Guardians of the Galaxy Movie Review

As parents know, it is impossible to pick your favorite kid. After sitting down and watching Guardians of the Galaxy in IMAX this weekend, I have that feeling again. I simply can’t choose a favorite Marvel movie. I adore the Avengers. Captain America: The Winter Soldier was one of the most dynamic action movies I’ve ever seen. Iron Man started this whole thing. And yet I think Guardians is right up there. The mix of action, humor, and mind-blowing special effects puts this in the discussion for best Marvel movie so far.

But my dilemma isn’t limited to the film itself. Not only can I not figure out where this movie fits in the Marvel ranking, I also find myself unable to pick a favorite Guardian. James Gunn did such a masterful job divining the best parts of each character, I’m stunned. This movie absolutely packed with characters and locations, and yet it flows together. I’m a comic nerd, so it is no surprise that I was able to follow it, but my 9-year-old daughter was happily along for the ride too.

Chris Pratt has been an affable doofus on Parks and Rec for so long that seeing him anchor a huge movie like this is almost like seeing a friend make good. His Star Lord is heroic, doofy, and laugh-out loud funny. I didn’t think I’d care for his costume, but frankly, a mask would have been too constrictive. Besides, Gunn makes sure to put Pratt back in costume when it is time for a “splash page” worthy moment. Gunn knows his comics.

I had confidence in Vin Diesel as Groot. We’ve seen him make a lot out of a little with his vocal work in Iron Giant, so seeing him bellow out “I am Groot” is quite satisfying. The visual effects work is above reproach, at no moment did my eyes doubt anything about the huge anthropomorphic tree up on the screen.

The toughest thing for me to admit is that I was totally wrong about Bradley Cooper. I think I forgot he was an actor. I was terrified of a smooth-talking, frat boy Rocket Raccoon. But Cooper instead delivers a pitch-perfect performance as the wise-talking rodent. Rocket is basically the second Han Solo for this film (with Star Lord as the first). Rocket has some of my absolute favorite lines, and he’s my favorite character from the Guardians comic. I was afraid Gunn had made a mistake here, too. But no, Cooper is absolutely perfect.

Zoe Saldana has the unenviable task of being the straight woman in a pack of outlandish characters, and she anchors the film by taking everything seriously. Her back and forth rivalry (both physical and emotional) with Karen Gillen’s Nebula is the most personal connection between the antagonists and our heroes.

As a WWE fan, I had some sincere concerns about “Big Dave” Bautista’s abilities to act alongside these other professionals. Again, my fears were assuaged when Batista actually got on screen. He looks great, he fights great, and he has some of the best lines of the film. In fact, in the few days since I saw the movie, I think I’m quoting Drax the Destroyer the most! I was pulling for Bautista to not look bad, and instead he just about steals the show. Come back to wrestling, Bautista! I think you’ll get cheers now!

Lee Pace’s Ronan, Josh Brolin’s Thanos, Michael Rooker’s Yondu, and glorified cameos from Glenn Close, Benicio Del Toro, and John C. Reily round out a stellar cast that makes this world feel full. Alien, human, or CGI, the characters make this movie move.

One of my favorite things about this film is that it isn’t an origin movie. These characters have exciting lives and stories that have been going on for years. Gunn trusts us enough to throw us in the race and expect us to keep up. This movie is EXCELLENT and recommended for absolutely everyone with a pulse!

Guardians of the Galaxy #2

Is it wrong that I don’t want this comic to be good? I was seriously in love with Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning’s run on Guardians a few years ago, so hearing that Marvel was going to “fix” the book by putting a top-tier creative team on it always sounded a bit frustrating. That book was fantastic BEFORE! It didn't need fixing! 

So I sort of hoped I’d hate this book so that I could stay annoyed.

