Guardians of the Galaxy #2 – Review

By Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning (writers), Paul Pelletier (pencils), Rick Magyar (inks), and Nathan Fairbairn (colors)

This book starts off a bit on the weak side with its obligatory fight scene and mindless banter. But after the action settles down and the crew is away from the atypical space-time “anomaly” and silly hostile aliens, the real fun begins. By all means, this book is a recipe for disaster. It’s set in the far reaches of space – away from the core of the Marvel Universe – and it’s comprised of a bunch of B and C-List characters. Yet, Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning manage to make it work!

As they’re out in deep space, the team finds Captain America’s shield frozen in ice along with, as you can probably guess, a former shield bearing member of the original Guardians team. And like the premise that’s echoed in this issue, this team almost feels like the New Avengers… just in space. Eventually, the trouble the team got into (last issue) comes back to haunt them and this sets up what will most likely be another issue of fighting first and talking later.

The Guardians are filled with wide array of personas – most clashing, but the way they interact and speak of (and to) each other perfectly matches the camaraderie they’ve built since the Annihilation Conquest War. In a nutshell, they’re a reluctant family and that’s what makes this book engaging and humorous. I probably said this in last month’s review, but Rocket Raccoon is the true star of this book. Time and again he steals the scenes and the best jokes, but Cosmo, the talking space dog, isn’t too far behind.

Paul Pelletier’s contributions on art continue to be energetic and and infectious. He may not have a distinctive style or flash that sets him apart from other, more high-profile artists, but the man knows how convey action and tell a story. All his characters have a strong sense of weight and the subtle details (wrinkles, creases, stitchings, and accessories) put into their clothing/costumes really sells the package.

Honestly, this is what a great comic comes down to: Good times. This book is having a blast and we’re all invited. (Grade: A-)

– J. Montes

Guardians of the Galaxy #1 – Review

By Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning (writers), Paul Pelletier (penciler), Rick Magyar (inks), Nathan Fairbairn (colors)

This is how you write the first issue of a team book. Granted, if you’ve been following the Annihilation and Annihilation: Conquest series Marvel’s been running over the past two years, you’ll feel right at home, but for new readers the team chemistry is instantly realized. It helps that Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning have been writing these characters for a while too. It’s really amazing how quickly they’re able to introduce the roster, give us background of what’s transpired with the Annihilation storylines, thrust us right into the middle of a chaotic battle, and set the tone of what’s to come.

Guardians of the Galaxy is a smart space saga packed with some of the most likeable characters you’ll ever meet. Rocket Racoon may feel like an outlandish choice for the team, but he fits right in and will most likely be one of the most popular characters amongst readers. His sarcasm coupled with his tactical genius is one of the cornerstones of this book. The humor, not just by him, but by the rest of the team off-sets the serious implications they get themselves into. The way these guys fight together is completely chaotic, yet when they’re put into a pinch they always manage to get the job done. Abnett and Lanning have cleverly planned this series. We get a run down on how the chemistry of the team is kept in check, how they move around the universe, what what may become of them in the future. A lot of ground work has been laid in this first issue, and it’s very, very impressive to say the least.

Paul Pelletier is the unsung hero of this book. He’s the glue that makes it all come together. From page one he throws down the gauntlet giving us spectacular splash pages, engaging fights, and harrowing views of space. There’s absolutely nothing negative I can say about the art he’s done in this issue – it’s strong on every single front, and believe me, this book moves around a bit.

In a perfect world, this comic would be one of those big budget, science fiction epics we’d see on television a weekly basis. But since it’s not, the comic will have to do. If the creative team can keep this momentum going (and I have no doubt that they can given their track record on Annihilation and Nova), Guardians of the Galaxy will quietly become one of the best new series of 2008. (Grade: A)

– J. Montes

Nova #13 – Review

By Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning (writers), Wellinton Alves (pencils), Scott Hanna (inks) and Guru eFX (colors)

I won’t lie, this was my first issue of Nova, and I’ve never Annihilation or Annihilation Conquest. I only picked this up because the Silver Surfer is supposed to play a big role in this arc. That said, I was quite impressed. The premise of the story is that Nova has to help evacuate the planet Orbucen which has been marked by Galactus for consumption. While on his quest, he runs into trouble in the form of a parasitic entity called Harrow, that possesses and controls the bodies of its hosts. While he is able to capture it, he runs into other problems which eventually bring him face to face with Galactus. I won’t spoil the ending, but it does indeed look as though the Silver Surfer will play a big part before this tale is over (though not the one you think!)

