Current GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY Comics Made Simple
If there is anyone out there that says they have been a diehard GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY fan even before the film adaptation I just don’t believe you. Sure you may have read a few books from time to time, hell maybe you even kinda liked it. But let’s be honest here folks, the recent film really got us all interested and that’s not a bad thing for us comic lovers. It means a pretty cool concept with pretty cool characters gets to be reborn yet again with some of the industries top talent involved. As a huge fan of the film, I found myself searching for more after the credits rolled. And what better place to search than your local comic book shop. But alas, scouring those crowded shelves for the newest and coolest can be a daunting task. So let me explain to you where the current state of GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY is and why it is really easy to get in on the fun. Especially now!
So basically what we have now are 3 major on-going books centered on the current cast of GUARDIANS characters you know and love from the film adaptation. Here is a rundown of each:
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY (21 issues so far)
Here is the meat and potatoes book for all you out there either only willing to gamble on one book OR can only afford one more title in your already overcrowded pull list. It’s really the best place to be and is written by ALL-NEW X-MEN writer Brian Michael Bendis. The most recent issue on store shelves now is #21 and is really a great jumping-on point for newcomers since it sets up a new arc after the recent ORIGINAL SIN mini-series. While I would recommend reading the first 20 issues, I don’t think it’s completely necessary if you just want to dive in. And since Bendis is writing, you can expect plenty of crossovers with the X-Men including a saucy little love story between Star Lord and Mrs. Kitty Pryde.
THE LEGENDARY STAR LORD (5 issues so far)
This book took me by surprise and is seemingly catering to the film crowd. Peter Quill is a lot more like Chris Pratt in this book and that’s really not a bad thing. Pratt owned that role and I think set a great standard for what this character should be (Similar to what Downey Jr. did for Tony Stark). While the GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY BOOK may be the main run, I arguably have a lot more fun with this book due to some slick writing from Sam Humphries that includes spot on dialogue and lots of cool alien creatures to marvel at. Well worth it if you ask me.
ROCKET RACOON (5 issues so far)
And of course our violent furry little friend gets his own on-going book as well. This book is a fun and quirky little book that is a complete tonal shift from the others listed above. Writer and artist Skottie Young really adds some character to this book and it feels almost more like a Saturday morning Cartoon. I can see the colorful panels come to life thanks to color artist Jean-François Beaulieu who gives Young’s art a new and vibrant dimension. Really a great team-up. For those that can’t get enough of Rocket, I highly recommend this one. Just wish it was called ROCKET AND GROOT seeing how our little tree friend is almost always close by. I am Groot!
So there you have it ladies and germs. I hope this clears up a few things and leads you to your local shop to get in on all the excitement. And if you are the stubborn type and declare you are and have always been a diehard, there is a book for you in the form of GUARDIANS 3000 (issue #3 hits this week) set in the distant future featuring the original cast you knew and still love. Have at it and happy reading!
Words by Jason Furie
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