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Journey Into Mystery #645: Review

Oct 2012
Kieron Gillen, Stephanie Hans

Story Name:

Journey into Mystery


Synopsis

Journey Into Mystery #645 Synopsis by Peter Silvestro

In the library of Asgardia, young Loki enters the dot below the final question mark to face his older self in the mystery limbo where he dwells. The older mischief-maker relates how Mephisto plans to seize the crown which will make him king of all Hell. Since the crown is made of young Loki’s thoughts and dreams, the only way to destroy the crown and keep it out of Mephisto’s grasp is for older Loki’s mind to overwrite the young one’s consciousness. Young Loki would cease to exist but so would the crown. Older Loki openly confesses that his is what he has wanted all along—for his younger self to rehabilitate his reputation so he could come back with a clean slate and start over. He grants young Loki a gift: he may return to existence for three conversations. Loki agrees and is sent back to his cave…

…where Leah is nursing the wounded Daimon Hellstrom back to health. Loki tells her to open a portal to Hel (in a monologue, not a conversation) and he leaps through. He meets with Brun of the Disir and asks to be devoured—but the Disir have been saved from that by Loki. He moves on to meet with Hela, Queen of the Dead, to request that Leah be sent into the ancient past—a move which enrages Loki’s best friend when granted by Hela. In Asgardia, Loki meets with Thor for a tearful farewell. Three conversations now finished (Disir, Hela, Thor in case you missed it), young Loki returns to the limbo where his older self awaits. Old Loki grants him a vision of the brighter future which will result from the fall of Mephisto—and young Loki will be sent to join Leah in the idyllic ancient past. The End.

…except that isn’t the end. In limbo, young Loki sends off his elder self with the prophecy that the older one will fail in his attempt at rehabilitation—where the younger one succeeded. He then tears apart the last magpie with his teeth, hurling the older Trickster God out of limbo. The young Loki then clutches the crown to his chest, and weeps in his exile….


 

Review / Commentaries

Rating:
3 stars

Journey Into Mystery #645 Review by (October 30, 2012)
Review: The buzz on the Internet is that this is the most powerful ending to a series in years, the poignant fate of Loki sending faithful readers into a state of sorrow and depression. Confession: not being a long-time reader of the title, merely having picked it up for the “Everything Burns” crossover—I had no idea what was going on. There is clearly a lot happening that ties together threads from the two-year epic but I’m all at sea. Being unqualified to write a review—or even to give an accurate synopsis—I did the best I could. Anyone who wants to rewrite my synopsis or at least explain the plot to me is welcome to contact me through this site.

Comments: “Everything Burns Aftermath.” The letters page begins, “Hello. My name is Kieron Gillen. I am now out of job. Please send food.” And the first letter is from Tom Hiddleston, who played Loki in the Thor and Avengers movies. Tyr and Son of Satan appear briefly.

Updated Review: Soo…with no one having responded to my plea for an explanation of what was going on in the story, I had to take care of it myself. (Is anyone reading this?)


> Journey Into Mystery comic book info and issue index

Elektra

Excelsioring your collection:
Kotobukiya Marvel Universe: Thor The Bronze Age ARTFX Statue, Multicolor
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(The Boy Wonder)

Stephanie Hans
Stephanie Hans
Stephanie Hans
Stephanie Hans (Cover Penciler)
Stephanie Hans (Cover Inker)
Stephanie Hans (Cover Colorist)


Characters

Listed in Alphabetical Order.

Hela
Hela

(Goddess of Death)
Loki
Loki

(Loki Laufeyson)
Son of Satan
Son of Satan

(Daimon Hellstrom)
Thor
Thor

(Odinson)

Plus: Disir, Leah of Hel.