Guardians of the Galaxy

• Title: Guardians of the Galaxy #8
• Comic Vine: link
• Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
• Artist: Sara Pichelli

The invasion of Earth forces Abigail Brand to reach out to Peter Quill and the Guardians of the Galaxy to help retake S.W.O.R.D.‘s orbiting installation known as The Peak which has fallen into the hands of the enemy. With Gamora still sulking over Star-Lord’s chit-chat with her father, and the rest of his team lacking anything approaching stealth, Quill and Rocket Raccoon set out on an one-man/one-space-raccoon-thing rescue operation.

The pair are able to free brand and kill a lot of the alien invaders (raising the issue of Rocket’s new trademark catchphrase), the three heroes are eventually surrounded and in need of some serious reinforcements. However, they are unprepared for who shows up to come to their aid.

Guardians of the Galaxy #8 is a great example of a tie-in issue you can enjoy even if you aren’t following the main storyline elsewhere. Even though I’ve still yet to even glance at an issue of Infinity, I had no trouble following (and enjoying) all the usual craziness on display (even if I do have trouble buying Gamora running of to sulk with millions of lives in peril). Worth a look.

[Marvel, $3.99]

• Title: Guardians of the Galaxy #7
• Comic Vine: link
• Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
• Artist: Sara Pichelli

Fighting with the mysterious Angela didn’t solve anything, so in the latest issue the Guardians of the Galaxy try talking to the woman who it took all of them to eventually take down. Guardians of the Galaxy #7 reveals the cosmic event that brought the angel to the Marvel Universe (the same one Thanos mentioned last issue) as well as reveals her true origins to the Guardians as an angel of Heven.

There’s not much action here, as the issue is mainly used to introduce the character (finally) to those readers unaware of her origins. The interactions between the group while talking to Angela are fun, but both Tony Stark and Peter Quill push the flippant Whedonesque pop culture joke references well past the bounds of reasonable behavior.

With no reason or authority to hold her, the Guardians release Angela to Earth (a realm she only knows about through stories). Although the issue ends with the angel on her own, given the fact she appears on next month’s cover I don’t think it will take too long before we see her again. Worth a look.

[Marvel, $3.99]