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Guardians Of The Galaxy vol 1: Cosmic Avengers (UK Ed'n)

Guardians Of The Galaxy vol 1: Cosmic Avengers (UK Ed'n) back

Brian Michael Bendis & Steve McNiven

Price: 
£12.99

Page 45 Review by Stephen

“Hey, Stark, are there any London-based superhero initiatives?”
“There is a Captain Britain.”
“Is he any good?”
“Not really.”

Best battle exchange ever! I had to clean up my keyboard.

You need know nothing of this previously D-list, space-based team, for Bendis has more or less restarted from scratch and taken advantage of Iron Man’s current off-world activities to bring him on board for what is basically a power struggle between a proud royal father and bitterly resentful, rebellious son.

It begins beautifully and peacefully in the past as a romance comic followed by a comic about being a single mum and then a story of growing up without a Dad. The blossoming romance is perfectly portrayed in a series of tender, silent panels, and the separation after is all the more heart-rending for it. Then it turns very, very dark indeed, which is why young Peter AKA Star-Lord, next in line to the Spartax throne, is an angry young man.

I want the specifics of that prologue to come as a surprise.

Fast-forward and Star-Lord’s father, King J-Son of Spartax, has gathered together the Kree’s Supreme Intelligence, Gladiator of the Shi’Ar empire, the Brood and the Brotherhood of the Badoon to hear the Asgardian All-Mother Of The Nine Realms declare Earth under her protection. They all agree that Earth is therefore off-limits. Unfortunately there is also a Sisterhood of the Badoon and a great deal of scheming forcing the Guardians of the Galaxy to break the injunction in order to defend the city of London. There are repercussions.

So who are the current Guardians Of The Galaxy? Star-Lord, Drax The Destroyer, Thanos’ daughter Gamora, Groot who takes root (he is a walking, talking, fully flammable tree) and the pint-sized Rocket Racoon (he is… a racoon). Against my initial instincts and then better judgement, Rocket Racoon as written by Bendis has swiftly become my favourite, blasting his way through enemy lines while taking a great deal of satisfaction in shouting, “Blam! Murdered you! Blam! Murdered you!” with each successive shot.

I also enjoyed his sub-plot-seeding spotlight in the GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY: TOMORROW’S AVENGERS one-shot (still in stock at the time of typing), also penned by Bendis, which gives you some history on each of the crew and is included at the back of this book. In it Rocket Racoon boasts in a bar of his pugilistic prowess in taking on Ronan The Accuser of the Kree. No one believes him, including a somewhat flabby-jowled, green-skinned fish-faced laydee whose heckles he diverts with flirtation.

“What’s your name?”
“Please leave me be.”
“Is that Kree or -- ?”
“Your tail was in my drink.”
Temporarily out of stock.
We should receive more very shortly.

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You will only be charged when it arrives.

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