Thor, and in the 2012 film, The Avengers, as both films' primary antagonist.

In 2009, Loki was ranked as IGN's 8th Greatest Comic Book Villain of All Time.

Loki made his first Marvel Comics appearance in Timely Comics' publication Venus #6 (August 1949), where Loki was depicted as a member of the Olympian gods exiled to the Underworld, who resembles the traditional image of the Devil. He convinces Jupiter to let him into Earth as Venus was allowed onto it, and plans to spread hate. Venus pledges herself to him to stop his plans, but Jupiter sees her unselfish act frees her from the pledge and Loki is sent back to the Underworld. He made his first official Marvel appearance in Journey into Mystery #85 (October 1962), where Loki was reintroduced by brothers and co-writers Stan Lee and Larry Lieber and he was redesigned by Jack Kirby.

As one of Thor's arch-nemeses, Loki has frequently made appearances in Thor-related titles like Journey Into Mystery and Thor, as well as other Marvel Universe titles such as The Avengers. He was the starring character in two four-issue miniseries (2004 and 2010).

Biography:

After slaying the King of the Frost giants Laufey in battle, Odin found a small Asgardian-sized child hidden within the primary stronghold of the Frost Giants. The child was Loki, and Laufey kept him hidden from his people, ashamed of his son's small size. Odin took the boy because he showed strength when Odin slew his father in combat and raised him as his son alongside his biological son Thor.

Throughout their childhood and into adolescence, Loki was resentful of the differences in which he and Thor were treated by the citizens of Asgard. The Asgardians valued great strength, tenacity, and bravery in battle above all things, and Loki was clearly inferior to his foster brother Thor in those areas. What he lacked in size and strength, however, he made up for in power and skill, particularly as a sorcerer. As Loki grew to adulthood, his natural talent for causing mischief would make itself manifest and earned him a nickname as the "God of Lies and Mischief"; his mischievousness eventually became malice as his hunger for power and revenge grew stronger. Several times he tried to use tricks to get rid of Thor, like telling him to guard a hole in the wall he had made. In time, his reputation grew from being a playful and mischievous trickster to the "God of Evil". Over the centuries, Loki attempted on many occasions to seize rulership of Asgard and to destroy Thor. He even helped the Storm giant Ghan to escape Thor planning to get a debt from him later, and aided other enemies of Asgard, planning to take over. Odin, who had grown weary of Loki's mischief, magically imprisoned him within a tree until someone would shed a tear for him. Loki eventually freed himself by causing a leaf to strike Heimdall, the guardian of Bifrost, in the eye, which made him shed a tear. Loki compiled an extensive criminal record in Asgard, and was frequently exiled.

Ability:

Loki is a member of the race of Frost Giants of Jotunheim, although not a giant in stature. He possesses physical attributes equal to a fit average member of the race of superbeings known as Asgardians, such as superhuman strength; stamina (his Frost Giant metabolism grants him superhuman levels of physical stamina in practically all activities); durability; and immunity to all known diseases and toxins, as well as some resistance to magic.

Loki has extensive training in magic, and possesses the ability to manipulate magical forces for a variety of purposes: energy projection, creation of force fields, temporarily increasing his own physical strength, granting superhuman abilities to living beings or inanimate objects, flight, hypnosis, illusion casting, and inter-dimensional teleportation.

Loki's magical abilities have been described as equal to those of Karnilla, the most skilled sorceress of Asgard.

Aside from his mystical abilities, Loki possesses a brilliant intellect. However, his arrogance, his passionate hatred of Thor, and all-consuming lust for power greatly impeded his ability to bring his well-laid plans to fruition. He is an expert manipulator and schemer, is sometimes armed with a sword, a whip, or a three-pronged spear and has used magical items (such as the Norn Stones) to enhance his powers.