All the character interactions are fine. I loved Rocket's conversation with Kitty, when she took charge of the situation but he needed her to acknowledge that he was technically the leader. In fact, Bendis does a better than usual job when it comes to showing his characters displaying emotions. When Ben offers to sacrifice himself to stop Hala so that the Guardians can rescue Peter, it comes as close to touching as Bendis gets. He also successfully conveys Peter's frustration in finding himself in a communication-less pod orbiting Spartax while everyone is down there fighting.
I think the problem is actually that the story itself is weak. We're supposed to be watching Hala destroy Spartax as Peter himself watches, but she spends most of the issue looking for someone to surrender. Instead of Ben facing Hala, Gamora leaps from the shuttle for a rematch, but Hala defeats her with one swing of the axe. Isn't Gamora also cosmically powered at the "Black Vortex?" How can Hala keep defeating her so easily? In other words, the actions don't seem to match what the characters say or think that they're doing.
It really feels like Bendis is spending after 15 minutes writing these issues, polishing off some banter that he had logged in a notebook and calling it a day. It's sad to say, but it feels true. Hopefully it'll change, but, if it doesn't, I'm not sure how much longer I'm here.
** (two of five stars)
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