Vote Loki

Vote Loki
By Christopher Hastings
Marvel, 2016, 120 Pages, Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Young Adult Fiction

Tired of not being stressed about the election? Get it back and more with this one-shot comic by Chris Hastings. Opening with a quick introduction of original character Nisa Contreras, an up and coming reporter with personal history with Loki, Vote Loki takes readers through a political campaign run by misdirection and the campaign slogan: "If I were your president, I'd lie right to your face, and you'd love it".

The story is silly, outrageous. It's not especially politically, though Loki's speech at the end (where he specifically notes he doesn't have any actual policy positions), is a bit of a jab at the general electorate. The illustrative style focuses on making the superheroes (Loki, Thor, Angela) look like real people; while the scenery becomes stylistic at times, the characters maintain an air of realism. Overall, Vote Loki is a fun, tongue in cheek story about politics. It's a little light on the action for a Marvel production, but the end product is still enjoyable. Hastings well captures the spirit of a contentious election season and encapsulates into an innocuous superhero story.

JMS