Hi, I just read "Ultimates 2: volume 1" and am a little confused about loki's origins, in the mythology, he is a guy who is made odin's blood brother, and when loki kills baldyr with the holly thorn, the other gods of asgard beat him up, thus breaking odin's promise that no harm would come to him as long as they were blood brothers, and I think that triggers Ragnarok, the end of the world, when the Fenris wolf breaks its bonds (forged out of the roots of a mountain, the hairs from a woman's beard, the sound of a cat's footsteps, the breath of a fish, the sinews of a bear, and the spittle of a bird) and a bunch of other stuff happens

in the 616 universe, Loki is a frost giant's baby who is (I think) abandoned at Odin's doorstep, and adopted by him. He grows to resent Thor for his natural athletic ability and magnetism, and Loki turns to sorcery to get powers (he does not have god-like powers, since in this story he is mortal)

in the ultimate universe, (I have only read Gods and Monsters ) Loki is Thor's half-brother ( He didn't say which half) and is messing with thor by changing reality to get him to talk to himself in the restaurant, and then, when the riot cops are beating protestors and thor goes to save them, I think Loki either magicked away the protestors, or made the illusion that the cops were beating innocent people (almost certainly the former) loki also showed up in the form of a computer technician, and changes reality so thor is a human with hardware in the form of a belt and ionized engine hammer, and fury says he "knew all along" which he had actually "known" for about 5 minutes, since Loki changed all the files and stuff.

does anyone know why the called the first one "ultimates: superhuman(vol.1)" the second "ultimates: homeland security (vol. 2)" but they called this one "ultimates 2: gods and monsters (vol. 1)"?

I'd really appreciate any help anyone can offer, and does anyone know when the trade paper back "grand theft america comes" out? I am eager to see who the traitor is (I have it narrowed down to 2)

In mythology Loki and Thor are best friends for years, sharing many adventures together untill Loki finally goes to far. While he does often cause some headaches, he also at times proves a valuable companion to the Thunder god.

In Marvel, Loki is the son of two frost giants (just like in myth). Odin kills his father on the battlefield and finds the baby Loki. Feeling sorry for the youth he took Loki to raise as his own son. This makes Loki Thor's half brother. The Loki miniseries from a few years back casts doubt as to why Odin reared Loki. It now appears Odin may have taken Loki in as a foil for Thor. Knowing that Loki would turn out to be a villian he used him to make Thor seem more noble and glorious. Although this is also likely just a figment of Loki's imagination (it implies this as well).

Regardless Thor and Loki were friends during their youth, although Loki is always jelous. He often causes mischief, that Baldur and Sif see, but Thor tended to see his half brother in a totally different light through much of their youth. Even today, while he doesn't trust Loki, he often deals less harshly with him then other gods (once he's beaten of course).

in Marvel 616, Odin killed a Frost giant who had a son, Loki. Loki was hidden by his birth father because he was so tiny for a Frost Giant, and his daddy was embarrassed.

Anyways, Odin didn't know till after he killed the giant that the giant had a baby, so Odin took the baby in as his own. Sort of. Odin did this out of a sense of honour, it was never said that he loved Loki as if the child was his natural orn child, which Thor was.

Basically, Odin treated his kid's like ####, but his adopted kid got it worse.

And, in Marvel 616, Thor killed Loki once. he got better







.

thanks for your information and knowledge,

maniac nmt, I hate to nitpick, but half-brother means that 2 people share a parent,

ex: my dad is Alec and my mom is Betty; your mom is Catherine, but your dad is Alec also; we are half-brothers

the situation you described would make them adopted brothers, like nightcrawler has rogue for an adopted sister

thanks again

Think of them not as on going comics, but as miniseries. "Ultimates" was the first one, which encompassed Superhuman and Homeland Security. Then that series was over and the sequel, "Ultimates 2" started, which is currently the Gods & Monsters (in reference to the "defeats" of Hulk and Thor being the most important events in those issues) TBP, and the second volume, Grand Theft America, which should be out a month or so after the last two issues of the series come out.

We've been waiting since Feburary for issue 11, and its due either this week or the next, according to Marvel's website. As for issue 12 and the TPB, well, they'll make great Christmas gifts, ne?