But for good or ill, we’ve got “good” Bendis on this one! There is no doubt this is the middle of a storyline, but Bendis uses the chance to give us some time with every active member of the Guardians. We see the determination of Gamorra and Drax (and their connection is a nice moment). Star Lord is sort of a smarty pants and a good sarcastic leader. Iron Man is the newbie Earthling trying to prove his worth on a new team. Its fun seeing Stark like this, explaining decisions and tech to the Guardians rather than being the boss of the Avengers. 

Of course, Stark also badmouths Captain Britain, which certainly doesn’t seem very nice. Who’s going to write the scene fixing that line of dialogue? It would have been Christos Gage, but now my money’s on Kieron Gillen.

So the Guardians are all pretty cool. Except for one who is simply awesome. Rocket Raccoon! He takes such joy in his work that it is infectious to the reader. And his repeated line after taking out Badoon bozos is wonderful. Rocket is the man.

It’s too bad that Steve McNiven has to draw so many talking heads scenes involving the heads of Marvel’s space races. He’s so good action and aerial combat; I would have dug even more of it. The Badoon are a bit on the generic side, but McNiven’s design on their ships and armor actually covers up that issue. And with Rocket's kill rate, Bendis can't be expected to create new named baddies all the time! 

Plus, Rocket Raccoon is cute.

Good

Guardians of the Galaxy #1

Bendis had an awfully high bar set for him on Guardians of the Galaxy. I absolutely loved Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning’s take a few years ago. In fact, their runs on Nova and Guardians still hold up as some of my favorite comics ever. I was so annoyed that Bendis was getting the reigns that I didn’t even read the Point One issue. Couldn’t do it.

But seeing Rocket, Groot, and Gamorra again was worth it. I picked up issue 1. And you know? It was pretty entertaining.

I still don’t like the idea of Iron Man on the team. I get why Marvel is doing it, the book is a lot more commercial if a very familiar face like Tony Stark is on the team. It just bums me out that the old resident Earther, Jack Flagg, lost his place. It’s going to be neat seeing Stark try to deal with the madness of space heroics; I will just miss the bigger cast. In fact, pretty much all my complaints boil down to “this isn’t the last series of Guardians.”

This book has a much stronger Star Lord focus, with Peter Quill’s Spartoi ties providing a lot of the motivation. Quill is the heir to the Spartoi throne, so having him slum around with the Guardians is pretty insulting to his father, the current monarch of the empire. In what seems like a petty move, a galactic of shifty looking aliens decreed that Earth is off-limits. The aliens include the Shi’ar, Spartoi, Brood, and more, but basically they are just declaring open-season on the Earth. The main battle involves the Badoon making a play and the Guardians getting in the way.

Bendis retains a lot of DnA’s characterization. Rocket Raccoon and Groot are the same, and Drax feels like he stepped out of the older series too. It’s too early to tell on Gamorra, and I don’t mind Star Lord’s new heritage-based plot. Overall, the series has a lot of potential.

Steve McNiven won’t stick around long, I’m sure, but while he’s here, the book will look good. Rocket Raccoon is far and away my favorite; it’s hard to keep him cute and cuddly while keeping him heavily armed, but McNiven pulls it off. Gamorra looks fantastic, of course, but that’s one of McNiven’s specialties. I also like the Star Lord redesign. It’s less Warhammer 40k, but more classic Marvel, while retaining elements of both. It’s a great look.

Good

Marvel Now Point One

This book is chock-full of intros, and it is actually a pretty solid value. If you want a chance to preview a lot of the 2nd-tier Marvel NOW books, you can’t do better than seeing the creative teams try to sell you on the ideas and concepts with a few pages.

Nick Fury and SHIELD: I’m intrigued by Nick Spencer and Luke Ross’ take. Ross has always been a solid artist, but this work is really impressive. It almost has a European flair to it; maybe it’s the inking, but with this creative team and the solid roster I’ve heard about, I may actually sample this book! Spencer hasn’t impressed me so far, but I think this preview has convinced me to try Secret Avengers #1.

