Guardians of the Galaxy #27 (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Against all odds, Bendis manages to move the Guardians to a new status quo just in time for "Secret Wars."  Although he does it just in this issue, it really works in a way that feels organic and not like he's rushing to meet the deadline imposed on him by the editorial staff.

Kindun the Living Planet attacks Spartax because he followed the intergalactic news coverage of the Guardians' arrival there and he apparently hates Gamora.  (If we could've used any more details here, it would've been a little background on Kindun, since I didn't recognize him at all.)  Gamora convinces him to leave Spartax, but she also realizes that she has to leave the Guardians to take out Thanos, since she'll continue to put them at risk until she convinces the galaxy that she isn't his Thanos' loyal daughter.  (Peter and Rocket have a hilarious bit about how putting each other in danger is their "thing.")

Although it happens quickly, Bendis really manages to convey a lot of emotion here.  For example, I choked up a bit when Gamora told Peter that she couldn't imagine having to tell Groot that she was leaving.  Plus, I though that Kitty's response was really excellent.  She comforts a distraught Peter by telling him that the X-Men often had members leave to address personal problems; it's the nature of the game.  In a way, she's telling Peter that he has to acknowledge that the Guardians have become something more than they were, no longer just a band of misfits that found each other.  Along those lines, Peter now just has to decide if he wants to be President of Spartax...

As should become clear from the last few reviews that I've posted, this issue is just one of many that involves the authors preparing for the coming of "Secret Wars."   The quality of those stories have varied, with some authors doing a better job of clearing the decks than others.  (You really have to wonder how much notice they were given.)  However, it's clear how little we know about the future of all these series, once "Secret Wars" ends.  Although Bendis does a great job here, the fact that none of these moments -- Gamora's heartfelt farewell or Peter's ongoing indecision -- might matter when the dust settles certainly reduces their impact.  It's hard to get too sad when it seems just as likely that Gamora will be on the team, with no explanation, after the event ends.

If nothing else, I hope Marvel commits to putting these sorts of cross-over events on hiatus for a while to let us get used to whatever new status quo we're going to face.  I'm certainly tired of investing in stories only to find an author forced to compress three issues into one to meet some sort of hastily announced deadline.  Again, Bendis does a great job with what he has here, but you have to wonder what he could've done otherwise.  The motto really has to be, "Let the authors tell the stories."  One day, hopefully that'll be true.

*** (three of five stars)

Guardians of the Galaxy #26 (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

I wasn't a real fan of "The Black Vortex."  I mean, it wasn't terrible, but it wasn't really all that good, either.  It also left us with a number of odd changes in the status quo, such as the cosmically charged Gamora and Kitty, the destroyed Kree and (apparently) Skrull empires, and a newly engaged Kitty and Peter.  In this issue, we add another development to this list:  confirmation that Peter is king of the Spartax empire.

Happily, Bendis really manages to sell it.  Sure, it's an insane premise, but Bendis actually presents it in a way where you wonder if it might not stick.  For example, the Spartax delegates that Peter encounters not only convince Peter that he could keep the Guardians on board as an advisory council, but they also make pretty persuasive arguments that he could a lot more good leading a resurgent Spartax than he could railing against the system.  (One of them even notes that his attachment to his rebellious nature is a pretty immature life philosophy.)  But, Bendis also doesn't make it all that simple, since it's pretty clear that these two delegates could be motivated by more than just the best interests of the Spartax people.

But, before we can get any answers, a magical light appears around Spartax.  Off the top of my head, it seems that it could be Thane (since it has an amber glow), but it could also be the start of "Secret Wars."  I guess that we'll see.  I hope it's the former, because, if it's the latter, it'll mean that momentum in this series is once again disrupted for a bound-to-be-disappointing cross-over event.

*** (three of five stars

Guardians of the Galaxy #25 (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Well, that escalated quickly.

