Something terrible is coming to Galilee IV. Are there even Guardians of the Galaxy to save it anymore? Your Major Spoilers review of Guardians of the Galaxy #1 from Marvel Comics awaits!

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #1

Writer: Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing
Artist: Kev Walker
Colorist: Matt Hollingsworth
Letterer: VC’s Cory Petit
Editor: Darren Shan
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $4.99
Release Date: April 12, 2023

Previously in Guardians of the Galaxy: One year ago, the Guardians of the Galaxy were destroyed. Their optimistic future shattered by the betrayal of one of their own. Now they ride the space lanes of a lawless corner of the galaxy, trying to outrun their tragedy. Can they rediscover their heroism and humanity on the bleakest frontier? Can they forgive the failures of their past? Or will they fade into the dark, eternally unforgiven?

A TOWN CALLED SOLITUDE

Guardians of the Galaxy #1 opens on the dusty plains of Galilee IV, as a stranger rides in on his alien mount, passing signs that say, “NO WAR” and shattered armor on pikes as a warning. Star-Lord remarks that it’s time to ruin some lives, just before a local lawman confronts him. Before the alien can pull a trigger, he gets a blade in the eye, announcing the presence of Gamora. The rest of the team mobilizes slowly, with Mantis already undercover with the natives as a dance hall girl, and Drax lying in wait for the moment they need some heavy lifting done. And when the army of former soldiers who hold the town of Solitude in their grasp arrives, they threaten Star-Lord by reminding him that there’s no room for good on their little planet.

“We ain’t been good for a minute,” replies Quill. “So… Bye.”

The massacre that follows leaves the entire army dead at the hands of only four Guardians, and then… GROOTFALL!

VERY MANDALORIAN VIBES

From the very first page, this issue’s story is a classic spaghetti western, but for some reason, it reminds me more of The Mandalorian than anything that inspired it. Star-Lord’s serape and broken helmet make for a striking visual, but the brutality of their attack is just plain startling. The realization that they’re actually trying to evacuate the planet comes late enough in the story that it actually feels like our Guardians have gone bad, making Mantis’s smiling, manic antics that much more unexpected. The story also holds back the most important detail of the missing year, the fact that the extinction event that’s coming is actually one of the Guardians, and the full-page reveal of the massive Groot-being crashing down to destroy/absorb the world is the most memorable moment of the entire comic. As first-issue reveals go, it’s a great one, and I hope that the unraveling of the missing year of the team’s history lives up to the uncertainty created by this issue’s story.

BOTTOM LINE: AN INTRIGUING START

It’s the seventh volume, but Guardians of the Galaxy #1 feels like a brand-new start for the team, taking its cues from other recent successful space tales and weaving a story that surprises and delights, with just enough revealed to earn 3.5 out of 5 stars overall. The most important question not raised in these pages is the whereabouts of Rocket Raccoon, and I’m hoping that the eventual answer to that question doesn’t break me as a reader.

Dear Spoilerite,

At Major Spoilers, we strive to create original content that you find interesting and entertaining. Producing, writing, recording, editing, and researching requires significant resources. We pay writers, podcast hosts, and other staff members who work tirelessly to provide you with insights into the comic book, gaming, and pop culture industries. Help us keep MajorSpoilers.com strong. Become a Patron (and our superhero) today.