Writer Brian Michael Bendis
Penciler Steve McNiven
Inker John Dell
Colors Justin Ponsor
Marvel Comics
Yet another Marvel NOW! book, this is a prelude to the Guardians of the Galaxy. In it, we learn the origin of Star Lord Peter Quill. As a child of a space traveler and an Earth woman, we are given a very quick look at how growing up was difficult for him.
This made the top of the pile because it’s new. Normally, a new run on a comic would start with #0.1 issue instead of a #1. I guess they wanted to tell more of the backstory before they start the real story arc of the book.
Bendis loves to invoke emotional content into the characters he writes. We see the crisis’ that the characters experience and hear about how they feel. Young Peter Quill is shown displaying a deep sense of justice defending a girl from a bully. Peter’s mother is shown anguishing over her son as he tries to deal with his missing space bound father. Emotion is rife throughout.
And the artwork is very good. I’ve been yammering on about the emotion of the writing, and the artwork conveys most of these feelings. There are a two page wordless spread where the Peter’s parents first fall in love. McNiven is able to show the expressions and with the added benefits of Dell’s inks and Ponsor’s colors, the whole book tells a nice heartfelt story with the potential for cosmic consequences.
I’ll continue getting Guardians. I hope Bendis is able to give Groot, the royal tree entity, a good part. But with a Marvel movie coming out of the Guardians, I suspect there will be interest in this lesser known property. I would pick up the collected volumes when they come out for my library.
