Loki: Agent of Asgard #13

That tagline — "He's on your side…" — does a lot of heavy lifting when the figure delivering it is a horned, glowing-eyed Loki rendered almost entirely in shadow, backlit by a blazing column of white-gold light. It's a cover that plays the God of Mischief's ambiguity perfectly: menacing silhouette, wicked grin, yet positioned as protector rather than threat. Al Ewing and Lee Garbett's run on Loki: Agent of Asgard was one of Marvel's most quietly compelling series of 2015, and this thirteenth issue, "The Magic Theater," promises more of the sharp, morally slippery storytelling that made it so rewarding.