Star-Lord and the Guardians of the Galaxy by Bendis and Steve McNiven has a long way to go. I LOVED DnA’s take on the Guardians, so I don’t see how I’m going to get over my annoyance at the restart to the series without them. I admit, this book is pretty, and putting Iron Man on the team is interesting. But I’m just not sure I can shell out $3.99 for a book that will make me wonder “what if my fave writers were still doing this?” every month. This is probably a library read for me.

Nova by Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness has a similar issue. Again, I adored DnA’s take, and Richard Rider has been a favorite of mine for years. So I’m pretty certain I’m not the target audience for this book. Putting in Diamondhead as a nod to Rider’s past is a good move, but this Sam Alexander kid is just so young. This is the kind of book that makes me think “wow, I’ve been reading comics too long and I need to leave this for my kids!” And maybe that’s the trick. If this is $2.99 and my daughters want to see more of this kid, I may buy it for them.

Young Avengers by Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie have a new take on the YA where they are 18. That still makes me feel old, but man, this art can make me forget a lot of things. I’m not sure if I’ll be picking up this series or not, but wow, the book is going to be gorgeous. And using Miss America Chavez is brilliant too. She’s got a great look and belongs in the spotlight like this.

Ant-Man and the FF by Matt Fraction and Mike Allred is an easy sale. Allred’s art would make me pick this up alone, and with the line-up Fraction has put together, I was never going to pass this up. She-Hulk, Medusa, and Scott Lang? Done. Let’s just hope this is sane Fraction. He can go off the rails sometimes!

Forge and Uncanny X-Force by Dennis Hopeless and Gabriel Hernandez Walta is a near miss for me. I like Forge, I like Cable, and I’m intrigued by the high concept. But I’m not a big fan of Walta’s art. The tech looks good, but the characters do not look on-model enough for me. I would never in a million years have guessed that was Forge without the dialogue. With Salvador LaRocca on art, I think I’ll give issue 1 a chance.

Grade: Varied from Good to Average

The Thanos Imperative HC

Wow, DnA know how to rock the world of Marvel cosmic. This epic is the swan song for the cancelled Guardians of the Galaxy and Nova. I love that DnA end the series pretty dramatically for the stars of those two books. I don't believe the permanence of their status for a moment, but it's a great idea to take these guys off the table for a bit. Absence makes the heart grow fonder.

With such a huge cast, and with Thanos justifiably taking up so many panels, a lot of the cosmic cast gets relegated to the background. Poor Jack Flagg and the Inhumans barely appear. Major Victory is a walking plot dump. But Rocket Raccoon, Drax, and Mantis all make out pretty nicely, even with fierce competition for page.

I never would have guessed that my childhood fave Quasar would be so important or powerful, but I'm not complaining. That big-budget, slo-mo shot where the Annihilators form up? Simply awesome. I love seeing Quaze and Ronan the Accuser in such fine company.

The story is truly epic, and I think it works best when the stakes are highest. The enormous battle at the Fault rift is well done, with Galactus and other cosmic entities trying to hold back the seeping life of the overgrown universe. I love the sequences back in the other universe too, with Star-Lord and Thanos teaming up with the robotic resistance there. I'm not sure the Revengers totally work as bad guys, I never bought into them as being too scary. While I love the idea of that character leading the forces of life, he isn't disfigured or frightening enough considering he's supposed to be tied to Lovecraftian elder gods.

The art in the prologue is the strongest. Brad Walker owns the Guardians, and his work is stellar. Miguel Sepulveda does a decent job with the rest of the material, but Walker is a hard act to follow.

Good

Guardians of the Galaxy #25

Hoo boy, Thanos is back and he's pissed.

DnA have a fair amount of weirdness this issue as we meet the odd Guardians of All Galaxies. This is the group that sent the variant Starhawks back in time at the start of the issue to find the problem with spacetime. After many false alarms (that have coincidentally gone along with Marvel cosmic crossovers) it now looks like Thanos is the anomaly the group must stop. Not sure what exactly that means, but it doesn't get resolved here.