This issue starts off pretty modestly.  Carol is trying convince the Supreme Intelligence to allow them to take the Black Vortex to save their friends, and the Intelligence (somewhat reasonably, if you ask me) tells her that their friends made their choice knowing the consequences.  He would really just like to have the Vortex under lock and key again.  (Again, it's really hard to argue with this sentiment.)  The teams realize that the conversation isn't going their way, so they attack the Intelligence and his guards to provide cover to Nova to steal the Vortex.  The problem is that J'Son and the Slaughter Lords arrive.  One of them swipes the Vortex from Nova, and the two spend the rest of the issue trading possession of it between them.

Then, J'Son's fortress eats Hala.

Yup, J'Son destroys Hala.  Schiti does a great job of conveying the gravity of that event, with a two-page spread that really grabs your attention.  The only problem with it is from a narrative perspective.  Bendis never tells us why J'Son felt the need to destroy Hala.  It wasn't to get the Vortex; at the time of destruction, one of his Slaughter Lords already had it.  Bendis seems to make it about revenge, since J'Son blames the Intelligence for his role in his downfall.  To that end, I certainly get his hatred of the Intelligence.  But, are we really supposed to believe that J'Son has so embraced his role as a villain that he's willing to destroy a planet?  Before, he really just wanted revenge on Peter.  It wasn't even like he sent the Slaughter Lords to kill everyone at the orphanage, something that he could've done to toy with Peter's emotions.  He pretty specifically just wanted to get his revenge on Peter.  But, now, he's destroying planets?  It's a pretty big leap.

We're halfway through this event at this point, and I'm still honestly not sure where we're going.  Other than the Intelligence, everyone wants the Vortex, but their motives still aren't really clear.  Sure, Carol argued that she wanted it to save her friends, but we don't know what she planned on doing with it after that.  Does J'Son want the Vortex so that he can destroy most of the galaxy in revenge for losing his kingdom?  It's just a jumble (if not a mess) at this point.

** (two of five stars)

Guardians of the Galaxy #24 (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

The challenge with this issue is remembering that the characters don't know what we know.  We've seen the Viscardi civilization devour itself because of the Black Vortex.  The Guardians and the X-Men haven't seen that.  As such, their fight over the Vortex makes sense, with one camp -- led by Peter -- arguing that they need the power to successfully fight off his father and his minions -- and another camp -- led by Kitty -- arguing that anything this powerful is bad news.  (Kitty actually doesn't make that argument, but it's implied.)

In other words, the problem in not dismissing Peter as an idiot is that you have to remember that Peter doesn't know about the fate of the Viscardi.  He sees a way to level the odds with his father and wants to take it.  It's easy to dismiss this argument as naive, but Bendis does a good job of defending this position, with Peter reminding Kitty that the rules in space are different than the ones on Earth.

But, at the end of the day, you have to wonder if Peter didn't read comic books as a kid, because the lessons here just seems too obvious.  As Uncle Ben said, you don't get great power without something really terrible happening.  The part that I didn't get was Kitty acting as if Peter suggested that they not only get more power but use it to conquer the galaxy.  She's terribly disappointed in him wanting to use the Vortex, but Bendis doesn't make it clear what moral failing this impulse allegedly reveals to St. Kitty.  As a result, it feels like dramatic tension for dramatic tension's sake.  We'll see where we go from here.

** (two of five stars)  

Guardians of the Galaxy #23 (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

This issue is a giant ret-con.  Bendis portrays the symbiotes (a.k.a. the Klyntar) as a noble race seeking to help the galaxy.  However, some members of the tribe can become corrupted when they bond with the wrong people, creating "inferior symbiote relationships" and forgetting their connection to the collective.  They even spread "lies and half-truths" about the Klyntar's intentions.  However, the Klyntar recognize Flash as a worthy host, and they heal his symbiote and create a superior symbiote bond.  Now healed, Flash and his symbiote are, in his words, a "super-powered space warrior" with new powers.  The thing is?  It totally works for me.  It's not like Bendis is just throwing away continuity.  He gives us a perfectly reasonable explanation for the symbiote's previous behavior, and he allows Flash to upgrade in a way that he desperately deserves.  It's time for him to get some wins, and this issue seems to put him on a path to that.  I hope he stays with the team for a long time, because I really think that he and Drax could be an awesome pair.  (Overall, the team's banter was better than it's been in a while.  I particularly liked Gamora's "I'm complicated" comment.)  In other words, I dig a ret-con.  Go figure.

