Page 45 Review by Stephen
"The Brotherhood of the Badoon!"
"There is a Sisterhood as well."
"How do you know if this is the Brotherhood or the Sisterhood?"
"I guess one would have to look under their snvarnak."
"Well, I'm not doing that."
No, not very lady-like. Certainly not the proper behaviour of an angel from Heven, which must be missing one right now. Neil Gaiman's Angela is a little off course, but we will get to that momentarily.
Ah, Sara Pichelli! You are aware of Sarah Pichelli, of course? Possibly her highest profile comic so far has been the Miles Morales ULTIMATE COMICS: SPIDER-MAN VOL 1, also written by Bendis, and there I swooned over the subtlety and humanity of her expressions. It's still the scene I first show anyone new to that title: Miles and his Dad in the park. Highly recommended.
Sara brings a grace and elegance to every page she touches and, here, a great deal of humour and sass. Well, she does have Tony Stark to work with. Also, Thanos. My, but her Thanos is monumental and imposing, looming over Star-Lord like the Titan he is during the private conversation they probably shouldn't have been having. Not with Thanos' estranged daughter Gamora on the team, although it will prove vital later on.
Previously on GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL 1: please see GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL 1.
Now Star-Lord has had a vision. More accurately, he has experienced echoes of a rift in the space-time continuum catalysed by events in the AGE OF ULTRON, and is lucky to be here at all. Less fortunate is Angela, a character created by Neil Gaiman for Todd McFarlane's SPAWN which Todd McFarlane created after a rift with Marvel over creator rights which he then proceeded to stamp all over. Neil Gaiman took him to court and successfully sued the hypocrite. Jonathan did ask me, "What is Angela even doing in a Marvel Comic?" I would suggest it's a strain of poetic-justice revenge about as mature as thumbing your nose and sticking your tongue out at someone. I approve!
So Angela is no longer creator-owned but copyright Marvel and has found herself in the Marvel Universe. I don't really approve of that first bit but this was the ideal opportunity to slip her in here if you were going to do so. There are misunderstandings. Fisticuffs even. Fisticuffs with laser sabres and a Watcher appears. That's always ominous.
"Her presence here is most concerning."
I'm not sure which bit of this The Watcher disapproves of.
Anyway, Angela eventually proves a new ally and just in time for Thanos is about to launch himself at Earth for the INIFINITY event and this does tie into it tangentially. The bits on either side are infinitely preferable and dappled with wit, as when Angela goes to Earth, perhaps in search of Heven's place there.
"You know it's not really on Earth."
"I'm sorry."
"Heaven. It's not on Earth. That was just some crap Belinda Carlisle tried to sell us to make us feel better about the Go-Go's breaking up."
For much more Thanos (background and best-ever appearances, by his original creator), please see WARLOCK BY JIM STARLIN COMPLETE COLLECTION S/C.
