Description: Space
and time collide! The arrival of the original X-Men in the present
sent shockwaves through the Marvel Universe, but we've only seen the
effects on Earth - until now! When an alien race discovers that Jean
Grey - once (or perhaps future) host of the destructive Phoenix Force
- is back on Earth, they decide to hold her accountable for the
genocide committed by Dark Phoenix! Now, it's up to the spacefaring
Guardians of the Galaxy to help the All-New X-Men save Jean from
twisted intergalactic justice. A surprise ally from one character's
past arrives to help, but will that be enough against the most
powerful army in the universe? Don't miss the first encounter between
two of Marvel's biggest franchises!
Collects:
Guardians of the Galaxy 11-13, All-New X-Men 22-24
Authors:
Brian Michael Bendis
Artists: Sara Pichelli, Stuart
Immonen, David Marquez
Published By: Marvel
Published
When: Feb. 17 2015
Parental Rating:
Teen
Review:
Now this is how to do a crossover event, and collect the stories
into a TPB edition! In contrast with the horrific crossover storytelling in Guardians of the Galaxy v5!
This book collects the six issues across two series, of the
meeting between the Guardians of the Galaxy and the original All-New
X-Men. Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax, Rocket Raccoon, Groot and Angela on
one side. Cyclops, Jean Grey, Beast, Iceman, Angel, X-23 and Kitty
Pryde on the other.
The event that brings this motley crew together? Kallark, leader
of the Shi'ar, kidnaps Jean Grey to put her on trial for the
past-to-them, future-to-her galactic genocide caused by Dark Phoenix.
Will the trial be fair and impartial? Bigger plot question: how will
the things she learns in the trial shape the present and future of
Jean Grey and the X-Men?
This story has the full package – all chapters of the story in
one place, with drama, intrigue, plots and sub-plots, violence,
bluffs, and more. A sweet, budding romance between Star-Lord and
Kitty Pryde. Even one of the sexiest-ever sequences with Gamora, for
those who look for such moments.
The art jumps off the page, with dynamically rendered arcs and
pops. More impressively, it is consistent across artists, as the
narrative jumps from the Guardians series to the X-Men one and back.
Kudos to Sara Pichelli, Stuart Immonen, and David Marquez for pulling
that off.
Yet it feels too full. There are so many characters, so many plot
threads and twists, and so many moving pieces that the whole bogs down
in confusion more than once. And several characters spend much of the
event leaning on the wall, almost twiddling their thumbs while the
more central characters make the momentous decisions. Author Brian
Michael Bendis tries to work as many of them as possible into the
narrative, but perhaps needed to trim the scope of the saga to better
focus the reader.
The primary covers of the comics should have been a hint that there
were too many characters fighting for panel space; each cover
highlights a handful of the combined team in the foreground, while the
rest fade into the shadows. Which is exactly what happens in the main
story.
The TPB does print some variant covers, and my favorite is for
All-New X-Men #23, Groot communicating with Jean Grey in Groot's way.
Very nice!
Overall, this is a very enjoyable cross-over between
some popular, fan-favorite super-teams in Marvel's comics universe.
I'll score it 3 and a half capes.
ISBN-10: 9780785166092
ISBN-13:
978-0785166092
Language: English
Pages:
144 pages
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