**** (four of five stars)

Guardians of the Galaxy #22 (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

I have to say, I don't think I would've believed if someone told me before I read this issue that Bendis manages to play up the Venom symbiote jumping from Guardian to Guardian for yucks, but he totally does it.  That is, until Venom jumps to Drax, because, man, it's probably hard for Peter to see the funny about that.  I'm still not sure where we're going with this arc, but this issue is a welcome distraction.

*** (three of five stars)

Guardians of the Galaxy Annual #1 (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

This issue is possibly the most perfect annual story of all-time.

First, Bendis does something that he actually hasn't managed to do in the regular series, namely assemble the entire team together.  I can't remember a time when Carol and Flash fought with the core team of Drax, Gamora, Groot, Peter, and Rocket.  Seeing them together in action for what feels like the first time makes this issue worth the price of admission from the start.  Carol and Flash actually operate as somewhat distilled versions of the opposing sides of Peter's personality.  Carol speaks to his adult side, giving him someone that can help on the strategy side.  Flash represents his goofy side, all awkward and blundering into trouble.  One of my complaints about Bendis' portrayal of Peter is that he's too often Flash and not enough Carol; it's like the character that we got to know in the fight against the Annihilation Wave ceased to exist.  Bendis actually sold me on Carol being part of this group if only because she brings out the best in him.

But, beyond the team dynamic Bendis also tells an interesting story.  I'm actually NOT going to spoil the surprise ending here, because Bendis pulled it off so brilliantly.  He really takes care giving you clues that something is wrong as you move through the issue, and it's fun to try to puzzle out the answer with Carol and Peter.  But, more than just being fun, it sets up the last page, where Carol confesses in her video message to Jessica Jones that she's worried that they're all just stuck in a terrible cycle of violence where their sacrifices just keep the world turning for ten more minutes.  She realizes that it's only worthwhile if you have people around you that you love, like she had in the New Avengers.  She worries that the Guardians aren't that for her, and we get some insight into the loneliness that she feels.  The good news?  Groot totally saves the day.  Hugs for everyone!

I recommend this issue to anyone, even if you're not reading the Guardians regularly, because it's just a top-notch stand-alone story, the type of story that I wish we saw more often in the regular series themselves.  Nice work, Mr. Bendis.

***** (five of five stars)

Guardians of the Galaxy #21 (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

OK, Groot-Venom is probably the coolest thing ever.

That said, it's nice to return to a Guardians-focused issue.  We've been all over the place in this series, between the "Original Sin" tie-in issues and the constantly changing roster.  (Captain Marvel is still listed as a member of the team on the intro page, even though I think that she's only appeared in, like, two issues ever.)  But, Bendis returns to basics.  He notes that the team is in a bad place and it makes sense that they are.  After all, Peter just revealed that Nova sacrificed himself to save him and Drax in the "Original Sin" tie-in issues and, before that, the team had been captured one-by-one and forced to confront their own personal nightmares.  It makes sense that they're all a little edge-y.

The loose end from the "personal nightmares" story is that Flash was lost in space.  Bendis returns to that here and it goes pretty well.  Although it's somewhat convenient that Gamora stumbles upon him on Knowhere, it sort of makes sense that Flash would go to a place where Drax took him for help (since he doesn't know anywhere else to go) and that Gamora would be looking to have a chat with a weapons merchant.  Also, it makes sort of make sense that Flash has less control over the symbiote now that he's not on Earth, since he's pretty clearly off his game in space.  Bendis implies that it's more than that here and I have to admit that I'm excited that we seem to finally be getting to the bottom of the symbiote and its origins.