The story maintains its strength throughout and felt like a cross between an episode of Star Trek (I could swear there’s been a character like Harrow somewhere in Star Trek) and a summer disaster movie. As for Harrow’s character, I suspect that his presence on this world is more than mere coincidence. My theories: Either he is a dark secret of the aristocratic government, or he is somehow attached to Galactus so that he can feed upon hosts that are upon to be consumed. Whatever his story, I’m sure that he will escape and cause trouble at the most inopportune moment.

The art in this issue is spectacular, and helps to convey the epic scope of the story. I especially enjoyed the double splash page of Galactus. Wellington Alves also does a wonderful job of giving “human” facial expressions to non-human characters. Overall, an entertaining read. I’ll definitely be back next month to see where this goes. I recommend this to anyone interested in the cosmic corner of the Marvel Universe, especially if they’re Silver Surfer fans. (Grade B+)

-M. Staples

Annihilation (TPB) Volumes #1-3 – Review

By Various

When this series came out a couple of years ago, I picked up the first two issues and was so completely lost that I never bothered to pick up the rest of the series. The problem was that there were “prologue” books that came before, opening up the storylines and the characters of the series. Well, I missed out on those books. and after hearing many raves regarding this crossover from friends, I decided to give it another shot. Thankfully, Marvel was kind enough to put the series in chronological order when it compiled this series into three trade paperbacks. It all makes sense to me now, and boy did I miss out on one heck of a story.

Before I get into what this story’s about, let it be known that you don’t need to know much or even anything of Marvel’s cosmic continuity to enjoy it. Trust me, because I pretty much have never kept up with this stuff either. I always thought Nova (at least from the New Warriors) was a little boring, Silver Surfer was a cool concept that never really grabbed my attention, and the Skrulls and Kree were just kind of silly. Then you have Thanos, who, thanks to Jim Starlin’s ego and vanity, was always a completely bloated and lame character. But with Annihilation, all your preconceptions of these characters go out the window. Sure, at times, they are portrayed as a bit too silly with their monologues and one-liners (“This ends now!” is said like six times throughout the series), but those moments are few. Instead, these characters are humanized, triumphant, and set on a destiny of greatness (and tradgedy).

The prologue issues go into great depth, explaining who the main cast of characters are and their motives. By the time we get to the actual Annihilation storyline, we’ve got all the information we need to dig in and enjoy it for what it is. What also helps are a series of “biography files” inserted at the end of each issue, explaining the main characters, their backgrounds, and powers. We get a good understanding of what’s at stake in the whole scheme of things. The Annihilation Wave is unlike any force seen in the Marvel Universe. It destroys planets, reaps the dead, and frees ancient evil from captivity.

Knowing that this wave cannot be stopped alone, an uneasy alliance is formed and a huge cosmic war commences. How the heroes on Earth can be so oblivious of the bigger picture and not lend a hand to this galatic conflict is beyond me. Annihilation is, in my opinion, the best crossover event that Marvel has ever done. Released during a time when Civil War was king and DC’s 52 was queen, Annihilation imposed a strong storyline on many galaxies set within the Marvel Universe. It literally changed the cosmic make up of the universe.

What Annihilus does is castastrophic. The epic events his invasion puts into motion make Civil War seem like squashing an ant hill. Imagine Thanos finally meeting his maker or Galactus being captured and used as a universal weapon of mass destruction. This is the kind of large scale stuff I’m talking about here, folks! More people peope die in this series than if you combined all the issues of Marvel’s back catalog. I mean, you have the Skrull Empire which loses more than half of its population to this war. And yet, these goons want to invade Earth after the fact? This, I don’t get.
It’s such a shame that this storyline never got the attention it really deserved. If you’re still on the fence, I urge you to pick up the trades. If you’re tired of big crossover events not delivering or being retconned within months after their release, Annihilation will reinvigorate your excitment in these events. (Grade: A)

– J. Montes