Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: Nick Bradshaw and Michael Oeming
Colorist: Justin Ponsor
Price: $3.99
Publication Date: July 30, 2014
What I Liked
✔Good battle scene with Drax and the Gladiator, although it was a bit short
✔J-Son finally got what he deserved for being a douchebag
✔The gang is finally back together
✔Rocket’s awesome, yet quirky space talk
What I Didn’t Like
✘Pacing was way too fast and jumped around a lot
✘Rescues seemed way too convenient
✘Cliffhanger was a bit drab
✘Basically no character development
✘Barely any dialogue
Themes:
The biggest theme in this issue seems to be that of family. Peter Quill’s first priority was finding the rest of his team and reuniting with them, demonstrating his genuine care for the group.
In one scene, we even catch a glimpse of Gamora giving Drax a bear hug with a sappy grin on her face, demonstrating that even her, the world’s most deadly assassin has actual feelings for another person.
One wouldn’t expect Rocket Raccoon to be the type to express lots of emotional ooey-gooey goodness, yet he did in his own weird way. Once reunited with the rest of the Guardians, his first question consisted of, “Where’s my Groot?”
Cue the warm fuzzies and “awwwww” audience track now.
The overall message is that having a family to call your own is critically important for living a happy life. This doesn’t mean that your family has to be your blood relations. They could be friends, like the Guardians, who have had a major impact on you and improved your quality of life.
Score: 7.5 out of 10