What does get resolved is a great fight with the Guardians taking on Thanos. Thanos is raging unintelligibly and just tearing crap up. He supposedly has already killed Phyla, but I have my doubts. Star Lord and the rest of the team arrive just in time to save their comrades from a Titan-ian beat down from the purple powerhouse. Moondragon tries and fails to take him on, leading to an awesome scene where Major Victory actually deflects a double punch from Thanos that leaves Cap's shield smoking. Groot and Drax do a nice job trying to take him out, but it is up to Star Lord to use one of Marvel's best plot devices to take down the mad Titan. I love how DnA make it work in the story, giving the Guardians a legit way to take on this A-list villain.

I will say I'm tremendously bummed that this seems to be the last issue of Guardians. The next issue space promises this will be continued in The Thanos Imperative, but I'm going to miss this book.

Brad Walker is back and he rocks it. That double punch on Cap's shield looks tremendous, I'd love to buy that page. His facial expressions are perfect and I love how he makes Rocket Raccoon look soft but still tough. Jack Flagg's helmet is still one of the coolest hats in comics too.

Excellent

Guardians of the Galaxy #24

This issue is a bit of filler, I'd say its main purpose is the big return on the final page. There are some nice reintroduction pages for the "dead" members of the Guardians, but for long time readers I'm not sure we're getting a whole lot new. There is a great bit with one of the Guardians taking his place on the galactic council, it makes a lot of sense while maintaining the silliness I love in Guardians.

The Church of Universal Truth is still a darn neat villain group, just because of the nature of their faith-based powers. As long as they believe, they can win. It's a great concept and it always leads to great comeuppance when they face down our heroes.

Of course, the big story is the reveal on the last page. I knew this character was coming back. I knew he was important to Realm of Kings. And yet I was still suprised to see him return this way. Well played, DnA.

Wes Craig isn't bad, he just isn't anywhere near as tight as Brad Walker. His storytelling is clear enough, I just wish everyone didn't look like they were screaming.

Fair

Guardians of the Galaxy #23

It's official. DnA finally explain exactly how half the team survived their deaths at the hands of the Magus a few issues ago. It seems that the Magus was faking his own death and needed a couple of Guardians to die to help make it look good. Of course, none of them died, this was all a setup. Magus just took the captured Guardians and set them up in the torture chamber of his Church of Universal Truth. Now he's got his best torturer's working to convert Cosmo, Major Victory, Gamorra, and Mantis, and Phyla to his evil ways. Magus picked the wrong heroes though, since Mantis, Phyla, and Cosmo all have telepathic powers and together they are able to get Moondragon at least aware of the situation. Magus ties things into the rest of Realm of Kings with the rest of his plan, to get in touch with the dark gods on the other end of the fault.

Wes Craig is ok, but he's a bit of a letdown after Brad Walker's art. Craig's art is a lot more cartoony and the drama of some scenes is lessened a bit by it. The torture scenes are clear, but I'm not sure the emotional impact of having your memories lashed out of you is as dramatic as it could be. That said, he has a great take on both Blastaar and Bug during the diplomacy sequences.

Good

Best of the 2000's #7: Annihilation/Guardians of the Galaxy/Nova by DnA and various

#7: Annihilation/Guardians of the Galaxy/Nova by DNA & various

Most of the series I'm talking about here have ended, but we're lucky that some of the best series of the 2000's are still going. DnA are still knocking it out of the park every month in Guardians of the Galaxy, Nova, and Realm of Kings. Really, I've enjoyed all of the core Annihilation series, with some of the spin-offs holding up quite well. Star-Lord in particular was a fun ride from start to finish.

