Loki Reading Order: God of Mischief
The best Loki stories, from Journey Into Mystery to Agent of Asgard.
By Web Admin
No Marvel character has evolved quite like Loki. The God of Mischief began as Thor’s scheming, one-note villain and, over the last fifteen years of comics, transformed into one of the most beloved and complex antiheroes in the entire line — a self-aware trickster wrestling with whether anyone can ever truly change their story. If the Disney+ series brought you here, the good news is that the comics that inspired its tone are genuinely brilliant, and they are surprisingly easy to read in order.
This guide lays out a Loki reading order focused on the modern, character-defining era: Kieron Gillen’s Journey Into Mystery, the fan-favourite Young Avengers, and Al Ewing’s Loki: Agent of Asgard. Together they form one continuous, deeply satisfying arc about mischief, guilt and free will — and you can start at the beginning and simply read forward.
Reading order at a glance
The modern Loki saga reads almost like one long story across three runs. Here is the order.
| # | Story / run | Creators | Year | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Journey Into Mystery (from #622) | Gillen, Braithwaite | 2011 | Reinvention |
| 2 | Young Avengers | Gillen, McKelvie | 2013 | Team book |
| 3 | Loki: Agent of Asgard | Ewing, Garbett | 2014 | Solo series |
| 4 | Vote Loki | Hastings, Laiso | 2016 | Standalone (fun extra) |
1. The reinvention: Journey Into Mystery by Kieron Gillen (2011)
The modern Loki begins in Kieron Gillen’s Journey Into Mystery, starting around issue #622 in 2011. After dying as the villain, Loki is reborn as “Kid Loki” — a clever, mischievous child with none of his older self’s crimes but all of the world’s suspicion. The run is a genuinely moving story about a boy trying to write himself a better ending while everyone, including his own brother Thor, waits for him to betray them. It is witty, heartbreaking and brilliantly plotted, and it is the foundation for everything that follows. This is the essential starting point.
2. Growing up: Young Avengers by Gillen & McKelvie (2013)
Gillen continued Loki’s story in the dazzling Young Avengers (2013) with artist Jamie McKelvie. Now a teenager, Loki joins a group of young heroes — including Wiccan, Hulkling, Kate Bishop and America Chavez — in a stylish, propulsive adventure packed with humour, romance and inventive page design. Loki is a scene-stealing, morally slippery presence throughout, and the run deepens the question at the heart of his arc: can he be trusted, and does he even trust himself? It is one of the most acclaimed team books of its decade and a joy to read.
3. The masterpiece: Loki: Agent of Asgard by Al Ewing (2014)
Everything pays off in Al Ewing and Lee Garbett’s Loki: Agent of Asgard (2014), the run most fans consider the definitive Loki solo series. Now a charming young adult working as Asgard’s secret agent, Loki confronts the biggest question of all: is he doomed to become the villain again, or can a “god of stories” rewrite his own nature? Ewing turns Loki’s central paradox into a thrilling, emotional and metafictional saga about identity, guilt and the power of the stories we tell about ourselves. It directly inspired the tone of the Disney+ series and is the high point of the character’s comics history.
4. A fun extra: Vote Loki (2016)
For a lighter, standalone read, Vote Loki (2016) by Christopher Hastings and Langdon Foss follows Loki running for President of the United States on a platform of honestly admitting he lies. It is a sharp, funny political satire that works perfectly as a one-shot palate cleanser after the emotional heights of Agent of Asgard. Not essential, but very entertaining.
A note on the Loki TV series
If the Disney+ Loki series sent you looking for comics, you are in exactly the right place. While the show tells its own time-travel story, its playful, philosophical take on Loki — a trickster forced to reckon with fate, identity and the possibility of being more than a villain — comes straight from the Gillen and Ewing comics above. Loki: Agent of Asgard in particular shares the show’s DNA. Read these and you will recognise the character’s soul, even where the plots diverge.
What makes modern Loki special
The reason this era of Loki resonates so strongly is that it took a stock villain and asked a genuinely deep question: if everyone expects you to be evil — if the story itself seems written that way — can you ever escape it? Across these three runs, Loki argues with his own past self, betrays and redeems himself, and ultimately claims the title “God of Stories,” the one being who gets to decide what his tale means. It is rare for a superhero comic to be this thematically rich while remaining this funny and fast-moving. Once you have read it, the old mustache-twirling Loki feels like a completely different character.
It is also worth appreciating how these creators used Loki’s shapeshifting and gender-fluidity as more than a gimmick. Loki changes form, age and even gender across these runs, and the writing treats that fluidity as a natural expression of a trickster who refuses to be pinned down — a genuinely progressive portrayal that helped make the character a fan favourite far beyond the usual superhero audience. Combined with the razor-sharp dialogue and the sheer inventiveness of the plotting, it is easy to see why this stretch of comics is held up as a model of how to reinvent a legacy villain.
If you only have time for one book, make it Agent of Asgard — but reading all three in order turns a good story into a great one, because every callback and betrayal lands harder when you have watched Loki earn it. Few character arcs in modern comics are this satisfying from beginning to end.
Where to go before and after
Loki’s story is inseparable from Thor and Asgard, so it sits naturally within the wider Avengers corner of Marvel. Because his modern arc runs through Young Avengers, and because he shares that book’s magical, reality-bending sensibility, our Scarlet Witch reading order makes an excellent companion read. For the team context, see our Avengers reading order. And if you came here from the show, our roundup of upcoming comic adaptations is worth a look for what is next on screen. Browse more of the publisher through the Marvel hub.
AmazonCheck price on AmazonA suggested reading path
- Step 1: Journey Into Mystery by Kieron Gillen — Kid Loki and the reinvention.
- Step 2: Young Avengers by Gillen and McKelvie — teenage Loki grows up.
- Step 3: Loki: Agent of Asgard by Al Ewing — the definitive solo masterpiece.
- Step 4 (optional): Vote Loki — a fun standalone satire.
Read in this order, the three main runs form one continuous, deeply rewarding story — arguably the best character arc in modern Marvel.
Frequently asked questions
Where should I start reading Loki comics?
Start with Kieron Gillen’s Journey Into Mystery (2011). It reinvents Loki as the sympathetic “Kid Loki” and is the foundation for the entire modern era, including Young Avengers and Agent of Asgard.
What is the best Loki comic?
Most fans consider Loki: Agent of Asgard (2014) by Al Ewing the definitive Loki solo series. It is the emotional and thematic payoff of the whole modern arc and directly inspired the tone of the TV series.
Do I need to read Thor comics first?
No. While Loki is Thor’s brother and some background helps, the modern runs are written to be accessible on their own. You can start with Journey Into Mystery without prior Thor reading.
Do the comics match the Disney+ show?
Not directly — the show tells its own time-travel story — but its playful, philosophical Loki comes straight from these comics, especially Agent of Asgard. For more on-screen adaptations, see our upcoming adaptations guide.