In other words, this issue actually reads like a "Guardians of the Galaxy" issue.  Here's hoping that it stays that way.

*** (three of five stars)

Guardians of the Galaxy #20 (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

I'm just so sad.

I'm sad because damn if Bendis didn't find the perfect way to kill off Richard and have it mean something.  He did it because he loved Gamora and he wanted Peter and Drax to go home and try to make her happy.  He didn't mean to send back Thanos.  But, as Peter said, he didn't know as much about the mysteries of life, death, and Universes as they all thought that they did, and it happened by accident.  Does it make total sense?  Not really.  Richard says that he couldn't return because he was the door for Drax and Peter to return.  But, he also noted that he was using the Cosmic Cube and the full power of the Nova Force, so that restriction seems fairly arbitrary, engineered to result in the ending that we get.  We also learn that Richard made Peter promise not to tell Gamora lest she suffered, seemingly not really thinking through that request, since it stands to reason that she'd eventually wonder why Drax, Peter, and Thanos survived the Cancerverse but Richard didn't.  Then again, he also had Thanos breathing down his neck, so it made sense that he was maybe a little rushed.

But, Bendis finally finds the emotion that this series has been lacking almost from the start.  Maybe it's because Richard's a more emotional guy than Peter, so something about adding him to the mix allowed Bendis to say things that he hasn't been able to say.  But, Bendis really manages to convey how much Gamora and Peter feel Richard's absence here.  Peter tells us that he agreed to keep Richard's actions secret from Gamora because he loved Richard.  Gamora cries quietly in a room by herself.  Bendis finally made me feel like they're the characters that I loved in the various "Annihilation" series.  It made me miss Richard, almost like a person that I actually knew.

In other words, for all the faults of this arc, Bendis sold me on it in the end.  Yes, the resolution doesn't make much sense when you really think about it.  Yes, it probably should've been an Annual to have space for the whole story.  But, I felt what Bendis wanted me to feel, a profound sadness that a great character like Richard Rider is gone, the same sadness that the Guardians feel.  Bendis certainly leaves open the door that he could be found one day, but, for now, I'm just going to nurse the sad the way that we're supposed to nurse it.  RIP, Richard.  We miss you.

*** (three of five stars)

Guardians of the Galaxy #19 (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Bendis is really dragging out this story.  I mean, it's not like it doesn't deserve it.  I've waited for this story for years.  But, it would be easier knowing how long we should expect it to last, particularly since "Original Sin" wrapped up a few weeks ago.  Plus, it feels like Bendis is engaging in obvious stalling tactics to keep it going.  The Revengers appearing?  It could've been cool, but they don't even speak.  They just serve as a way for the heroes to lose control of the Cosmic Cube, all while they smile menacingly.  Also, could Dead Captain America really cut off Nova's arm while he's blasting?  I know that he's not Cannonball or anything, but it seems odd that it would be so easy.  The only possible reason I could see is that Peter could still be controlling events sub-consciously through the Cosmic Cube, since he had earlier mentioned that he wondered what would happen if one of them lost an arm in a universe where they couldn't die.  Also, I would like to point out the fact that Peter, when he sacrificed himself at the end of "Thanos Imperative" #6, had dark hair and a normal build; he wasn't the blond Flash Thompson clone that he appears to be here.  I'm trying to accept the Bendis/McGuinness version of Peter -- in all his blond pin-up glory -- as the definitive one, but it's moments like this one that make it really difficult.  In other words, this issue made me cranky.

** (two of five stars)

Guardians of the Galaxy #18 (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Can I just say how nice it is to have the band back together?  Peter and Rich, joking about splitting rent on an apartment in downtown Cancerverse?  Drax being all crazy in his pursuit of killing Thanos?  [Sigh.]  I miss the old days.