What is so wonderful about the modern era of Marvel cosmic is how well connected everything is. DnA can juggle the titles in such a way that the connections only matter if you are reading every book. Each title stands on its own as well. Every little bit of plot has a payoff. Every guest-star has a tie to something important. DnA love their history, and great, lost characters are dusted off and put back in play all the time. Project Pegasus, Quasar, Death's Head, Dr. Necker, Maelstrom, Darkhawk, the list goes on and on. The way DnA have turned Nova into such a main-eventer has been wonderful too, the guy was an Earthling scrub for so long, it wasn't easy to turn him into the universe's equivalent of Superman. These are the best comics you're not reading.

The art has been almost all great, and regular artists Andrea DeVito and Brad Walker have a wonderful blend of modern grit and classic brightness that make this feel jus right. These are your favorite heroes from your youth set into difficult modern circumstances.

Excellent

Guardians of the Galaxy #21

Is there a better team book on the stands right now? I don't think so. DnA's cosmic corner is so well fleshed out that the background super-team The Luminals are now an effective rival group for the Guardians. They get a lot of panel time in this issue, and man are they enraging. It's so much fun rooting for "our" team against the more politically connected Xandarian team.

Moondragon is really the star of the issue. She voluntarily... accepts the parasitic creature that is loose in the Guardians HQ in order to protect the Luminals and the other residents of the space station. This whole plotline is super-gross. Moondragon looks pregnant, with gross bumps on her stomach moving around as the creature inside her gets comfortable. She is supposedly keeping it under control with her telepathy, but how long do you think that can last? I also appreciate that the Church of Harmony is totally in love with this entity. Sure, it's demonic and murderous, but it makes the worshippers get the same feeling as when they're praying, so it must be their god, right? Awesome, awesome idea. Factor in the first inklings of the evil universe waiting on the far side of the rift (a universe where "life won") and its clear this book juggles plots better than any other. I'm sure a universe where "life won" might have need of Martyr as the avatar of death too, or dare I hope? Thanos?

Brad Walker handles the varied elements in this perfectly. He draws courtroom scenes, exploding heads, and dramatic alien pregnancies all with a perfect style. He's a great fit for this book.

Excellent

Guardians of the Galaxy #20

So it looks like DnA aren't taking back all those deaths. The bulk of this issue shows how the team is dealing with the raw losses suffered last issue. I really dug how even Rocket Raccoon was missing Cosmo, that was a great little scene, especially after seeing the more "normal" grieving from Moondragon. Starlord's throwing himself into his work is sad too, the poor guy's guilt about his failures is going to overwhelm him. In another bit of character genius, I love Jack Flagg as the new second in command when Starlord isn't around.

The closing creature was disgusting! When that Luminal's head popped open, revealing a crazy monster, man o man. DnA's decision to turn their cosmic books towards horror is a genius move. This will be new ground for a lot of these characters.

Brad Walker does a great job and I'm thrilled he's back. He draws the saddest Rocket I've ever seen. I really like the way he handles the standard Guardian uniform too, he even makes it work on Moondragon.

Good

Realm of Kings #1

DnA can do no wrong with me. Their little corner of the Marvel U has become my favorite thing in comics, and it is not hard to see why. There is an initial meeting of the main movers involving Quasar, Nova, the Guardians, and Project Pegasus. These are the coolest parts of the Marvel U and they're all involved in the same story! The entire group is concerned with the Fault, the rip in space/time created during the War of Kings.

Quasar is confident that his energy form should keep him safe, so he volunteers to do a deep dive into the Fault and see what is on the other side. His energy form lasts for just a few seconds, as he pops out the other side of the Fault on a horrific alternate Earth. This world is populated by an evil version of the Avengers that seem to be powered and possessed by demonic entities. To be specific, the whole universe that spawned that alternate Earth is a mass of evil, shapeless beings. Lovecraftian horror at its finest (I think the Avengers even mention Ftagh, which is a Lovecraft quote, I believe). I honestly had no inkling that DnA would use this Fault story to introduce the outer beings that would fit in nicely in a Hellboy comic. So the best cosmic books around are about to get an injection of non-Euclidian horror. Awesome. There are a ton of neat bits thrown in about possessed heroes, scientific beings resisting the supernatural, and the reduced cast of the Guardians. There is so much going on, this really is an important launch point for a whole section of Marvel's cosmology.

