The Universal Church Of Truth Sets Its Sights On Earth In Guardians Of The Galaxy #9

The Guardians of the Galaxy have fallen prey to the Universal Church of Truth. It’s up to Groot, Moondragon, and a diseased and dying Rocket to save their friends before the Church attacks Earth. Fortunately, Rocket does have a mech suit to help out in the battle, but will that be enough?

This new and improved version of the Universal Church of Truth is pretty terrifying. It’s basically a space cult that’s powered by the lives of others instead of faith. Since Earth has so much life force, it’s got a big target painted on it. Somehow that’s the least unsettling aspect of Guardians of the Galaxy #9. I’m used to universe-level threats coming out of this book so one that threatens just a single planet doesn’t hit as hard.

That doesn’t take away from the menacing nature of the Church or Star-Lord’s father, Patriarch. Artist Cory Smith has removed any and all emotion from these characters. They’re completely enthralled by the Church and its ways. To them, this is a foregone conclusion. This must be done. I think part of the creepy factor comes in the lack of pupils in Patriarch’s eyes.

This leads to one of the best cliffhanger endings in recent memory. I was reading this on a plane and could not contain my excitement. The best part is that I did not see it coming at all. Writer Donny Cates had a major red herring in the previous issue and then pulled the rug out from under me in the best way. Something like this really makes Guardians of the Galaxy stand out. You never know what’s coming.

There’s a mysticism surrounding the Church, amplified by David Curiel’s colors. A purple mist swirls around the ship, coinciding with the eerie glow in the Patriarch’s eyes. While this ship is powered by life force, it feels very unnatural and spooky. One of my favorite shots in Guardians of the Galaxy #9 shows Star-Lord trapped in the clutches of the life-draining apparatus with pink and purple energy coming out of him. It has the vibe of an alien abduction and in some ways, that’s exactly what it is.

This book exists in this cross section between all out sci-fi and more gritty realism, kind of like the version seen in Star Wars. Inker Victor Olazaba captures that perfectly. Yes, the Church’s ship is vast and shiny, but there’s a grime to it. No amount of scrubbing would get it clean from all the blood on its metaphorical hands.

What about Rocket? His mech suit is pretty awesome, somewhat resembling a Gundam. His little head peaks out of the top, protected by a windshield. Even in this big armor, he still looks small and sickly. Letterer Cory Petit adds to this with some scratchy word balloons, giving you the idea that it’s hard for Rocket to speak. Just as with the cliffhanger ending, there’s a great twist in this section that I can wait to see play out.

While a larger focus was on Star-Lord and the Universal Church of Truth in Guardians of the Galaxy #9, we’re still reminded that one of the major elements of this story arc is Rocket’s declining health. At this rate, he may save his friends but will be unable to save himself. The dysfunctional family aspect of this book plays into that as well. Star-Lord may punch his biological father in the face, but he’s doing it out of love for his adopted family in the Guardians, not to mention everyone on planet Earth.

Guardians of the Galaxy #9 from Marvel Comics is currently available at your local comic shop and digitally through ComiXology and Amazon Kindle.