Written by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning
Illustrated by Tan Eng Huat and Timothy Green IIIBecause you — yes,you! — demanded it: Marvel’s all-star cosmic team — and cult faves Rocket Raccoon & Groot — in one massive mini! The Silver Surfer! Beta-Ray Bill! Gladiator! Quasar! Ronan! When the Dire Wraiths strike, Cosmic Masters DnA (THE THANOS IMPERATIVE, THOR/IRON MAN) and Tan Eng Huat (SILVER SURFER, THOR: FIRST THUNDER) assemble the heaviest hitters in all the universe to save the day! And there’s more! Plus: the demented duo of Rocket Raccoon and Groot return for their own, new-reader-friendly adventure! What do you do after you’ve saved the galaxy? DnA and the fabulous Timothy Green II (STAR-LORD) answer that with madcap SF combat and swashbuckling, space-faring mayhem!
Aw yeah, Cosmic Marvel! DnA have crafted the cosmic side of the Marvel Universe into arguably the best side of the Marvel universe with their amazingly epic space tale. Of course, as the Thanos Imperative ended, so did all the good times as several characters died (assumedly) and the cosmic realm was left in disarray. But as the Devastation cleared, a brand new day was in store for the Annihilators, aka the Cosmic Avengers!
Not only that, but I have two names for you: “Groot” and “Rocket Raccoon.” Oh. Yes.
So – with TWO comics wrapped up in ONE issue, how does the first set in our four-issue mini register on our 10.0 scale of comic bookery? Find out after the cut.
When the Thanos Imperative ended and both major space ongoings were “cancelled,” there was great sadness amonst the realm. DnA had supposedly moved on with Iron Man/Thor and Heroes for Hire, and most of us figured we’d seen the last of our favorite cosmic characters. But as soon as we had all given up hope, the Annihilators was announced, and with two full 22 page stories contained within one issue, you’d think that everything was now all rabbits and roses, right?
Well, not quite.
There is a very nice clear divide between the stories within the issue, so let’s look at it in two parts:
The first story, that of the Annihilators, picks up immediately where Thanos Imperative: Devastation ended. The SpaceKnights have returned with a new character, Ikon, and she wipes the floor with the Annihilators, who have barely even gotten used to the idea that they are going to be a collective set of heroes. With this and the return of an old Rom, Space Knight villain, the series gets underway without a second to loose as DnA continue their cosmic quest. So on the one hand, it’s very exciting to see some of these characters back in issue, and the dry wit that had been present throughout all of DnA’s cosmic work is present once again to much rejoicing.
The downside here is that: 1) this is probably the least accessible the Cosmic Marvel U has ever been and 2) comparitavely with what’s come in the past, the art is not very good. With the first thing, this issue is readily steeped not just in the Cosmic continuity (picking up literally seconds after a one-shot that new readers may or may not have read), but it’s very Space Knight heavy. As much as some of us nerds have a deep appreciation for Rom for various reasons, most readers will find that the random reintroduction to the Space Knights might appear a bit heavy handed. DnA do their best to introduce ALL of the characters in the story, and for those that have been with the Cosmic Marvel U for a while it doesn’t seem too abraisive. However, compared to other elements of their long-form story, this doesn’t feel like an issue you can jump in without prior knowledge to what’s been oging on. Meanwhile, Tan Eng Huat is offering art that just doesn’t match with what has come before. The Marvel Cosmic U has featured very sleek and steady artists for the past two years or so, offering up very smooth imagery in comparison to Huat’s art style. Part of this seems to be a mismatched combo between Huat and Victor Olazaba and June Chung (inker and colorist, respectively), but aside from that some of the character art is just a tad uneven, and faces repeatedly shift and stretch, making the visual reading a tad awkward.
Continued belowMeanwhile, in the second half of the issue, Rocket Raccoon returns at the hands of Timothy Green III, who originally drew the Guardians before they became the Guardians during Annihilation: Conquest! Green III has a very specific and borderline chaotic style, but the story ends up looking quite nice as his style fits the rather insane nature of the story. Rocket Raccoon, now a depressed little critter, has resounded to an office job due to his lack of faith that he can still guard the universe. This leads to quite possibly the silliest sequence of events you could ever expect, part Office Space and mostly the same Guardians of the Galaxy humor you’ve come to expect from a 20+ issue series.
The second half of the issue is easily the better half. While the first half is entertaining and a nice continuation to the ongoing galactic saga (despite some drawbacks), the second half is exactly what one would expect from a Rocket Raccoon and Groot team-up mini. Granted, Rocket Raccoon is the only one of the two to appear, but the reasons for this seem fairly natural and make perfect sense within the story. We also get our first look at Planet X as well as an elaboration on the general “Groot mythos,” which – for fans of the character – ends up being quite a hilarious callback to established elements of the character. It’s actually quite amazing how much the second part of the issue outdoes the first half, but with the first story being the more seirous continuation of the overall saga and the second being a character-based piece starring two characters who revel in the hilarious, it’s rather easy to find the second story much more entertaining – especially when it involves a killer clown.
Annihilators #1 is basically an issue where you get in what you get out. As much as this is supposed to be a place for new readers to hop in, it’s really mostly geared to a) old fans of Marvel Cosmic and b) continuing fans of Marvel Cosmic. If you’ve never read anything from the Cosmic sect of the Marvel U, it’d be wise to find trades and work your way up. However, for people who have been following this saga since DnA started, Annihilators is another welcome chapter into the story.
Final Verdict: 7.9 – Buy