Mahmud Asrar handles the Marvel U portions of the issue, while Leonardo Manco draws the horrific alternate universe. The thematic shift in pencils works perfectly. Manco's pencils in particular sell the horror wonderfully. His take on a universe filled with a gigantic, shapeless, and malevolent being is horrific.

Good

Guardians of the Galaxy #19

Wow. If the deaths in this issue actually stick, this will be one hell of a bummer. DnA get right down to business, sending in Kang to correct the ages of Starlord's timelost team (leading to a nice comedic bit with Mantis, Cosmo, and Bug). Kang warns the team that should the Magus control the Fault (a tear in space-time) that the universe could end. Kang comes off fairly straight here, with a legion of Starhawks hanging around to back him up. Starlord and his crew rightfully don't trust him, but they accept a cosmic cube from him and jump back in time to stop Warlock's transformation into the Magus.

Things get nasty after that. Starlord's team jumps in right as Phyla attacks Warlock, so it seems like the deaths from the last few issues were undone. Then there's a vicious fight where more Guardians drop. I'm not sure who died and who survived, but it seems Phyla and Major Victory die for certain. I'm not sure about Mantis and Cosmo. They didn't look good. This cast is enormous, but man, I'd hate to see those great characters get whacked.

Wes Craig is ok, but his style isn't as dynamic as Brad Walker's. He actually does a nice job on the comedic stuff, but his action doesn't carry the same drama as Walker.

Good

Guardians of the Galaxy #18

As a Wonder Man fan, the minute I spotted "Hollywood" on the cover of Guardians, I knew I was in for a treat. Sure enough, DnA handle the character like the experts they are. Wondy is important to the plot, still kind of a bad-ass in his old age, and actually turns into a mentor type character to some alternate universe Guardians.

Starlord and his timelost crew get shunted to what is essentially the Earth of Killraven, an Orson Wells-inspired Earth where Martians have enslaved the human race. There's some weird aging going on, with everyone getting older or younger (except for Jack Flagg, who has some important destiny, it seems). The aging is played to good comedic effect, especially with the playful Cosmo the telekinetic dog. The bulk of the issue has the merged Guardian teams working against the Martians until the core cast is blinked out to another alternate Earth. I'm not sure if the Magus-ruled world at the end is the "main" timeline, but it certainly doesn't bode well for Starlord's crew.

This book is so much fun. This issue has it all, great guest-stars, classic villains, comedic interaction, and a strong cliffhanger. I've said it before, check out this comic.

Wes Craig's art is decent, but not quite as strong as the hyper-detail of Brad Walker. Craig does a good job too; I just prefer the regular penciller's take on these characters.

Excellent

War of Kings: Who Will Rule? #1

Gladiator is a pimp. His mourning costume (all black) makes him look bad-ass, I'm so pleased he's getting such a big role in cosmic Marvel. There is little plot movement here, but there are some nice character scenes as the Inhumans arrive on the Shi'ar throneworld and eventually decide to place Gladiator in charge of the Empire. I loved the idea that the Imperial Guard wouldn't honor the Shi'ar surrender until Gladiator accepted the mantle of leadership. They know the toughest guy around. DnA plant some seeds for the upcoming Realm of Kings storyline. The neatest bits show that Gladiator's main advisor is in fact a disguised Talon, who will be working against the altruistic nature of the new Shi'ar praetor. Magus and the rift in space time will be a central location for both the Kree and Inhumans moving forward. It seems Crystal and Ronan the Accuser's relationship could continue to develop too, based on how Crystal reacts to Polaris' teasing.

I can't recommend cosmic Marvel highly enough. DnA's cohesive vision have made this entire branch of the Marvel U an integrated, intriguing place where anything can happen, yet the stories still retain a "classic" feel. These guys love classic characters and it shows in their handling of even side-characters like Maximus the Mad. (He's convinced he should be placed in charge of the Shi'ar. When the royal family is attacked, he comments "this never would have happened under my rule.")

