TVA #1 Review – The Best of Both Worlds

Marvel has a number of stellar shows under its umbrella, but one of its best is the timeline-hopping sensation known as Loki. The series’ story wrapped up in Loki season 2, with a meaningful sacrifice from the titular character himself, and unfortunately, it doesn’t appear that a season 3 is likely to happen. Loki fans are in luck though, because Marvel has brought quite a few of those elements to the comics with its TVA series, and the Time Variance Authority reunion can’t help but strike some of those lovely nostalgic chords, with some wonderful new additions to the mix.

TVA #1 sets its story after the events of Loki season 2, so Loki served his glorious purpose just like he did in the series. That said, the comic leverages the ability to draw from everything and not just things already introduced in the MCU, so it gets to have its cake and eat it too by including characters like Ghost-Spider, Jimmy Hudson, Captain Britain (Peggy Carter), and more. That actually turns out to be its best decision, as the influx of new characters helps keep things fresh and avoids being just a watered-down version of the show.

Writer Katharyn Blair retains the wit, earnestness, and occasional snark that made the show such a favorite, and this is reflected most through Gwen Stacy. Gwen acts as the main narrator of the issue, helping get fans up to speed in case they aren’t as familiar with Loki’s second season, and doing so in her incredibly relatable and comedic way. She’s one of my favorite aspects of the issue, and her personality is a brilliant foil for characters like B-15, O.B., Mobius, and of course, Miss Minutes, who steals the show in her own right as well.

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There’s one other key character introduced to the team that will surprise you, and their presence has an immediate impact, though I won’t spoil that here. Things pick up considerably when the entire team (at least this version of it) is up and running, and we get a better sense of what this series will really be from here on out.

The art team of Pere Perez, Guru-eFX, and Joe Sabino also deserve praise for encapsulating so much personality and flair from the show. Several characters look as if they stepped out of the television and into the comic, though some do look a bit awkward (looking at you Mobius). The battles that take place are thrilling and boast creative set pieces that take advantage of each character’s unique powerset and individual history, and this should only increase as they continue to work as a team. By the way, if you didn’t love Miss Minutes, Sir Seconds, and Doc Clock, you absolutely will by issue’s end, and I need more of them in my life from here on out.

This is all wonderful if you’re already entrenched in the world of the show, but if you aren’t, some aspects of TVA might not resonate nearly as much. That’s why it was a wonderful decision to include Ghost-Spider and Captain Britain, and the new addition will also bring in some fans, but compared to them the Loki crew just isn’t as interesting if you aren’t familiar with the show, with the exception of O.B., because he’s delightful whether you’ve watched the show or not.

If you loved Loki, this is the best of both worlds, bringing what you loved about the show and mixing in some characters and concepts that can only be done in the comics (at least for the time being). If you didn’t love the show or aren’t familiar with it, it might be a bit more of a mixed bag for you, but I would still implore you to give it a shot because it just might win you over anyway.

Published by: Marvel Comics

On: December 18, 2024

Written by: Katharyn Blair

Art by: Pere Perez

Colors by: Guru-eFX

Letters by: Joe Sabino