Bendis doesn't actually reveal Nova's fate in this issue.  Instead, we see the moments leading to said fateful moment.  Peter begins to wonder if he's going to do more harm than good if he uses the Cube to kill Thanos, given the fact that Thanos himself never seemed to wield it correctly.  It leads Peter to hesitate in killing Thanos, and Thanos pounces on his uncertainty.

Bendis does a great job of showing us Peter's conflicting emotions as Thanos tells him that he might've been willing to die at some point, but he now wants to live.  Thanos offers to save him and his friends if he'll give him the Cube and, despite his assertions to the contrary, you can tell Peter considers it.  Although Peter doesn't buy it in the end, he's still unable to do the deed and the Cube beginning to assert its power over him as Rich tries to get him to drop it.

At first, I thought that we were going to discover that Peter accidentally sent himself, Drax, and Thanos home after Rich tells him to take Drax and flee.  It would've been an unconscious sin, the Cube plucking the wish from his mind.  But, it seems like it's going to be worse than that, that Peter willingly throws in his lot with Thanos.  We shall see.

My only real complaint about this issue is that it probably should've been a double-sized one.  The story ends at a key moment, but not one that lends itself to a cliff-hanger.  The momentum is just getting started, and it would've probably been better to keep it going until the final reveal.  But, I guess we're going to have to wait until next month instead.  

*** (three of five stars)

Guardians of the Galaxy #17 (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

This issue starts off fun, with Carol and Peter having a damn good time escaping Peter's dad on Spartax.  But, Bendis is clearly forced to wrap up the arc more quickly than he would've liked to clear the decks for the "Original Sin" tie-in issue next issue.  The rescue of Angela and Gamora felt organic, since they had tired of toying with the Badoon, but the rescues of Drax, Rocket, and Groot were incredibly rushed.  We have no idea how the Guardians managed to discover that the Shi'ar kidnapped Drax, so it makes it feel a little overly convenient when they arrive just in time to save him from Gladiator.  Then, the Kree just magically deliver Rocket and, indirectly, Groot to the Guardians, since they felt that J'Son duped them into agreeing with his plan to humiliate them, even though it's unclear what plan the Supreme Intelligence thought he could've possibly been supporting.  Then, they just give up the search for Flash; I have to admit, I couldn't even remember where we last left Flash.  It's disappointing, since it would've been cooler to watch Carol and Peter one-by-one track down the Guardians to re-assemble the team.  It would've been a chance to show how much they're all willing to put their lives on the line for each other.  Instead, it feels like Peter's just a cruise director making sure that everyone is on the ship before it departs for its next port-of-call.

** (two of five stars)

Guardians of the Galaxy #16 (HERE BE SPOILER!)

This issue is a little...speech-y.  Blah blah blah Peter lecturing his father blah blah blah.  But, if you can get past that, it's still fun. 

Bendis manages to liberate the Guardians in ways that feel organic, with maybe a little help from their captors' general incompetence.  I didn't see Angela and Carol rescuing Gamora and Peter (respectively) coming.  But, Bendis makes it work, informing us that the Badoon and Spartax were televising their punishments, alerting Angela and Carol to their plight.  I also bought that the Supreme Intelligence saw the writing on the wall once Peter escaped and freed Rocket before the Guardians appeared on his doorstep.  Similarly, it's not hard to believe that the Skrulls were so overconfident that they thought they could release and control the symbiote without it returning to Flash.  I'm assuming that the gang is going to get together again in time to save Drax, though it's not like I necessarily think that Gladiator is sure to win their fight to the death.

However much fun this issue was, I'll admit that I'm starting to wonder where we're going exactly.  Peter gives his moving speech about the Guardians being the people to save the citizens of the galaxy that J'Son manipulates, but we actually haven't really seen the Guardians save all that many people.  They basically saved Jean Grey.  I feel like this series is in some serious need of an "Annihilation" type of story, spanning a number of issues, to deliver on the promise of the Guardians as, well, guardians.  In other words, Bendis has to give them someone to actually guard.  Peter can only drink and hit on girls in so many space bars before he has to do something.

