Review: Guardians of the Galaxy - The Complete Collection Volume 1

With the galaxy torn apart by interstellar conflicts, Star-Lord assembles hastily assembles a ragtag group of heroes to proactively prevent any future wars. Dubbed the Guardians of the Galaxy, this dysfunctional team must face off against an intergalactic religious cult, Skrulls and the warlord Blastaar. Their greatest enemy, however, appears to be coming from within.

Guardians of the Galaxy by Abnett & Lanning: The Complete Collection Volume 1 collects the first year of Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning’s landmark Guardians of the Galaxy series.

As seemingly one of the few people who found James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy extremely underwhelming, I was eager to see if the film’s source text could shift my perception of these characters. Happily, it did. Abnett and Lanning’s Guardians of the Galaxy is an expansive book that delivers moments of enthralling action, snicker-worthy humour, and compelling character development. The series’ greatest strength is in its colourful cast of cosmic heroes. From the stoic Drax to the sarcastic Star-Lord, Abnett and Lanning provide a wide variety of personalities for their readers to latch onto.

Guardians of the Galaxy has a very large cast. This can be rather difficult to manage, particularly since not everyone is going to get equal panel time. Abnett and Lanning utilize the usage of confessional videos throughout the first few issues to really establish the personalities of those on the team and it really flavours the book well. Even still, in this particular collection the emphasis is placed mostly on Star-Lord, Major Victory, Quasar and Drax. Quasar specifically stands out amongst her co-stars as one of the more captivating characters. She’s contrasted against the more sardonic Gamora and maintains an unique bond with Drax, while she is further motivated by a desire to do good and to gain closure over the death of her lover Moondragon. The aforementioned Gamora has her own moments of brilliance and has a tendency to hog the spotlight once she opens her mouth (or swings a blade). There’s one particular scene in which she displays incredible selflessness and courage that serves as an endearing reminder of how well she can be written. Unfortunately, fan-favourites like Groot and Rocket Raccoon don’t fare as well. They’re fixed in roles as supporting characters and show up mostly for comedic relief.

While character development is clearly at the forefront of the series, it’s worth mentioning that the narrative flow of Guardians of the Galaxy is done seamlessly from arc to arc. While the title lacks any clearly defined conflicts that skews on a more epic scale (though the Universal Church of Truth come pretty damn close as far as antagonists are concerned), it’s a really enjoyable read. My only complaint is that it’s not as accessible as it can be due to its dependence on existing plot points from previous series – which is to be expected since this book was spun out of a miniseries. Nevertheless, it helps to have a working knowledge of past events and you may have to Google a few things here or there to fully understand the context of what’s going on.

Guardians of the Galaxy: The Complete Collection Volume 1 is a riotously good read with plenty of action and a pinpointed focus on character development. For those who loved the movie, this trade is sure to impress. It’s pricier than your average trade (I got it used for under $10), but will be worth it for fans of these characters. The writing is on point and the art, particularly by Paul Pelletier, is stunning. Consider me excited to read volume two.

RATING: A-