Oh, sure, he may have enslaved Hawkeye and Dr. Selvig, wreaked havoc on Cleveland Stuttgart, Germany, and Cleveland New York City, and killed Agent Phil Coulson in Marvel's The Avengers, but deep down Loki is a pretty swell guy. Er, god.

For proof you need look no further than this week's Journey Into Mystery #645, which marks the departure of writer Kieron Gillen, whose take of "Kid Loki" has made the pint-size god of mischief beloved by Tumblr users the world over. Gillen's final "Journey Into Stationery" letter page starts with a laudatory message from a certain Tom Hiddleston, who knows a thing or two about Loki:

Dear Kieron:

You and I see Loki the same way. He's one dark, anarchic, bottomless black hole of rage, hatred, pity and pain. An exiled outcast, a lost & lonely agent of chaos, who wouldn't know what to do with familial forgiveness if it walked up to him in the street and slapped him in the face. I've had as much fun playing him as you've clearly had writing up. I know your run on JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY has been so hugely popular. What an enormous honour to share Loki's legacy with you. Here's to bringing Norse back!

-- Tom Hiddleston

Gillen's response? Simply "Crikey."

Of course the writer isn't finished with Loki; he'll play a role in Young Avengers, which relaunches in January under Gillen and artist Jamie McKelvie as part of the Marvel NOW! initiative.