Guardians of the Galaxy #2: Review

Apr 2013

Brian Michael Bendis, Steve McNiven

Story Name:

(no title given)

Review & Comments

Rating:

Guardians of the Galaxy #2 Review by Rob Johnson (April 28, 2013)

Annihilus has appeared to be killed several times. In Fantastic Four #600 he revealed that he was reborn each time. Young Annihilus here is the result of such a rebirth after the Annihilation event, and as seen in various issue of Fantastic Four and FF since then. The All-Mother's name is spelt Freyja here. I remember it being Freya in the Marvel U, but Peter tells me it's Freyja in the latest Thor issues. (And I think Freyja is the more mythologically correct of the 2.) Iron Man doesn't bother trying to contact Captain Britain, dismissing him rather unfairly. He doesn't even mention other UK super-characters such as Pete Wisdom and the MI-13 group. (Not to mention the various Marvel UK characters, who admittedly have a tenuous status in the main Marvel universe.)

In #0.1 the king's name was J'son, in #1 it was unspecified, now it's J-son. I'm sticking with Jason in the enemies list until they sort it out. J-son partly blames the Kree for Earth's plethora of super-beings, after their creation of the Inhumans. He doesn't mention the Celestials, who created the Eternals and the Deviants, and were responsible for mankind's intelligence. And who also, according to current Uncanny Avengers, backed Apocalypse in encouraging mutants. These 1st 2 issues seem to be just an elaborate plan by J-son to get his son home to Spartax. He invites Freyja to the council just to get her to warn everyone off Earth. He turns that into a galactic quarantine, but conspires with the Badoon to break it. He tells Star-Lord about the quarantine, expecting him to take the Guardians there, where he'll break the quarantine to fight the Badoon. And his troops are there to arrest the Guardians afterwards.

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Synopsis / Summary / Plot

Guardians of the Galaxy #2 Synopsis by Rob Johnson

Last issue Star-Lord Peter Quill was asked to come home by his father King J-son of Spartax, but Peter as usual refused. J-son then told him that a galactic council had ruled Earth (Quill's birth-world) off-limits to the rest of the galaxy. Star-Lord believed this would make Earth an even bigger target for some races, and he led the Guardians there. They helped Iron Man destroy a Badoon warship near Earth. Now fighter craft from that ship are strafing London. And all communications are blocked in that area, so the Guardians can't call for help from, eg the Avengers.

Rocket Racoon has planted the sliver of wood that is all that remains of fellow-Guardian Groot since last issue's battle. He now uses his advanced tech to reboot Shellhead's armour and wake up Tony Stark inside (another casualty of the battle). The Guardians bring him up-to-date. As the 5 active combatants (including Gamora and Drax) head out to tackle a Badoon fighter each, Stark asks why the Badoon are attacking.

To clarify that we go back 6 weeks to a meeting in the Negative Zone that we saw a bit of last issue. King J-son called the meeting to discuss Earth. Last issue I recognised the Kree Supreme Intelligence, Gladiator of the Shi'ar and a Brood queen. Another figure is now identified as young Annihilus, their host in the Neg Zone. 2 silhouetted figures last time turn out to be Y-gaaar (a Badoon) and Freyja the Asgardian All-Mother.

J-son claims that Earth is on the verge of becoming a galactic player. Their plethora of super-beings will make them extra-dangerous. He points out that they have fought off Galactus, which no-one else has, and recently they killed the Phoenix Force. And they seem to have their own personal Watcher. Thanos considers them important, and it is believed that the Infinity Gems are on Earth.

Gladiator suggests Earth should be conquered, but J-son says that their history indicates that wouldn't work. Freyja, whose Nine Realms include the Earth, gets J-son to confirm he is asking for an agreement to destroy Earth. And then she declares Earth under her protection, and leaves.

J-son paraphrases this as 'Earth is off-limits', and makes that an official ruling of the council. With a conspiratorial glance at the Badoon.

During the multi-pronged fight the heroes keep chatting by radio. Iron Man brusquely dismisses the idea of trying to contact Captain Britain. Rocket wonders if they can get a reward for saving the city.

The Racoon sets one Badoon ship to self-destruct and sends it crashing into another, inside which Drax is fighting. Rocket tells him to get our fast, but Drax is injured. Gamora helps him escape the ship, and Iron Man rescues them both from the blast. Drax doesn't seem to appreciate being rescued.

Despite all the ships being destroyed something is still blocking outside communications. And then a bunch of spaceships and troopers from Spartax appear, and arrest the Guardians for breaking the interdiction order.