Guardians of the Galaxy

[RockSP]

If they put it in a pool it makes old people frisky.

 

[SouLeSS]

Here are two articles we did on Adam Warlock - Magus to help catch people up to speed:

http://www.cosmicbooknews.com/articles/csawm

http://www.cosmicbooknews.com/articles/csawm_2

That was exactly what I was looking for, thanks.

 

[stingerman]

Guardians of the Galaxy #18 Preview: http://www.cosmicbooknews.com/previews/GARGAL018preview

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Wow. "Crazy" doesn't even begin to cover it. I can't wait to figure out what the hell's going on there.

 

[SouLeSS]

AHahahahah, cosmos. God I love that dog. I want a dog that talks in broken ruskyenglish telepathically to me.

And is that a new artist? Cause either way, I don't like the art from those previews, at all.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Wesley Craig. I think we've had Brad Walker for the last few issues. I'm not really sure what to make of Craig. I don't inherently dislike his artwork, but the cartoony style really doesn't seem to fit with the tone of GotG. Yes, it's funny, but it's never been goofy or zany at its core. It's a fairly serious series with humor from character interaction and some of its over-the-top action.

 

[Dread]

That's a cool preview.

While it is an alternate reality, some backstory; technically, the worlds of KILLRAVEN and the original GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY are the same. Killraven just happened from 2000-2075, when Martians took over the planet and enslaved humanity, reducing the world to genetically enhanced barbarism when they left. It took centuries to rebuild after that. After the year 3000 is when the GOTG stuff starts, with Major Victory going into deep space and whatnot. Despite the 31st century, some 20th century characters survived; Hollywood for instance is Wonder Man who has survived for that long due to being ionic energy based; he ages very slowly. Technically the Vision also survived, I think as "Mainframe" but I am not sure. The Avengers villain Korvac also hails from this time-line.

Being that The Fault is causing various hassles between space and time, that could have messed up the Guardian's reality or Quill and his crew have landed in an alternate GOTG time-line or something. The solicit mentions time-distortions so maybe in this new reality or time-line the 31st century Guardians have been zapped to Killraven's time of the 21st century fighting the Martians, or the Martians' enslavement of Earth now lasted longer. The GOTG roster is from the 90's; the last time we saw them, they were the original team from the 70's.

 

[NightBeetle]

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #21
Written by DAN ABNETT & ANDY LANNING
Penciled by BRAD WALKER
Cover by DAVID WILKINS

A REALM OF KINGS ISSUE!

As the shocking true dangers of the Fault become apparent, the Luminals make an unregulated trip into the wild zone, and they've brought back something that threatens to exterminate all life on Knowhere! You guessed it, now it's up to our rag-tag band of misfits to save the universe in another issue of the series that Ain't It Cool News says "makes my geek heart pitter-patter!"

32 PGS./Rated T+ …$2.99

 

[sandwraith]

Is that Jack Flagg? DnA are a machine!

 

[Dread]

That is Jack Flag, and he does look awesome. I am also impressed by how many comics the tag team of Abnett & Lanning can write, and write well. They can at times between ongoings and mini's seem to juggle 4-6 comics between them and they usually all come out on time and they're all rock solid. It's terrific.

 

[RockSP]

Jack Flag jacked Night Thrasher for his mask and Ghost Rider for his shirt.

 

[stingerman]

Yeah that cover looks pretty darn good!

Regarding Wes Craig, it looks like he is doing the "alternate" future stories and Walker the here and now.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Jack Flag jacked Night Thrasher for his mask and Ghost Rider for his shirt.

The entire GotG team jacked Ghost Rider for his shirt. Although, to be fair, Johnny didn't even want that shirt anymore. He stole Dan Ketch's look and has been profiting off that while Ketch himself has been dragged through the gutter.

But I'm not bitter.

 

[stingerman]

Here are three pages from GoTG #19 - Wes Craig Pencils:
http://cosmicbooknews.com/powerpencils/gotg19_pencils

You guys pick up issue 18? I thought it was pretty good. Craig's art is starting to grow on me.

Star-Lord and Killraven conversing was great, lol!

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Oh man, that looks great. This series has been on a pretty much constant high since it started well over a year ago. I hope they keep this up for a good, long time.

#18 was fun. I love how they're all randomly different ages. My favorite part of the issue was when Jack gets the revelation that he's some kind of chosen one dropped on him and just sort of deals with it. I guess he figures it's no stranger than any of the other crazy junk he's seen since joining the Guardians.

