Loki spoilers: Surprise comic could confirm a shocking fan theory
Is source material being rushed to catch up with the MCU?
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is now center stage. After a decade of being “comic book movies,” the MCU is expanding its reach into television — and away from comics.
Yes, Agatha Harkness was in WandaVision, but Mephisto was not, which was quite the departure away from the comics. Is the future of Marvel comics pre-empting future onscreen storylines with supplementary lore? This theory suggests it’s already happening with the franchise’s next Disney+ series, Loki.
The Theory— According to Bleeding Cool, Marvel is rush-publishing a new Loki collection entitled Loki: Mistress of Mischief following Loki as they wake up in a body intended for Lady Sif and thus make a name for themself as Lady Loki. This echoes the canonical gender-fluidity of Loki within the Norse myths themselves.
A new collection focusing on Lady Loki feels too coincidental to ignore when paired with leaks and rumors that this version of the character would appear in the upcoming Loki series. If Lady Loki appears on screen, MCU fans everywhere will be clamoring for the print versions of her adventures as a way to get a glimpse at what’s coming in the MCU, so a newly published collection would be a surefire bestseller.
The cover of the new Loki collection.
Still convinced this is just a coincidence? According to Entertainment Weekly, the classic House of M collection sold out “almost overnight” thanks to WandaVision, and additional inspirations like Tom King’s The Vision weren’t far behind. So there’s obviously a demand for comics being used as source material as soon as they appear on screen.
Publishing a collection of Loki comics is great for all parties involved: Marvel maximizes their sales at a time when demand spikes, MCU fans get the supply they want when everyone logs on to buy the same omnibus at the same time, and MCU speculators can use news of what’s being published for hints at what’s to come.
Loki discusses her new form.
Loki Hype — So what’s in this new collection, and therefore could be in store for Loki the series? Here’s the description from the Diamond listing:
Loki reborn! When the Asgardian cycle of life begins again after Ragnarok, Thor's brother Loki comes back as…Thor's sister! Loki returns with a sense of purpose, seeking a fresh start to write her story anew. Loki first became the mistress of mischief in these epic tales from J. Michael Straczynski and Olivier Coipel's legendary run, in this NEW collected edition LOKI: MISTRESS OF MISCHIEF TPB with an on-sale date of 7/14/21!
One part of the description is glaring for those waiting for Loki. The collection is being published on July 14th, but Loki premieres on June 9th. So if this collection is meant for the MCU comic rush, there wouldn’t be a supply available during the first episode.
This doesn’t necessarily mean it’s not meant to tease Lady Loki. In fact, the release of this collection coincides exactly with the airdate of Episode 6 of Loki. So while we may not see much of this alternate form of Loki, we now have a prime suspect as to what the big series-end reveal will be for this series, much like White Vision or the Power Broker’s true identity.
Loki premieres on Disney+ June 9th.
