I was skeptical about Flash getting sent into space as the Avengers' member on the Guardians. I'm not saying that it doesn't make a certain amount of sense. After all, Bendis addresses my concern from the Guardians' Free Comic Book Day issue, making it clear that he plans on putting the symbiote front and center in terms of Flash's adventures in space, rather than ignoring the fact that we still don't know a lot about its extra-terrestrial origins. Moreover, Flash hasn't exactly had the easiest time of it on Earth. The "Venom" series had a constantly revolving set of (mostly uninspired) supporting characters, so Bendis doesn't face the same problem as DeConnick does in sending Captain Marvel into space and depriving us of her (totally awesome) supporting cast. But, I just wasn't sure what Flash would add to the a team already full of warriors like Drax, Gamora, and Rocket. But, Bendis sells it to me by setting up Drax as Flash's mentor. Flash has always been in some desperate need of mentoring, and Drax actually fits that bill pretty nicely.
Of course, we don't get to explore that relationship fully. As we're on the precipice of Drax giving Flash more information about the symbiote, Peter's dad plays his long-delayed hand. The bounty hunter tracking Gamora finally manages to capture her, just as other forces collect the rest of the Guardians, including Drax. I liked the revelation that J'Son was behind these kidnappings, "rewarding" his enemies by delivering their most-wanted member of the Guardians to them (e.g., sending Gamora to the Brotherhood of the Badoon). It reminds us just how devious J'Son is. But, the best part is Peter's fight with J'Son (Peter being J'Son's own most-wanted enemy). For a moment, you sort of saw J'Son's point, that Peter might be able to do more good as the Prince of the Spartax than as the head of the Guardians. But, Peter's point is equally (and, frankly, more) convincing, rejecting the notion that anyone needs to "lead" the people of the galaxy. It reminds us why these two are fighting. In so doing, Bendis doesn't rely on the tired trope of family issues to justify the bad blood between them. In fact, Peter specifically dismisses J'Son's belief that he's mad at him for the death of his mother and his "troubled" childhood.
Moreover, the back-up story reminds us that the galaxy does need protecting from threats like the Badoon (regardless of the philosophical motivations of J'Son or Peter, though believing, if you do, that J'Son is actually trying to "protect" it). In 3014, Earth has fallen to the Badoon, and the Guardians of the Galaxy of that era are trying to free it. Abnett (yay!) seems to be setting up a cross-over event between this era's Guardians and the future's, since Vance lets us know that they need to travel into the past to fix something. Obviously, I'd be all over that.
Overall, Bendis unexpectedly moves this series into its next phase. I had expected this issue to involve a few hilarious sequences involving Venom trying to adjust to outer space, similar to the way Iron Man joining the team was handled. We get those moment, but they're not the main focus. As a result, it's a darker issue than the mostly light-hearted ones that came before it, giving us the more serious version of Peter that we saw in the various "Annihilation" series. I don't expect (nor want) Bendis to ditch the humor, but he times this evolution well, delivering it at a time when the various gathering threats shown in previous issues manifest themselves. It reminds us that the Guardians can have fun, but they can also get serious when the situation requires it. I'm hoping that Bendis drags out the Guardians reunifying for a few issues, giving us the chance to see them fight on their own. Part of the reason that I'm so excited is that I honestly don't know where we're going to be in six issues. At war with J'Son? Or with the Badoon? Maybe hitting on waitresses at a space bar? We shall see.
**** (four of five stars)
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