Geek-A-Long
2017 Geek-A-Long: Loki
Jul
I know what you’re thinking. Isn’t this year all about superheroes? Loki is a villain in the Marvel Universe, not a superhero. Which is exactly what I said when he was nominated during our Fight For Your Fandom event last winter. His nomination came under scrutiny, and instead of telling you about Loki, who you should already be aware of by now if you’ve seen any of the Thor movies or The Avengers, I’m going to share the exchange the chain of events that ended with Loki making a glorious appearance on this years Geek-A-Long blanket.
In case you’re unaware of Fight For Your Fandom, we asked people to nominate their fav superheroes from Marvel and DC and make a case for why they deserved one of 48 spots. Then, people were asked to cast their votes by clicking “agree” on their post. You can view the thread in the GAL Ravelry group for yourself here and the Fight Chat threadhere.
smissild: I vote for Loki! He’s cunning, witty, and always mischievous to get what he wants. Loki loves his mother and Thor (at least enough not to kill him). He even sometimes helps Thor. He just does what he thinks is best for himself regardless of the consequences. He’s not really a villain just a “bad guy” who is in desperate need of an counselor. blush
shelton410:I’m guessing Loki isn’t making the list because he has traditionally been a villain, but most recently (while maybe not a hero) he has been on the side of heroes as Kid Loki in Journey Into Mystery and The Young Avengers… I wouldn’t say that he’s good exactly, but maybe chaotic good, at least. :) So I guess I’d like to nominate Kid Loki?
Me: smissild, I love Loki too, but can you make a case for him as a Superhero in your nomination? I’ll keep it up if you can spin it. Everyone loves a good anti-hero.
KariEllyn:I actually replied to the original post on the Fight page, then realized it didn’t actually nominate anyone new, so belonged here. I disagree that Loki only wants what’s best for himself. He wants what’s best for his people, however conflicted he may sometimes be as to whom that entails. I think he wants to be a superhero; his methods are just not always in line with others’ definition of “heroic.” Plus, imagine having to grow up with Thor for a brother. That could warp anybody! I think most of those who grew up as geeks, at least when I was young, can completely sympathize with him.
The above clip is a post credit scene from Dr. Strange about the new Thor movie, and I’m super hyped to see the banter between Loki and Dr. Strange. Also, where was the good ol’ Doc when my coffee cup was empty this morning?
Anyway, as you can surmise, KariEllyn was the one who swayed us to put Loki on the blanket this year. Or, at least, gave us a valid reason.
Also, before anyone mentions it, yes Loki does look like a pretty boy on this square. My husband accused me of making him look like the heartthrob in an anime, but I’m not even sorry. Most of us nerd ladies love Loki, so I figured he deserved to be pretty. It was either that or put a bunch of hearts and sparkly starbursts around his head.
Whether you’re knitting, crocheting, or cross stitching this square, you can download the 29 Loki pattern here. Instructions and charts for both knit and crochet are listed in the pattern. When you’re finished making it, don’t forget to Instagram your squares at us @lattesandllamasyarn with the hashtag #geekalong!
If you’re having trouble with double-sided knitting, we have a how-to video here and a tutorial on crochet here. Want to hang out with other people making the blanket? You can find moral support in the Geek-A-Long group on Ravelry here.
~ Jac
Also, Loki is totes adorable in Squirrel Girl as Cat Thor! Sorry, not sorry if that spoils anything for anyone. We even named a colorway after him on our Adventure Yarn.
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