Guardians of the Galaxy #1

Written by – Donny Cates

Art by Geoff Shaw

The Final Gauntlet Part One of Six

After the events of Infinity Wars, Thanos is dead and the Guardians of the Galaxy are no more.

A handful of cosmic heroes and alien species of the Marvel Universe gather together for the last will and testament of Thanos hosted by his brother, Eros aka Starfox. A video recording reveals that before Thanos died he uploaded his consciousness and implanted it into the mind of another.

Across the galaxy, Peter Quill and Groot are headed for Knowhere, when they realize it’s gone missing. Starfox and the gathered heroes come to the conclusion that the number one suspect hiding Thanos’ consciousness is Gamora. As they come to this consensus, the heroes are attacked by Knowhere and are boarded by the Black Order. They have come to retrieve Thanos’ body.

A Nova Corps officer comes to the aid of Peter and Groot. When the officer asks what happened to the Guardians of the Galaxy Peter tells him that Drax is dead, Gamora is a villain, and they no longer speak about Rocket. During the midst of this conversation, Knowhere is located in the same sector of space the last will and testament was being held. This is news to Peter but not to Groot who knew about the event and withheld the information from Peter. Peter and Groot hightail it in their new ship, The Ryder.

As members of the Black Order secure Thanos’ body, Proxima Midnight uses a weapon to create a hole in the fabric of space. With Thanos’ body in the Black Order’s possession, Knowhere departs as the heroes are sucked into the vortex. Just as the vortex is about to close, Stormbreaker, Beta Ray Bill’s hammer, escapes and flies toward the Ryder.  Attached to the hammer is a fiery chain and four individuals are seen hanging onto it for dear life. Peter tells Groot to help and pulls Beta Ray Bill, Moondragon, Phyla-Vell, and Cosmic Ghost Rider on board the ship.  The rescued heroes tell Peter and Groot that Corsair and the Starjammers, Silver Surfer, the Imperial Guard, and the Skrulls are lost. The Nova Corps tries to interview the rescued heroes but Peter won’t let them on the ship. The Novas say that they aren’t part of his crew but Peter tells them they are the new members of the Guardians of the Galaxy.

Thanos’ body is given to the person that requested its retrieval. That person is revealed to be Hela, the Goddess of Death!

I have been a fan of the Guardians of the Galaxy long before the Marvel Studios movie came out. I was a fan of the Gerry Dugan run just before its cancellation. I really enjoyed the Infinity Wars miniseries. Donny Cates has been firing on all cylinders with Venom and I decided to pick up today’s issue to see how he handles Peter and company.  I’m intrigued to see who is revealed as the individual housing Thanos’ consciousness. The final page reveal of Hela as the mastermind has me curious to see the part she will play in future issues and the forthcoming War of the Realms. I am pumped to see Beta Ray Bill back in the pages of a Marvel comic. He’s been a personal fave of mine since I was little. I think Cosmic Ghost Rider is turning into the new Deadpool. I don’t want to see Cosmic Ghost Rider run into the ground and being overexposed so soon after his debut last year.

It was nice to see the Guardians of The Galaxy of the 1990s like Vance Astro in the crowd scene in the opening pages. There’s a blink and you’ll miss it cameo by Howard the Duck too.

Donny Cates has hit another home run with this new band of heroes. Can they work together and save the galaxy or are they doomed to fail?

Up Next – Thanos is dead… Long live the NEW Thanos! But who will it be?! Will the new Guardians of the Galaxy find that person in time before the universe comes crashing down? Issue Two will be released 2/20/19.