4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Can we give it 6 stars?, August 10, 2009
What can I say about this trade? As a whole, the only negative thing I can say is that it doesn't make as much sense to print issues 1-6, & issues 7-12 in 2 separate HC collections. It's less attractive to the hard-core fans as a collection & thus they're less likely to purchase it. & Let's be completely honest here Marvel who else do you think will be buying this? Other than that, this is one of the best books Marvel Comics has on the market right now.
Each month whether embroiled in the first, last, or next Marvel Cosmic crisis - or searching through space & time for ways to save the universe - This new rendition of Guardians of the Galaxy has chronicled some of the greatest aspects of Marvel comics history with a wonderfully refreshing new spin. Able to deftly look back at what has come before while constructing stories that not only build on the former but move forward at a break-neck & exciting pace, Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning were born to write this book in today's comic book market. Who would have thought that a team such as theirs, responsible for many an over-looked quality fill-in issue over the years (The team responsible for writing the original West Coast Avengers Finale #102), would be creating such consistently entertaining & surprising work today.
Their Guardians of the Galaxy takes so many discarded characters from yesteryear & breathes new life into them in a way that hasn't been done as well in years. Rocket Raccoon, Jack Flagg?!, Star-Lord, Bug, Mantis, Major Victory?!, GROOT?!?! These are D-F-G-&-H List characters at best in the Marvel lexicon, plucked with limber fingers from comic book limbo by two adventurous writers & a risk taking editor in Bill Rosemann. Intertwining their tales slightly into each of the recent crossovers, i.e. Secret Invasion, War of Kings, would normally be considered a hindrance for a burgeoning new title. Abnett & Lanning, or DnA, as their referred to, manage to weave their huge cast of eclectic characters into & out of these expansive stories on a monthly basis without missing a beat.
Mixing great humor, science fiction bombast, emotional drama, & shoot 'em up action together in one pot of goulash is no easy task - Doing it all with an 11+ character cast of cast-offs & nobody's while continually winking back at comics past is damn near impossible these days. Guardians of the Galaxy manages to do it every month, nearly better than any other comic book on the stands today. Not to mention the art!
Paul Pelletier is brilliant & has shown himself to be one of the most consistently under-rated & capable artists in the industry. Utilizing such a big cast can be hectic enough for the writers but 80% of making it work comes from the artists. Pelletier manages to give personality & fluidity to each story - even though they're jam packed w/ ideas & characters. Plus the detail that Pelletier provides for Rocket Raccoon's close ups is worth the price of admission alone! & Kudos goes to the editorial team on the book for not losing artistic momentum while Pelletier's working on War of Kings - Wesley Craig & Brad Walker along with their respective inkers have more than measured up to Pelletier's handiwork.
GREAT BOOK - BUY IT 4 SURE!
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Galaxy's finest comic, December 4, 2009
This review is from: Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2: War of Kings, Book 1 (Paperback)
Guardians of The Galaxy Vol. 2 collects issues 7 - 12 of Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning's series featuring the forgotten cosmic heroes of an old marvel series from the 70's. As if the first volume wasn't awesome enough, DNA (Abnett and Lanning) manage to outdo themselves with the second story arc, which revolves mostly around the Guardians saving Starlord from prison 42 in the Negative Zone. Mayhem and cosmic madness ensue as the team faces off against the worst villians the Marvel U has to offer, not to mention the current ruler of the Neg Zone and his alien legions...Blastaar! After the events in the previous collection we find that most of the team have gone their separate ways due to Starlord's 'betrayel' by allowing Mantis to telepathically brainwash them into joining the GOTG. Drax and Quasar are on a mission of their own to ressurrect my favorite bald super-heroine Moondragon, while Rocket Raccoon has put together a whole new team consisting of Bug (Micronauts), Vance Astro (Major Victory, still sporting Captain America's shield), Groot (a gigantic Ent-like creature who was just a sapling when we last saw him) and the aforementioned celestial madonna Mantis. This volume contains a lot of pulse-pounding action and funny moments as well as omens of doom related to Marvel's War of Kings event. The art by Paul Pelletier is as breathtaking as ever, showcasing cosmic vistas and alien worlds that will blow your mind. Pick it up if you liked the first volume. GOTG rocks!
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