 

[Colossal Spoons]

So Hollywood was Wonderman right? Just makin sure.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Yeah.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Inked previews of #19 and 20

Brad Walker's back on #20, and I'm glad. Craig's art isn't bad, but I think Walker's style fits the tone of the book a lot better.

Also Moondragon apparently becomes an official Guardian, (skimpy) costume and all, making the Guardians the most telepath-heavy team this side of the X-Men.

 

[Anubis]

Didn't her girlfriend kill or I don't know, try to kill Warlock?

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Yeah, and she got stabbed for it. Although it looks like Phyla's just fine in the preview for #20. I figured she and Gamora would be.

 

[fifthfiend]

Also Moondragon apparently becomes an official Guardian, (skimpy) costume and all, making the Guardians the most telepath-heavy team this side of the X-Men.

That uniform is hot.

Like, hot the same way "bald woman yet still sexy as hell" is hot.

 

[BrianWilly]

I don't think that costume's actually skimpy, I think it's just that her pants aren't colored in yet.

 

[Dread]

Repost of my review of the issue, with spoilers:

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #18:

Spoiler

At first seeming like a break from last issue's epic revelations (the return of the Magus, the seeming death of Phyla, etc.), this issue quickly wraps into that by the end. At any rate, it's a terrific ride that once again dips back into the history of the actual Guardians of the Galaxy of the past. A few issues ago, Quill and crew (Cosmo, Bug, Mantis, and Jack Flag) met the original four members in an alternate 3009, the original roster from the 70's and 80's. This issue features the line up from the early 1990's, such as Nikki from Mercury as well as Hollywood, formerly known as Wonder Man in the 21st century. Along with Charlie-27 and Starhawk with their 90's designs, with Killraven for good measure. Quill and crew tried to send a psychic warning signal back in time to prevent the creation of the Fault at the end of the War of Kings. They failed. Now it seems they are stuck riding through alternate future timelines, with all of them aging randomly. Quill is now an old man, while Bug is a teenager, Cosmo is a pup and Mantis is an infant. At first Flag appears fine, but is slowly fading from time itself.

This alternate 3009 naturally alludes back to the history of the true Guardians; in their "official" time-line, Killraven's war of the worlds with the Martians took place in the 21st century, from 2001-2075 and by the 31st century, the world had rebuilt. It appears in this alternate future, the rule of the Martians was not so easily overthrown. Quill, forced to rename the team, "Butt Kickers of the Fantastic", teams up with the Guardians to try to steal onto a lost Doctor Doom time platform. The humor of the issue is almost as snappy and creative as in an issue of UMBRELLA ACADEMY and everything moves along at a brisk pace, even the exposition. Of course that is how Abnett & Lanning have made the space era work, bridging from what Giffen established. They treat the material seriously, but not so seriously that there is no fun or humor to be had, even in a dire situation. It's a far cry from the stuck up ham-fistery of the 90's space era. Jack Flag is apparently "The Chosen One", which is interesting since just a few issues ago he was crippled and rotting in 42. A further example that space is a cue for all comic woes.

Hollywood, though, probably steals the issue for me, which is difficult when you have Quill trying to shoot straight and Bug complaining about alien acne (and puppy Cosmo is, dare I say, adorable?). He still acts like Wonder Man, but very old so all of his powers don't work like they used to. But when they do, however, it's epic. Flag mans up a bit, too, even if Fairburn's colors still make his hair look like a snow-cone (although it always did). Unfortunately, they are zapped across time before getting to Doom's machine and continue to move from one future time-line to the next, until apparently landing into Magus' 3009, where he's the ruler of everything. As an extra tidbit, the panel sequence where Magus killed Phyla, cast Gamora out and rose to power an issue ago is depicted in the background via the glyphs; quite a clever touch by Craig on art.

Nearly every issue of this series is excellent, but this one is more so than some others.

Moondragon officially joining the team is rather obvious and a natural conclusion, especially if Phyla is really dead and Gamora MIA (I have little doubt that she will regenerate; she survived being on a planet being melted by a sun for chrissakes!). It does seem as if Walker and Craig are rotating issues, kind of like what INCREDIBLE HERCULES is doing.

Kang seems to be doing all sorts of kick butt stuff in the next issue. I'm curious how it'll look colored.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

It seems like Kang is just pissed off that someone's f***ed up "his" timestream. Which would be great.

I don't think that costume's actually skimpy, I think it's just that her pants aren't colored in yet.

Have you seen Moondragon's other costumes? Her "pants" are totally gonna be flesh-colored.

 

[Colossal Spoons]

Bring on the fleshpants. And now that Phyla is "dead", she can stop being a lesbian and get w/ Bug