*** (three of five stars)

Guardians of the Galaxy #15 (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

First, in possibly the best example of pet peeve #2 ever, Captain Marvel appears nowhere in this issue.  I figured, based on her appearance on the cover, that she was going to begin the process of saving and unifying the various Guardians.  Nope.  She doesn't appear at all.

If you were instead hoping that Flash would save them, you'd also be disappointed, as he falls to the Skrulls in this issue.  In fact, each Guardian is in pretty dire shape by the end:  the Kree are experimenting on Rocket (implying that he may be some sort of biologically engineered creature), the Brotherhood of the Badoon overwhelm Gamora by the sheer number of fighters that it brings to the table while its leader demands to know where Thanos is, the Shi'ar are putting Drax on trial (an "ill-thought-out retaliation for the Guardians stopping [Gladiator's] ill-thought-out scheme to punish the Earth for [his] failings as a leader," according to Drax), and the Sisterhood of the Badoon push Groot from its ship (leaving him broken on an abandoned planet).  As I said, it's not good.

But, of course, it's going to be Peter -- escaping from the Spartax by leaping from a high window in a skyscraper, clad only in a t-shirt and boxers -- who's going to save the day.  I'm not sure how he's going to do it, but, as they say, getting there is half the fun.

*** (three of five stars)

Guardians of the Galaxy #14 (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

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)

Free Comic Book Day 2014 (Guardians of the Galaxy) #1 (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

I picked up this issue because I felt like I missed a step in reading "Guardians of the Galaxy" #14, given that we see Venom's debut on the team in this issue and not that one.  But, if you're a long-time "Guardians" reader thinking of picking up this issue, I can tell you not to bother.  Iron Man just walks Flash through the various members' histories and personalities (with the obligatory warning not to call Rocket a raccoon).  Unfortunately, we don't get any sense why Tony picked Flash in particular to go into outer space, the reason why I actually picked up the issue.  You'd think at some point that someone would raise the issue that sending the symbiote back into space might be a bad idea, but the only hint that we get of that is Drax appearing to recognize the symbiote.

The best part of this issue is the "Spideyverse" preview, and I have to say that Slott has raised my hopes to "Spider-Island" levels.  Seeing Gaiman's "1602" characters once again is exciting enough, let alone for the implications of Spidey prime interacting with him (if he survives) and other Spideys.

** (two of five stars)

Guardians of the Galaxy #13 (HERE BE SPOILERS!

It's surprising that the events that occur in this issue happen in "Guardians of the Galaxy," because they're all really about the original X-Men.  Actually, they're all really about Jean, until they're suddenly about Scott.

Jean reveals the ability to combine her telepathy and telekinesis into psionic energy (and in so doing showing where Nate Grey got his powers, in a way).  Bendis clearly connects this development to the story, since it comes not only after Oracle continually pushed Jean to control her abilities but also after Gladiator gave her a pretty compelling reason to push herself to the limit.  Control + anger = innovation.  But, it's more than just Jean advancing to the next level in terms of her powers.  It's also about Jean Grey forgiving herself for the crimes that she will allegedly commit.  Jean correctly notes that she was the host to a force of nature that no one else managed to control; she posits that Gladiator is mad at the fact that he wasn't able to stop nature, and she makes the (probably accurate) point that someone else would've been forced to destroy that galaxy if she hadn't.  When Gladiator insists that he's improving his odds of it not happening again by killing the Greys (thereby proving that he pretty much listened to nothing that she said), Jean lets loose on him.  It's all so beautifully crafted, Jean coming to maturity, emotionally and physically, at exactly the moment that she needs to do so.

