(Marvel Comics, 2013)
Review by Shawn Warner
WRITTEN BY: Brian Michael Bendis
PENCILS BY: Steve McNiven & Sara Pichelli
INKS BY: John Dell, Mark Morales, Steve McNiven & Sara Pichelli
COLOR ARTWORK BY: Justin Ponsor
LETTERING BY: VC’s Cory Petit
In the skies above London, England the Guardians have engaged the Badoon in fierce battle. A squadron of Badoon ships surrounds and fire upon the lone Guardians spacecraft while they are busy on board tending to Tony Starks battle damaged armor. He cannot even contact the other Avengers because the entire region’s communication lines are down as well as his armor’s communication system. However all other systems in Stark’s armor are now back online making it possible for him to join the Guardians’ counter-attack on the Badoon. Armed and primed for battle the five heroes exit the ship.
Six weeks prior to these events The Royal Ambassadors of the Galactic Empires are gathered together in The Negative Zone by Peter Quill’s father, King J-Son of the Royal conclave of Spartax. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss The Earth and how it may be a threat to each of their well-being. King J-Son pulls no punches when he refers to the Earth as “a cauldron of irresponsibility” and “a planet of madness”. He goes on further to describe in great detail the myriad reasons why he holds the Earth and its people in such contempt. As of this meeting the Earth is one generation away from communal space flight which means they are close to becoming a member of this community. He points out that the human race has increased genetic manipulation to a degree that has caused planet-wide chaos giving Earthlings powers ranging in significance from minor to intergalactic threat. J-Son sites the Krees’ genetic experimentation on humans and sorcerers’ use of black magic as possible causes of these super-powered humans. He believes that the numerous hostile encounters with such civilizations as the Kree, the Badoon, the Skrulls, Thanos and Galactus have made the Earth’s retaliation and desire for revenge a forgone conclusion thus nothing short of its pre-emptive destruction can be considered.
Back to the present and the fighting above London, Drax is the first to strike a blow for the Guardians. He tears a whole in the side of a Badoon fighter and boards with his battle axe at the ready. Meanwhile Rocket Raccoon has blasted his way into the Badoon control center where he nimbly sets the ship’s self-destruct sequence. Once engaged he has seven seconds to get himself clear of the doomed vessel which he does in spectacular fashion by blasting through the ships view port. Badly wounded in doing so Drax has sent his Badoon ship plummeting pilotless toward Earth however Rocket has sent his ship on a direct collision course with it. Star-Lord and Iron Man approach the ill-fated ships but it is Gamora who speeds passed them reaching Drax but cannot get him safely off the ship before impact. Iron Man accelerates into the growing fireball and out the other side with Gamora under one arm and Drax under the other.
Now return to the Negative Zone six weeks prior where The All-Mother of the Nine Realms, who is one of the Royal Ambassadors on hand at King J-Son’s meeting of the Galactic Empires, voices her disapproval of J-Son’s suggestion to destroy Earth. In fact she warns that any act of violence or war against it is an act of war with all the realms she has at her disposal. This is exactly what King J-Son was hoping for. Now that The All-Mother has declared the Earth off-limits she has effectively placed a target on the planet that no contender could resist. It also has given him the power to arrest anyone who interferes with the Earth. To his mind that is a perfect reason for his son to stay away from it or be arrested even though it is the planet of his birth.
Back in the present and on Earth the Guardians regroup slightly the worse for wear. A stubborn Drax refuses to accompany Gamora back to the ship to tend to his wounds, while Iron Man complains that the communications lines are still blocked. Just then the reason for the blocked communications reveals itself. Above them hovers an armored deployment of peace keepers who inform them that they are in direct violation of the Spartax Earth Directive. Star Lord intervenes protesting that he is in fact the Prince of Spartax to no avail. This decree came straight from the King. The Guardians of the Galaxy are now prisoners of war.
I know this is only the second issue but this book could be the best series going. It’s definitely in the top five. Bendis is in tip top form here. He is not falling into the familiar traps that a lot of science fiction titles fall into. That is limitless techno-jargon, unpronounceable names and impossible to follow convoluted alien politics. Instead he has stuck to a more user friendly, Star Wars-like structure; likeable heroes, lots of action, witty banter, smart dialogue, sinister villains and intrigue. Much like he did on the Avengers and is currently doing on the All-New X-Men Bendis is writing a great team book. Each member has a unique personality and voice. The break-neck pace of this book makes it a deceptively quick read but there is a lot going on here. Bendis is not skimping on the plot in favor of filling the pages with fight after fight, space battle after space battle (they are in there) no he is writing a complex multi-faceted story not a needlessly complicated one but a story with depth. At the heart of this book is the story of a father and a son, a very human story albeit one that is set in space. Bendis has the ability to makes us forget the hugeness of the stage and focus on the actors, the interactions of people and the emotions they feel and make us feel. This is what great stories are all about and Brian Michael Bendis is one hell of a story teller.
Steve McNiven is bar none one of the best comic book artist of all-time. So when you put these two guys on any title I’m adding it to my pull list before I see page one. Having said that, this book does not disappoint, the art is so detailed and so dynamic that it virtually leaps off the page. Although widely thought of as a cover artist McNiven’s interior pages are just as impressive. There is no wasted space in his page lay-outs; every panel is a singular piece of art adding to the story being told. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Justin Ponsor’s colors. He brings a degree of dimension to McNiven’s pencils that make these pages come alive with vibrancy and electricity. Over all this is as close to comic book perfection as you are likely to come. I cannot think of a single reason why this book should not be on your pull list even at the cost of cutting something you might be on the fence about. Comic books are too expensive today and there is no reason to pay $3.99 for a comic that doesn’t deliver on multiple levels, Guardians of the Galaxy delivers.
So until next time, see you at the comic book store my friends.
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Follow Shawn Warner of Twitter: @shawnwarner629
BAG & BORED 