Vote Loki (Vote Loki (2016))

First off, I you realy want these stories then make sure you don't buy this Panini edition. Its ugly. The big blue Disney+ logo on the cover is not a sticker; it's part of the cover. It arrived with dog-eared cover corners, looking like a used library copy. It feels cheap and flimsy to hold. Strangely for such a thin book, it creaks as you turn the pages. Bizarrely, it absolutely stinks; not the usual delight of "new book smell", but of cheap glue.As for the 4 stories, it's an odd collection that have nothing in common:1, Vote Loki (2016) feels rushed and forced. Desperate to reach the what they thought were funny hijinks (but were mildly amusing, at best), it sadly forgets the character development of Loki: Agent of Asgard. It occasionally remembers the change in status as God of Stories (not lies, mischief, or evil), but only as a tip of the proverbial hat. Overall, its just an obvious metaphor for the 2016 Trump/Clinton election that followed a few months after publication. So with the hindsight of history, the ending rings hollow. The art doesn't help. Langdon Foss' fluid style feels both rushed yet overly detailed, making for some unusual facial expressions. Sometimes comical, it's often distracting.2, The two issues of Amazing Spider-Man (1999) have no relation to the Vote Loki story, because they were published 17 years earlier. So Loki lacks any of the development of recent years. The forgettable mystical villain of the month is overshadowed by a single page featuring Spider-Man and Loki discussing the New York delights of a hotdog. Far from a classic for either J Michael Straczynski or John Romita Jnr. It's unclear why such a mediocre story was chosen to be reprinted.3, The exerpts from Avengers #300 (1989) are only 7 pages that recount Loki's involvement in the creation of the Avengers. Walt Simonson can draw Thor and Loki on his sleep, but the reprint quality is so messy that it looks like Panini printed it in their sleep.4, Similarly Journey into Mystery #85 (1962) is another blast from the past. 1960s action from Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. Sadly, it's not a classic story. Its also suffers with the same low reprint quality from Panini.Even though they all feature Loki, the four stories collected have nothing in common. It could be debated that they're a depiction of the character throughout the ages, but then why call the collection Vote Loki? Instead, this is more of a comparison of comicbook storytelling from 1962 and 2016. The evolution of art and writing.Ultimately, despite featuring the work of some legendary creators, they're a disappointing and forgettable selection of stories in a cheaply made reprint.

Honestly? It feels like they missed a trick somewhere with this one. The art isn't terrible, but the interiors are not as good as the covers. Story starts okay, but falls quickly. Not terrible, a couple of laughs, but not great either

Hilarious and wry, and pretty relevant for the times we live in

Nice gift for friends.

Gross artwork ok storyline

This could have been a fun, inspiring read, but it takes a long time to not really make much of a point. It might have been more relevant at the time when it was written, but reading it in 2020 is very duh-inducing. On top of that, the artwork is simply awful.