But, lest we think that this issue is about Jean, Scott steps into the fray.  The Scott Summers that we see threaten to kill Gladiator if he comes after Jean again is one that we all recognize now, the first sign of the man that he will one day be.  But, Bendis doesn't stop there.  To everyone's surprise, Scott announces that he's leaving Earth and going with his dad.  It's totally unexpected, but it makes complete sense.  In terms of the comic, we sort of expect Scott to stay with the team because, well, they're a team.  But, in terms of reality, it makes total sense that Scott would want to go with his father (even if, at some point, Bendis really does have to explain how Corsair is still alive).  As Scott said, he's an orphan who suddenly discovers that he's not, and he needs to take advantage of that.  The moment that really got me, though, isn't when he announces that he's going with Corsair, but when he describes his decision to Jean.  It's a quiet moment, as he holds her head in his hand and tells her that they know that they don't live happily together and that they now have a shot to be happy.  You can sense that he's right, that he's liberating himself from the burden that his present counterpart has carried with him since he was 16 years old.

In other words, in terms of the original X-Men's lives diverting from the path that their present counterparts took, this development is the most significant so far.  It's a bomb in the middle of the original X-Men's lives, and I can honestly say that I have no idea where we're going.  Pichelli and Marquez make it clear that Jean is slowly losing control in the end sequence, and, without Scott to ground her, it's anyone's guess what's going to happen.  Will we have another Dark Phoenix?  Will Hank fill Scott's shoes when it comes to Jean?

Honestly, I can't think of a comic that excites me more right now than "All-New X-Men" (even if this series is technically "Guardians of the Galaxy").  Hopefully, the series will stay connected by Kitty and Peter's long-distance relationship.  (Hurrah!)  At any rate, this cross-over event was truly, truly epic.  It advanced the plot of both series, spurring honest-to-goodness character growth and delivering pretty grand battle sequences to boot.  Nothing feels cheap here, as these events often do with the author trying to rush to the finale.  Every development is based on a previous one, and each character acts in a way wholly consistent with the events that they're experiencing and their established personalities.  That's remarkable for most authors, but particularly Bendis, given his run on "Avengers."  If you're thinking of buying this TPB, do it!

***** (five of five stars)

Guardians of the Galaxy #12 (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Wow, this issue is a roller coaster from start to finish.  Let's just get right into it.

First, Scott's reunion with Corsair is as bizarre and emotional as expected.  Bendis takes advantage of the fact that most of us are seeing it happen in "real time," if you will, for the first time, given that Corsair was originally introduced in the 1970s.  Scott is understandably overwhelmed and Corsair is equally nonplussed, given that he has to go through the experience of explaining to Scott how he's alive (and why Scott's mother isn't) all over again.  Bendis does a great job of conveying their emotions both during the discussion itself and in the aftermath of it, with Scott seeking solitude as he tries to process "really weird day."

I did raise an eyebrow at a few moments, though.  First, Corsair seems younger than he did when we last saw him in "Uncanny X-Men" #486.  Did Corsair also travel through time?  It would explain why he's still alive, though he himself doesn't seem to think that he did.  Bendis is going to have to explain that at some point, though for the time being I'm willing to just see where we go.  Second, I thought that it was weird that it was Laura going to comfort Scott.  I mean, don't get me wrong, it was hilarious when she hugged him, prefacing it with, "I don't usually do these."  But, I thought that Bendis was really pushing the Laura/Scott relationship here, at the expense of developing Scott's relationship with one of the guys.  Hank really didn't follow him into the storage room to see how he was doing?  I feel like even Warren would've tried.  Again, these moments didn't totally overshadow the larger moment of Scott discovering that Corsair was alive, but they were distracting.

Then, we have Jean facing the Shi'ar tribunal and, perhaps more amazingly, "her" crimes.  Here, I thought Bendis did a great job in deciding to clarify, once and for all, what Jean did exactly when it came to destroying that solar system.  If I remember correctly, Jean's destruction of the solar system was initially a throw-away sequence during the Dark Phoenix saga; it wasn't until later that Marvel realized that it was somewhat dicey to have a major heroine commit genocide.  Again, Bendis takes advantage of the fact that most of us weren't reading comics when these events initially occurred and gives us an unflinching view of that crime here.  It makes you sort of wonder how exactly Jean's going to defend herself.

