Gamora #2
Writer: Nicole Perlman
Penciler: Marco Checchetto
Colorist: Andres Mossa
Inker: Andres Mossa
Letterer: VC’s Travis Lanham
Price: $3.99
Release Date: January 18, 2016
Plot: Gamora deals with the fallout surrounding her decision to destroy the Badoon Royal Bloodline but discovers that there is one half-Badoon princess still out there for her to hunt down.
Story: Gamora continues to be a really cool story through it’s second issue. The book had a great concept because her history with Thanos and Nebula is something that is always discussed but never shown, leaving tons of great story waiting to be taken advantage of. A lot of the Marvel characters have great lore behind them that is discussed but never explored, and Gamora allows a great team of writers and artists to fill in the gaps and deliver rich stories to create immense levels of depth for the characters.
Perlman really nails Gamora because she knows how to craft a story that doesn’t fall short in any area. The second issue immediately opens up with exposition to fill in the story for new readers. In a lot of cases, comic book writers can get stuck providing a repetitiveness within the exposition of each issue. In this case, the set up is well thought out and interesting; there is enough there to avoid reader confusion but it also never feels like reading a novel. Exposition is very important in setting up the setting for a story, and Gamora has a great premise to it, which is balanced nicely through it’s introductions.
Gamora has really filled the void for reader’s seeking a comic that feels similar to the old Abnett and Lanning Guardians of the Galaxy run. The book is a wild space adventure that explores the depths of the galaxy while having plenty of fun action as well. On her own, Gamora is a really fun character because this prequel is able to play around with a character who still acts tough under the hand of Thanos but clearly wants more than the life she has currently be forced into. Whether it’s the dialogue between Gamora and other characters or what the character might be thinking, Perlman has really gotten her voice down.
In this case, Gamora’s dialogue really elevates the intelligence of the character and displays how she is more than meets the eye, especially during her time away from Thanos. Gamora has always been a survivor, and once again, this book knows that it has a duty to communicate that to the readers so they can watch her growth into the present-day character.
Art: The art in Gamora compliments the writing a ton by utilizing Perlman’s great exposition and dialogue, adding in touches to the artistic styling to fill in on everything left unsaid. The second issue Checchetto helps add to the weight of different scenes and ropes everything together to put the finishing touches on the feel within each panel. A lot is going on at once in Gamora, but it never feels like too much to take in at once, which shows how well the art and writing blend with one another. Between the endless space setting and the amount of action, Gamora requires a lot of creativity to be placed in each issue.
The story provides a lot of space to be taken up by beautiful full and half page action sequences where Checchetto and Mossa can let their talent shine. Each of the space action sequences are filled with stunning colors that fit the setting of the book while also being able to provide bold and eye-catching palettes. There is a lot of unique detail brought into the larger scale scenes and it heavily shows off the art team’s talent and attention to detail.
Yet, the art in Gamora never falls short of providing detail when needed. While there is a great amount of broad space scenes in the issue, there is never any lack of detail. Whether it’s necessary to show off character emotions and closeups or give character to a ship that might not be the focus of a larger panel, neither Checchetto or Mossa comes up short in this book.
Verdict: Gamora is a very well written and drawn book that is off to a great start. She is a really fun character with a complex backstory that deserves to be explored. It’s neat to see the character at a point in her life where she is unsure about her path moving forward. Perlman seems to have a great grasp on the character and it will be very exciting to see where she takes things in the story.