A new comic series starring Loki, Jane Foster and the MCU's Valkyrie will debut in the form of The Mighty Valkyries. The series chronicles the adventures of the fan-favorite characters from 2017's Thor: Ragnarok as they team up to track down a mythical beast...but one of these characters has a hidden agenda. Penned by writers by Jason Aaron and Torunn Grønbekk with art by Mattia de lulis, the first issue of the new series is set to be released on April 21st, 2021.
The MCU version of Jane Foster, played by Natalie Portman, has only experienced a fraction of the stories possible within the pages of Marvel comics. She's fallen in love with Thor (to the chagrin of his alter-ego at the time, Donald Blake), had a child with her first husband (both of whom tragically died in a car accident), was diagnosed with cancer, and ultimately became the new Thor, even becoming worthy of wielding the hammer Mjolnir. Jane has even joined the innumerable ranks of comic book characters who have come back from the dead (in this case, rescued from the gates of Valhalla by Odin himself). Now the character has become a Valkyrie as a result of the King in Black: Return of the Valkyries storyline, and is primed to team up with her once-foe Loki and a mysterious third party.
The King in Black storyline proves to Jane that she is not the last Valkyrie after she meets a warrior based on the MCU's Valkyrie portrayed by Tessa Thompson. Preview images from The Mighty Valkyries show what appears to be the new hero in an alien city. Jane and Loki can also be seen fleeing from a massive creature that resembles a bear...but in Asgardian myth and legends, appearances can be deceiving. A variant cover has been released by artist Russell Dauterman to go with Issue #1's bonus story penned by Erica D'Urso.
A statement via Marvel.com sheds more light on the plot of the series, and precisely what drives Jane to forge an alliance with the morally-nebulous God of Mischief. "When Loki comes to Jane with rumors of a beast stalking the souls of Midgard, she leaps into action - but she's not the only one after the strange wolf's hide. She'll need backup...but her ancient coworker has other priorities. Years ago, the warrior made a promise to a woman she loved. And now, it's time to follow through." The exact nature of the beast's powers, abilities, and origin remains to be seen.
Jane Foster remains one of the perennial early love interests who grew into a character far beyond a simple object of affection for Thor. Since donning the mantle of Thor, she's arguably become a hero in her own right. Teaming up with Loki is certainly a gamble, but a soul-stalking spanner in the works is reason enough to set aside differences. Their mission along with that of the new Valkyrie will be revealed with The Mighty Valkyries debuts Wednesday, April 21st.
