How a Neil Gaiman character became Loki’s sister in Marvel Comics

There are some weird Asgardians in Marvel Comics, but none quite as weird as Angela, the Asgardian raised as an angel who came from a different publisher altogether. 

Marvel’s Loki has a weird family tree. He’s a Frost Giant by birth, meaning he’s the son of King Laufey and the rightful heir to the throne of Jotunheim. However, he’s an adopted son of Asgard, so he’s also the son of Odin and the brother of Thor. 

But it just gets weirder after that. He’s got a whole host of children in the original mythology that are also, at some point, referenced in the comics. And a lot of them are animals, like Odin’s six-legged horse, Slepnir. 

Perhaps the most unusual of Loki’s family members isn’t because of a bizarre origin or because Loki may have personally birthed them, though. In fact, Loki has a half-sister, Angela, who started life not as a Marvel Comics Asgardian god but as a demon-hunting angel at an entirely different publisher. 

How a Neil Gaiman-created Spawn character became a Marvel Comics character

In 1993, The Sandman creator Neil Gaiman worked on a handful of Spawn projects for Image Comics. In those issues, he created Angela, a warrior angel sent to Earth with the purpose of hunting hellspawns, such as the titular Spawn. 

However, the legality of Angela came up for debate, along with a couple of other characters Gaiman had created. Gaiman sued Image Comics and Spawn creator Todd McFarlane in 2002, arguing that he hadn’t been paid for the continued usage of Angela. Gaiman won the suit and co-ownership; in 2012, Gaiman became the sole owner of Angela. 

The change in ownership came at the same time as Gaiman was again working alongside Marvel to prepare for a Miracleman revival. Gaiman sold the rights to Marvel, and Angela was eventually introduced during the 2013 Guardians of the Galaxy run. 

How Marvel Comics’ Angela became Loki’s sister

Angela makes her debut in Age of Ultron, falling into the Marvel Universe after the multiverse is fractured. During the event of Original Sin, Thor learns she is actually Odin and Freyja’s daughter, Aldrif Odinsdottir. 

In this new story, Angela is believed to have been killed as an infant while Asgard warred with Angels of the Tenth Realm. Odin severs the realm of Heven for the murder, but in reality, the angels have kept Angela and raised her as their own. 

Since then, Angela has been invited into the fold as a member of Asgardian royalty, though she usually does not show any interest in having power. She’s also quickly been established as one of Marvel’s most powerful and cunning characters, successfully navigating her tense relationship with Heven and even briefly becoming the lord of Hel. 

Loki Season 2 Episodes 1-2 are now streaming on Disney+. You can check out our other coverage below:

Season 2 Episode 1 review | Why Loki’s helmet has horns | Marvel’s Loki powers and weaknesses explained | How strong is Kang? Powers and weaknesses explained in Marvel Comics | Loki Season 1: Events to remember | When does Loki Season 2 take place? | Loki Season 2 Episode 1 post-credits scene | Who Is Ouroboros in Loki? | Where is Kang in Loki Season 2?