Heck, the Imperial Guard and Gladiator are an "homage" to the Legion of Super-Heroes and Superboy, yet I'm digging the Marvel version more than DC these days.

Paul Pelletier's work is always so fun. Gladiator's black costume is strikingly cool. The Imperial Guard members look right, some dark, some shiny, he even gets their different textures right. I liked the mourning costumes for the Inhumans too, with Medusa's hanging facemask and Crystal's domino mask.

Good

Guardians of the Galaxy #17

Well, I didn't see that coming. DnA are wrapping up the final elements from their War of Kings mini-series here and they cover some important stuff. It seems that Black Bolt's T-Bomb has opened a rift in space/time (don't you hate it when that happens?) and it is up to Adam Warlock to fix it. I love the idea that Warlock has to seek out early series antagonists the Church of Universal Harmony to power his spell to fix the tear in reality. Some of the Guardians are still missing in the future, so it is up to Rocket Raccoon's band of heroes to give Warlock the time he needs to accomplish his repair spell. Maximus the Mad and Groot are a huge help as they construct a complicated device to help stop the expansion of the tear. Oh, and Groot? It turns out the one thing Groot can say, "I am GROOT," is in fact a nuanced, complicated way of communication that most of us are not smart enough to hear. Maximus is positively delighted to discuss science with the wooden giant. Is Maximus crazy on this? I don't think so, since Groot is actually drawn helping to construct the life-saving device.

The shocking part of the issue hits when Warlock "ties reality to an unused future." That's some nice comic-science and it kicks off a startling chain of events. Phyla, as the champion of Death, kills Adam Warlock. Then Gamora avenges Adam by slaying Phyla. Then Adam Warlock rises as the Magus and kills Gamorra. Read that again, that's some packed pages! Now I'm sure that some or all of those characters will return, but damn, this is an exciting comic.

Brad Walker's detailed pencils are a fantastic fit for this title. His take on the Inhuman guest-stars is strong too. He draws pretty ladies, so Medusa and Crystal look great.

Excellent

Guardians of the Galaxy #16

Hmm. Marvel has this listed as the cover for this issue, but I have one featuring the original Guardians of the Galaxy. Weird.

DnA take a jump into the future this month as the time-lost Guardians (Star-Lord, Jack Flagg, Cosmo, Mantis, and Bug) are popped into the future and stuck on a domed Avengers Mansion that is just floating through space. It seems the original Guardians were stuck there too, and after a brief (and fun) fight, the two teams link up to send a message back to the current Guardians. The impending detonation of Black Bolt's Terrigenesis bomb is the event that causes the universe to start unraveling, leading to this apocalyptic future. Star-Lord and the others decide their best bet is to use the hive-mind of the Celestials to send a message back in time to the rest of the team. This is all less confusing than my summary makes it sound, and DnA spend most of the time with nice character moments like the bonding between Yondu and Mantis and the friendly rivalry and smack talk with Jack Flagg and Charlie-27. I wish Nikki would have been included in the original Guardians line-up. I know she joined later, but she's as well-known as the rest of them now and it would have been nice to see her too.

Wes Craig does a decent job with the art, but I've really become accustomed to Brad Walker's take on the characters. I hope Walker comes back soon, since it seems like this book has had a hard time holding onto a consistent artist.

Good

Guardians of the Galaxy #15

There are a lot of cheer-able moments in this issue of Guardians of the Galaxy. The issue starts off with most of the team caught between the Shi'ar Imperial Guard and some of the Inhuman royal family. I loved how insulted Starlord was that the Inhumans didn't immediately throw in with the Guardians. Lockjaw waking up Cosmo, with Cosmo asking "Are you God?" was a wonderful moment too. The best part about the opening chaos was Crystal tossing away Phyla, showing that Crystal had never been in danger. She's too tough a character to be used as a hostage and DnA showed their comic bonafides with the scene.

