Guardians of the Galaxy #14 – Review

by Brian Michael Bendis (Writer), Nick Bradshaw, Todd Nauck & Jason Masters (pencils), Justin Ponsor & Justin Keith (Colorists)

The Story: Peter and J’son Quill have a long overdue talk about the birds, the bees and interstellar domination.

The Review: The Brian Michael Bendis volume of Gaurdians of the Galaxy has been something of a slow burner since it launched, which as any avid fan of Bendis’ book knows should come as nothing of a surprise. Throughout the course of this series we’ve been witness to J’son’s machinations and in this issue we finally see him strike against his son and the rest of the Guardians.

In a series of scenes the Guardians are taken out either individually or in pairings by bounty hunters, the Badoon and Shiar. The range of adversaries to the team seem to indicate that there is a deeper game afoot which hopefully will add a deeper layer of mystery to this storyline. What slightly irks about this issue is how easily the members of the team get taken out, when you have two members who’s monikers are “The Destroyer” and “The Universe’s Deadliest Woman” you’d expect them to put up more of a fight.

Where this issue really does shine is in the interplay between Peter and his father, the writing is extremely crisp with both characters having a defined point of view and attitude. Both characters believe that they are right despite being diametrically opposed which makes for a great showing for Bendis’s flair for naturalistic dialogue. Peter easily flips from childish petulance to righteous anger whereas every word that escapes J’son’s lips seems calculated and suspect, it is a treat to read and where the writing excels.

Guardians of the Galaxy #2 – Review

By: Brian Michael Bendis (Writer), Steve McNiven & Sara Pichelli (Penciler), John Dell, Mark Morales, Steve McNiven & Sara Pichelli (Inkers), Justin Ponsor (Colorist), VC’s Cory Petit (Letterer)

The Review: Something about Guardians of the Galaxy still seems a little…off. It’s definitely an enjoyable read but Bendis doesn’t quite seem as at home with space opera as he does with the more earthbound drama of books like All New X-Men, Ultimate Comics Spider-Man or (and I know this is a bone of contention) Age of Ultron. A big hint lies in that this, his first story arc, is centred entirely around Earth and its position of Universal importance. 2008’s GOTG crew never set foot on Earth once and was no poorer for it. The much maligned Green Lantern movie could barely slip the surly bonds of Earth and look how that turned out. When you’ve got an  entire universe at your disposal – a limitless expanse of planets and alien cultures for your cast to explore – ditching your characters on Terran soil at the first opportunity ends up feeling a little uninspired.

Guardians of the Galaxy #7 – Review

By Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning (Writers), Paul Pelletier (Pencils), Rick Magyar (Inks), and Will Quintana (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: In my opinion, Guardians of the Galaxy is one of the most consistently entertaining and visually impressive books Marvel puts out. It effortlessly blends action, comedy, and drama into one hell of a satisfying package. The question now is whether or not the series can maintain momentum since Secret Invasion pulled the team apart. My guess is that it can.

The Story: The issue opens with a glimpse into a devastating future as described by Starhawk, who is being held in captivity by Cosmo the dog for precautionary reasons. Apparently, humanity’s future is doomed unless Starhawk can manage to correct an error occurring during the present time. Meanwhile, Rocket Raccoon’s new team of Guardians answer a cry for help from a colony in need that seems to be facing problems strikingly similar to the ones Starhawk spoke of. Adam Warlock seeks to find out more information regarding the Church of Universal Truth with the help of Gamora. As for Drax and Quasar, they are out in search of answers regarding someone named Cammi. And Starlord? Well let’s just say that he’s got problems as well.

What’s Good: Despite all the characters in play in this issue, the creative team once again knocks one out of the park. While mostly set-up for the future, the storyline provides for some great character work and extremely good looking artwork. While I may not have fully grasped the implications regarding some of the plot beats, I found myself completely entertained, thanks to the colorful cast of characters. Simply put, Guardians of the Galaxy #7 is another great chapter in an awesome series that seems to get better all the time.

What’s Not So Good: My only major complaint with the issue is that I felt a bit lost regarding some of the plot beats. While I am sure Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning will catch me up with everything next month, some of the impact regarding the story was simply lost on me.

Conclusion: If you aren’t reading Guardians of the Galaxy, you should be. ‘Nuff said.

Grade: B+

Looking for a Response: Anyone want to catch me up on what I might have missed regarding some of the stuff in this issue?

-Kyle Posluszny

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