Finally, the art in this issue is spectacular.  Be it emotionally fraught facial expressions or stunning alien-world vistas, Pichelli and Immonen are amazing.  They're two of my favorite artists, so I was excited to see them together.  But, they're helped significantly by Ponsor, whose colors are equally evocative.  Great stuff.

(Also, please, Bendis, make Peter and Kitty happen, if only for a little while.)

I can't wait for the next two issues.  Putting together the Guardians and the Starjammers alone promises all sorts of space-pirate fun; adding in the original X-Men just ups the ante.

**** (four of five stars)

Guardians of the Galaxy #11.NOW (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

"What is a Canada?"  "It's cold and distant.  You'll love it."  Heh.  This issue earned three stars just for that exchange (from Peter to Gamora).

Bendis does a great job here filling in the details of how the Guardians get involved in the "Trial of Jean Grey."  I was wondering how they learned that the Shi'ar were after Jean and the revelation that Rocket tapped the Badoons' communications after Angela and Gamora's assault on them made total sense.  It also made sense that the Badoons would know about it in the first place from the council of monarchs that we've seen a few times in this series, since Gladiator had to explain why he was breaking their agreement to lay off Earth.

That said, my only complaint about this issue is that I wish Bendis would've put in a little more effort in using the council to get Gladiator to explain the obvious question that everyone is going to be asking about this "trial:"  how do you put someone on trial for crimes that she committee in the past, despite the fact that she hasn't yet committed them?  (I know, I know.  Time-travel stories suck.)  Gladiator just asserts that she's the same person so she's responsible, but it's a ridiculous answer.  However, all the other monarchs seem to think that it's a ridiculous answer, too, so the Shi'ar's questionable logic might actually become a plot point.  But, as of right now, I gave the same eye-roll that the Supreme Intelligence (metaphorically) gave.  Questionable company, but war makes for strange bedfellows.

*** (three of five stars)

Guardians of the Galaxy #10 (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

OK, before I saw anything else, I have to say that the cover to this issue is ridiculous.  I mean, Peter looks like a damn Beatle, for God's sake.  I feel like it vaguely has something to do with the movie, but I don't know what.

Anyway, I guess that I didn't realize that no one knew that the New Avengers have Thanos in suspended animation.  I re-read that part of "Infinity" #6 and it's clearer now, but it still raises the question why they're keeping it quiet.  Interestingly, it also involves at least Captain America, Captain Marvel, the Hulk, Hyperion, and Thor keeping that they defeated Thanos secret, since they also saw Thanos in his cube.  Why not let everyone know that the Avengers defeated Thanos?  Wouldn't the Avengers' galactic allies want confirmation that he was neutralized?  Hickman (not surprisingly) never addressed that question in "Infinity"#6, so I spent most of this issue confused why the Guardians didn't know that Thanos was on Earth.  But, it's not Bendis' fault, so I won't hold it against him.

For the most part, this issue is a rollicking good time, with Angela and Gamora tearing through some Badoon slavers in their search for Thanos.  Angela and Gamora have excellent banter and one-liners throughout the issue; I loved Gamora telling the slaves that they were enslaved because they "just stand there!!" as she's trying to get them to flee from the Badoon.  It's not all fun and games, though:  Bendis raises the stakes in Angela's search for information about her past, since one of the Badoon recognizes "her" people (though she kills him accidentally while interrogating him).  I'm confused, though, why Peter dismisses the possibility that the Badoon knew the truth.  He almost seems to be trying to mislead Angela in order to keep her on the team, rather than helping her get to the bottom of the story; it feels distinctly un-Peter-like.  Bendis justifies it by having Peter dismiss the Badoon world as a toilet and not the type of place where she'd get helpful information.  I get that, but, if we're supposed to believe that Peter actually believes that, then it's a little too obvious of a ploy to keep the mystery going.  It probably would've been better just to skip the mystery angle entirely for this issue.  That said, though, it's a fun issue, so I'm not really complaining.

*** (three of five stars)