ALL-NEW GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #10
Writer: Gerry Duggan
Penciller: Aaron Kuder
Colorist: Ive Svorcina
Letterer: VC’s Cory Petit
Price: $3.99
Release Date: 09/20/17
Rating: T+
Plot: After two crazy schemes, the Guardians finally get the Collector and Grandmaster together. The two elders of the universe explain that reality has been altered. The duo also discuss how this ties into the Infinity Stones, the Gardener, and the Raptors. The issue ends with the Guardians of the Galaxy starting their search for the Infinity Stones.
Story: Gerry Duggan’s dialogue is one of the reasons I keep reading this title. Duggan’s writing style is entertaining and hilarious. Since this issue is mostly exposition, it’s very dialogue heavy. Fortunately Duggan manages to keep the story flowing at a steady pace. Also he does an excellent job capturing each of the Guardians’ unique voices.
Unfortunately despite my praise for Gerry Duggan’s dialogue, this issue does have some problems. One problem is how the creative team tries to tie everything together before the Infinity Stone arc begins. This method of recapping the entire series events feels overwhelming and trying to do it in a single issue feels rushed. It feels like they were trying to being the Infinity Stones arc so it would start when Marvel Legacy begins. Plus my one complaint about this title was how it lacks a cohesive plot. While this issue tried to solve this complaint, it could have been better.
My only other complaints with this issue are minor. For example, the Grandmaster explains that someone recently altered reality. This feels like an out-of-place reference for Secret Empire. Also this issue shows why the Gardener went insane. We find out Loki messed with the Gardener’s head and so he could take the Soul Stone (which the Gardner does not have). Loki’s appearance was unexpected but the shock of it quickly fades. This feels like an odd promotion for Loki and the Grandmaster’s appearances in Thor: Ragnarok this November.
Art: Despite my problems with the story, this issue has some awesome artwork. Ive Svorcina’s bright color choices help the characters stand out and come alive on the pages. Plus Aaron Kuder has some cool and unique alien designs, such as the Grandmaster’s giant space fish.
My favorite panel is when Drax punches both the Collector and Grandmaster and yells “Don’t be Violent!”. This sums up Drax’s character perfectly and it’s something that Drax fans would enjoy a lot. Also I liked the splash page featuring Star-Lord learning about the Infinity Stones. The vision of all the stones accompanied by the Collector’s description is a good visual aid. It’s a great summary of the Infinity stones that you could show to a casual fan going to see Avengers: Infinity War.
Verdict: All-New Guardians of the Galaxy #10 is an average read at best. The rushed exposition feels like they’re trying to set up the next arc quickly. However if the goal of the exposition was to bring in new readers then they failed on that end. Fortunately, this issue does have entertaining dialogue and stunning artwork. Overall, reading the previous issues is a better recap than this single one.
Rating: 2.5 out of 5