Friends and readers it is time for our inaugural look at the newest run of Guardians of the Galaxy in our issue-by-issue look— Gimme Some Space. Allison Senecal and Charlie Davis have all the analysis you need on Marvel’s Cosmic Side.
The team of Al Ewing, Juann Cabal, and Federico Blee bring us the reunion of some very weary Guardians, as Richard Rider gathers a team to combat the growing power of the…Greek Pantheon? Clearly this is going to get a little weird.
Charlie Davis: Space…the final frontier. Wait. No, not that’s not it. Space…where no one can hear you scream. Damn…that’s not it either. Allison are you any good with catch phrases, because I am proving to not be too effective with branding our new article. Help.
Allison Senecal: Everyone in space is gay? Not really a catchphrase but it’s true. That may not be it either but most of this new Guardians team is, so. How did Al Ewing grind all the Marvel Cosmic characters through an algorithm and come up with our perfect team [Ed. Note: Al Ewing’s strength is in his math]??
It’s Familiar, but Not Too Familiar
CD: I don’t know, but I think I did hear somewhere that Al Ewing is some sort of wizard. So it tracks. So. In space YOU ARE ABSOLUTLY GAY. Gay and traumatized and maybe also an alternate version of yourself? BUT THAT’S OKAY BECAUSE THE SHEER QUEERNESS IS SHINING THROUGH. I’m gonna be completely honest here. It’s been a hot second since I’ve followed Cosmic Marvel anything. Last time I checked, Hala was still blown up and the Guardian’s were silacrums of their movie counterparts. SO MUCH HAS CHANGED. So much. And I’m so glad we get this new team and quite a cozy status quo, at least for our heroes that is. Rocket looks like he’s not on death’s door anymore and everyone seems happy. A relief, really.
AS: I should have absolutely known Ewing would at the very least emotionally validate me by using my alternate dimension space wives. THIS is kind of zany roster I enjoy over the movie synergy one, though as you said, it makes me kind of soft to see those Guardians enjoying what is essentially a family get-together, before everything goes to hell of course. It is space. I love Rocket’s little suit. Sniffle.
Ewing is building on so many of the cosmic narrative threads from the last year (Annihilation Scourge, No Road Home, the Guardians of the Galaxy Annual from 2019) or so and I am ecstatic we’re finally past the filler and TO THE THRILLER.
CD: ALL KILLER, NO FILLER as those Sum 41 boys would say. I like how the opening of this is the equivalent of seeming like a happy country get together, but then we immediately see that a lot of the people gathered here aren’t really cut out for vacations or retirement. Peter looks happy but miserable at the same time, Gamora deserves this time spent away and not subject to triaging the universe anymore. Phyla and Moondragon don’t know how to turn the hero OFF and they all get excuses to superhero again when Rich Ryder shows up speaking of a planet leveling force that’s sweeping through the galaxy. I’ve gotta give Ewing credit for literally trying to pull from so much consumed backlog, but not making everything too crowded. There is just enough to start us off on this adventure. The universe is in trouble, we need heroes. Let’s go get some damn heroes.
Rough Times in the Nova Corps
AS: And the best hero of them all… RICHARD! RIDER! NOVA! MY FAVORITE PTSD SPACE BOY, and there are more of those than you think. Rich has been Through It. He’s died. Lost the rest of his Corps a few times, including just in the previous Guardians run. Carried around a worldmind. Was trapped in the Cancerverse. His little brother broke bad. Oh yeah, almost all his childhood friends died. The fact the man is even functioning shocks me [Ed. Note: Dude needs a break.].
Cabal does a fantastic job of showing us just how down Rich is, with him sitting on the floor and seeming to curl in on himself. Plus the stubble. The sexy sexy depression stubble. He had the shakes in Annihilation Scourge so we may be a step up from that, but not by much. BASICALLY, EVERYONE STOP AND LISTEN TO RICH. He’s right and he should say it!