After the Inhumans depart, it's down to the Imperial Guard and the Guardians, since the Luminals and other denizens of Knowwhere want nothing to do with the conflict. Things look grim, especially when Starhawk gets free and zaps Starlord, Jack Flagg, Mantis, and Cosmo off to the future. Bug might have been there too, I can't remember. In any case, the remnants of the team go up against the Shi'ar, and then in another great moment, Rocket Racoon returns with his team and they start absolutely whipping up on the Shi'ar. Mentor II has no chance against the angry rodent. There are great bits of dialogue mixed in as always, from Jack Flagg's "For Cleveland!" to another wonderful use of "I am Groot!" This remains one of my favorite comics.

Brad Walker is one of my favorite new pencillers. His figures look great and his faces are expressive. He's one of the best new pencillers I've seen in years.

Excellent

Guardians of the Galaxy #14

Ok, we're all sure that Warlock is really Magus now, right? As the battle between Vulcan and Warlock heats up this issue, Warlock starts to turn purple. I didn't see the white hair, but I've got to figure that Magus is on the team and Warlock is really still in his cocoon. I'm a little disappointed in that, actually, since this is the most I've ever liked the character. He's usually so darn boring, but in this volume of Guardians he's been pretty likable and cool. DnA's use of the Imperial Guard is fun too. There is no mention of what Gladiator has been up to, but with him gone it seems Mentor II is in charge of the Guard. I can't help but like the Imperial Guard, and when they showed up I found myself rooting for them a little bit.

The B-story of Starlord's team trying to talk the Inhumans out of fighting was a bit weird. Phyla seems to have gone off the deep end. She repeatedly sabotages the peace talks and won't back down when the team calls her on it. I did like Bug's attempt at diplomacy too. I love the use of him as a charmer who can't help but comment on Medusa's -tik - eyes.

Brad Walker is the perfect artist for this book. He mixes the normal humans and aliens wonderfully. His Inhumans were spot-on, especially Medusa who looked beautiful and regal. I'm not sure I care for Jack Flagg's new mask, but that is a small complaint.

Good

War of Kings #3

What a fantastic, exciting issue. Abnett & Lanning check in on each of the sub-plots making up the main story of War of Kings, and each one develops in an interesting way. We see Vulcan spare Lilandra's life, as he would like her publicly tried and executed. During the opening scenes, we see how much all of this is upsetting Gladiator, the most powerful member of the Imperial Guard. Gladiator also gives us a great recap of how things stand in the military conflict with the Kree. I'm loving the repeated use of battle group names and locations. I'm hearing them in 3 or 4 books a month, so now I actually go "oh yeah" when I hear what battle group Wolfspider is up to. Back on the Kree homeworld, Crystal is bringing Ronan up to speed on what is going on. The battered Ronan has been transformed into a noble, tragic figure, which fascinates me. This guy was a big-time villain! Crystal's affection for him and the entire Kree people is quite well done and clearly her kindness will put her up against the rest of the royal family soon. I'm worried that the royal family may be heading down a questionable path, but we'll see. The rest of the book features the only clear-cut heroes of the story, the Starjammers and the Guardians of the Galaxy. The attack on Lilandra's transport is fantastic. The splash page where the Guardians appear almost made me cheer. Rocket Racoon's handling of Gladiator was tremendous too and almost had me cheering. Follow that up with "Would you hurt someone with fur so soft? Feel." What a wonderful character Rocket is, he may actually make my top 5 these days. Then the incredible conclusion. DnA and others have spent so much time dealing with this character that the turn is shocking, satisfying, and exciting all at the same time.

Paul Pelletier is perfect here. He gets the big moments like the Guardians' arrival. He nails the little details like the Thing chew toy with Lockjaw. And his art is what sells the Ronan tragedy. This book is about perfect.

Excellent