It says something that Neil Gaiman’s name doesn’t make it anywhere near the cover or the other names of the creative team on this book. What it says, I won’t begin to speculate, but it does make the idea that this was once sold as “Neil and Brian’s arc” of “Guardians of the Galaxy” a little unfortunate in hindsight. No matter. Don’t let that misdirection keep you from giving “Guardians of the Galaxy” a try, because Marvel is making it a priority in a variety of ways I’m about to discuss.
Written by Brian Michael Bendis
Illustrated by Sara PichelliSpinning out of the dramatic conclusion of Age of Ultron, dimensions collide and Heaven’s most fearsome Angel pushes the Guardians back on their heels.
If you’re anything like me, you were probably a fan of what Keith Giffen, Dan Abnett, and Andy Lanning were doing with Marvel Cosmic shortly before shop seemed to close up on that corner of the 616. As much as that was a banner era for Marvel Cosmic, you have to admit that it was a tough sell for anyone who wasn’t already interested in the properties. It was so wonderfully tied up in its own thing that, from an outsider perspective, it could seem utterly impenetrable. A few years later, Marvel is coming back at this thing with a bunch of very different, pretty high-profile resources. It’s making for a comic that does try a little too hard, but really does end up being a fun read that looks like it’s going to really matter in the Marvel Universe and all of that is on display in issue #5.
The most prominent resource is obviously writer Brian Michael Bendis. Dude has a big fan base and will bring sales to any property he takes on. He’s had his cancelled projects, sure, but he’s been a vital ingredient in Marvel’s best-selling properties for a decade and a half now. What does he bring to the table? A witty banter that instantly gives lesser-known characters an endearing personality. Your mileage may vary when he’s writing certain characters that have very specific voices, but he seems to have these characters down pretty well. Including Tony Stark in the proceedings gives Marvel a big gun to throw at a cast that are otherwise small-fries on the popularity scale. Bendis puts Tony in the same room as Rocket Raccoon as often as he can and spins some golden moments out of their contentious partnership. A good deal of the issue pits the two of them together, while the other half involves Peter Quill (Star Lord) running around acting like a semi-charming rogue on his search for answers to strange visions he’s been seeing. It works and it’s fun. Damn, is it fun.
The entertainment factor is high, but there is a little something missing. Over on “All-New X-Men”, Bendis has a handle on all of the foibles and baggage that the mutant characters bring with them. “Guardians of the Galaxy”, on the other, is missing a real emotional tether to grab onto at this point. There are some really bad omens for Earth by the end of the issue, but there isn’t any pathos in the time we spend with the main cast.
If pathos or emotional ties isn’t on the menu, then it would have helped the issue if the appearance of Angela felt like more than a gimmick. It’s a predictable venture to say that bringing in an Image Comics character written for a completely dissimilar series is a gimmick, but it really does play out that way in these pages. It seems as though we are supposed to be bringing an understanding of the character with us to the issue, but in the grand scheme of the audience that Marvel is reaching, that really won’t be the case. You can get by without a knowledge of Angela, but there’s nothing in this issue that will enlighten you on, endear you to, or even repel you from the character. Angela just exists at this point, representing a rift in the space-time continuum, but nothing more. She serves her purpose by being completely out of place. That’s a fine line to walk, and the intentions are in the right place, but it’s not working yet. Good thing the rest of the issue is so consistently enjoyable.
Continued belowSara Pichelli is a totally welcome addition to a book that previously touted Steve McNiven as its artist. Pichelli isn’t yet mentioned among the ranks of McNiven, but if I had anything to say about it, she certainly would be. As misplaced as we know her to be, Pichelli’s depiction of Angela carefully straddles the line between what we’ve seen from something like Marvel’s Asgardian characters, but with an indescribable incongruent quality that makes her a clear outsider. Honestly, she looks like a 90’s Image character, but with updated 2010’s veneer. It really eases the clumsiness of her inclusion.
But that’s enough about lukewarm reception for the inclusion of a weird non-Marvel character – Pichelli makes this issue sing in just about every way. As Tony, Rocket, and Gamora bounce off of one another back on the mothership, Pichelli’s wide array of facial expressions and knack for character-acting is on display. We’ve seen Bendis dialogue where the script is doing most of the work. That is not the case with Pichelli. It never has been, this is no exception, and the two of them together seem to result in the best “Bendis” Marvel comic books. Pichelli’s strong linework and detail makes “Guardians of the Galaxy” feel like an event book and the quality of the art matches the gravitas of the storylines that dovetail together by the end of the issue.
Colorist Justin Ponsor really deserves special recognition for his work on Pichelli’s offerings. There is a combination of detailed, digital textures peppered throughout the backgrounds and the environments that give the art a sense of realism without feeling out of sync with the expressiveness of the characters or the fantasy of the setting. These textures even extend to the outfits on the characters themselves, adding details like imperfections and dinginess that again do not clash or feel artificial when paired with the art underneath. How often do you see delicate art appear cheap with the addition of digital effects or canned texture patterns? It’s pretty easy to screw up, and pretty tough to do it this well.
With a movie on the way, Marvel clearly wanted to throw a lot behind this property. A top writer, a top artist, a key role for Tony Stark, a newsworthy guest appearance of a “Spawn” character, and stakes that look like they’ll rattle throughout the Marvel Universe are all ingredients for something that should make for a top-notch title. You and I know, however, that it doesn’t always work out as intended. Great talent and stunt casting can make for things that look like cash-grabs just as easily as they can turn out truly good stories. Though the biggest news story surrounding the comic (Angela) is the issue’s biggest weakness, everything else works pretty well to bring you something that is definitely less of a cash grab than it is a property that’s going places.
Final Verdict: 7.9 – Try it out. Whether you’re already a Marvel Cosmic fan or just dipping your toe, you’ll have fun with it.
