Some food for thought on a current trending issue in the Heathen community:
It's well known here within the community that whenever a pantheon-based movie comes about, and gets popular, a flood of newbies all decide to worship the deities featured in said movie. Ex: the Percy Jackson films lead to an increase in people claiming to work with the Greek pantheon. Now, several movies starring Loki have come about (the Thor films and the Avengers movie).
Since these movies have become popular, a large influx of loki-fangirls/boys has come about. Several of us have been able to spot those who are sincere about the practice, and those who just think of it as a novelty because they happened to have liked the movies.
Within the Lokeans community, there is a lot of groaning about this topic. Many of the older followers believe that the new spike in younger Lokeans is attributed to the increase in Norse paganism being featured in media portrayals and that the obsession with Loki comes from this generations desire to be involved with the more chaotic beings. However, another group of Lokeans argue that the spike in followers is simply his will: he desires to become more noticed now that he's being portrayed more mainstream. It often boils down to the question: Why worship Loki, the trickster?
I think Lokavinr summed it up well: "After Odin, Loki is the most prominent player in the myths. And even while Odin might get a bit more screen time, as it were, Lokis performance is certainly the most memorable. Cross dressing, horse birthing, hair stealing, competitive eating, assisted murder by shrubberyjust to name a few! I once saw someone pose the question, If Loki was cast out, why is everyone still talking about Him? The fact is, its impossible to discuss the lore and not talk about Him. Take Loki away and nearly every story in the Eddas would crumble. The Eddas are problematic as a definitive source, to say the least, but they still form the backbone of many Heathens conceptions of the Gods. When you have such a stand out figure as Loki, why is it surprising that so many people want to know more? oki as a God, a character, a mythological figure, an adaptation, and whatever else you may think of, has recently been given voice in this way. The comic Valhalla by Peter Madsen, the book Loki by Mike Vasich, and of course, everyones favorite (or least favorite!), Marvels Loki in the Thor film and the comics Journey into Mystery and Thor and Loki: Blood Brothers would be just a few examples of this. Outside of heathenry, people seem to be very interested in hearing Lokis perspective, exploring alternative narratives in the myths, and reconsidering the importance of chaos in a society now dominated by comfort. Why then is it so shocking to people when the same thing starts to happen in heathenism?"
While most of us are skeptical and frown upon the newer members who are only here because of their interest in Loki from the modern media, we should perhaps consider that modern media is not the only thing drawing an interest to Loki. We should perhaps consider that the fangirls/boys who check out the faith may end up actually investing in the Eddas, reading the myths, and getting to know Loki on an actual level- not a superficial one.