CD: Allison. True love is the soul’s recognition of its counterpoint in another. That’s how I feel about you. You feel the same way about Rich as I do about Rictor and other more disgruntled boys. I’ve NEVER encountered Rich before, but he’s seems broken enough and stubborn enough that he may become one of my favorites just based off of this issue alone. He’s broken and tired. There is so much going on there, but he’s determined to still be the front line. I’M LEARNING SO MUCH. It’s really endearing and he’s got enough dysfunction and stubble to propel us forward. His rather down-to-earth weariness is so good when playing off people like Noh-Varr who finally gets a starring role in something where he can be good and competent and not the empty headed idiot others have written him as. Yes he’s a Himbo, but people seem to not truly understand what that means. Ewing writing him is a delight and Cabal brings a Quitely quality that brings him right back to his original roots.
AS: Look, the most important part of the himbo equation is HEART [Ed. Note: Go planet!]. Noh-Varr, baby boy. Ewing is easily my favorite writer for him at this point, between this and Royals. I was so curious what he meant when said he was gonna make him the James Bond of the Utopian Kree but now I get it. I get it and I love it. Tactical genius Noh-Varr is the best.
Speaking of alternate dimension Kree (I love this is a category with multiple major characters, bless), PHYLA “I probably can fight a god” VELL. I get that not all narratives and villains are built for characters with her power level, but this was a pretty damn great way to remind people what she can do. Which is, you know, put Zeus in a headlock. I know I don’t even need to beg Ewing for some emotional wallops with her and this alternate Heather because solicits hint at it, as have interviews. Please and thank you.
CD: Thank you Al Ewing and Juan Cabal for our lives. Every time I think back to the fact that 616 Moondragon is out there and is gonna come across this Phyla my gay little heart just skips a beat. Finally comics are teaching the point fanfics have been at for DECADES. Alternate reality romantic daliences. Is the person you love from another reality really still the person you love? Looks like we’re gonna get to see it all unfold in the pages here and I’m so, so ready for it. I truly can’t believe how well this issue balances the big plot elements that make this all tick and the small character moments that highlight literally everyone. There isn’t one person here who doesn’t get to shine on the main team. I suspect we will pick back up with Gamora and friends soon enough considering where Peter has left her. Hey Allison. You wanna talk about cosmic space gods?
The Zeus is Loose
AS: There is that delightful cover coming up with Gamora and Co., soooooooooo…!
AND YES I DO. The Olympian rebirthing has been waiting to go off since Avengers: No Road Home ended last summer. We’ve seen similar resurrection shenanigans with the Asgardians (and hey the Olympians even get a New Olympus, wink wink) over the years but never (at least to my memory) with this level of aggression. I love these new designs. They actually look eldritch for once, which I am always a fan of for divinities. I ASSUME Athena was the one attacking with Zeus, in which case, YAY, because I was specifically looking forward to her redesign here [Ed. Note: Business suits and togas are over]. The Olympians have always felt a bit milquetoast compared to the Asgardians and even the Marvel Universe’s Egyptian pantheon so this was a fun upgrade. Back to himbos…. HERCULES!
CD: Damn this book is just CHOCK FULL OF EM [Ed. Note: Am I going to have to change this to Himbo Files?] . I liked that after everything that’s gone on, I can still get a quiet moment and a cliffhanger. I know virtually nothing about the Marvel pantheon of gods, but I do know that Hercules seems to be ready and willing to help our heroes once he uh—gets out of his predicament. I have faith that Noh and Moondragon can get him out. So to recap we’ve got: Angry cosmic gods, Himbos galore, Rich Ryder being sexy and depressed, Peter being an idiot, Phyla nonchalantly fighting a god AND some good old fashioned space shenanigans. Damn we be lucky.
AS: This managed to strike such a perfect balance?! I don’t want to expect that every month but I do now. All that and some really stunning layouts from Cabal and Blee. That one double-pager during the heist was just somethin’ else. I don’t understand how this was all! Exactly! For! Us! I guess it’s time to sigh wistfully out a window for the next month now.
Marvelous Musings
- I am extremely excited to see how Noh’s half cockroach thing is expanded on. Love a bug boy.
- Rocket finally seems at peace even if they are fighting new foes. I think it’s a really good character move for him. He’s been so angry for so long.
- HEATHER’S NEW OUTFIT
- NO GODS. NO MASTERS
- I hope Gamora punches Peter in the face.
Charlie Davis is the world’s premier Shatterstarologist, writer and co-host of The Young Ones.
Allison Senecal buys books professionally and comics unprofessionally.
Charlie Davis is the world’s premier Shatterstarologist, writer and co-host of The Match Club.
