Falling Further From Family: Reviewing ‘Guardians Of The Galaxy’ #5

They’ll protect the galaxy or by golly they’ll die trying. Being a hero, especially a galactic one, sure ain’t easy. Just ask the Guardians of the Galaxy if you can, though it might be hard.

Spoilers abound, so turn back now if you aren’t ready.

In the previous review, I signed off by talking about how this issue would be the origin of Grootfall. Guess wires got crossed in the old brain, cause that’s the next issue. This one though is a big one because, well simply put, the Guardians apparently might be dead. Possibly lost, maybe converted into Grootfall, who can say right now. All we know is that they gambled, following Star-Lord’s lead, and they most definitely lost this time.

Everything about the story told so far is dark. Both in tone and in a variety of ways that art presents everything. These characters have lost everything and are on their last fumes trying to make it right and survive, and that’s not enough. Kev Walker has perfectly tapped into all that emotion presenting something rough around the edges yet whimsical fun fitting for comics.

We can see and feel the impending doom, the fractures in the team, and all that dark emotion pouring out of the panels. What Walker does very well here is making the moves that will enhance that all to an overwhelming level. How is that done? With tons of closeup shots of characters and moments, often in jagged slashed-out panels. Instead of just being right next to the characters in this moment, we’re sort of put into their point of view. Basically, the audience is living out these final moments with the cast.

We are Groot now too.

Walker sets it all up on a tee, and then Matt Hollingsworth takes a hard swing. A darker tone means that the colors must convey that too, and they very much do. This is achieved by presenting a color palette that doesn’t toss away the more vibrant sci-fi and superhero bits, but leans more into the toned-down grittier heavier colors. Everything around the characters is washed out and rusted on their ship, space is vast and dark, and the various spaces are dimly lit as well.

In fact, the thing that has some of the lightest amongst the chaos is the Grootfall beings raining destruction upon the fleets and heroes alike. All the laser blasts are bright too, but the fiery brightness of Grootfall cuts through everything as it consumes all. Normally hero stories are about light dispelling darkness but when heroes are at their lowest things have a habit of flipping.

Keeping with the sports references, after Hollingsworth swings for the fences, it’s Cory Petit that comes in to leg it out to first base. Making sure that all the letters on the page not only are creative, fun, and well-placed but also brimming with the same energy as everything else. Just the captions alone would be enough to make things work because of the darker heavier color choice for them. It doesn’t stop there though.

We can hear the difference between voices, such as Quill and Rocket, thanks to the way that the bubbles and fonts are very different. All the caps get even bigger in puffed-up bubbles for characters like Mantis when their anger comes out. Every single letter is just bursting to let us be able to hear authentic voices in our head which makes everything hit harder.

Just as Hollingsworth is rounding first, it’s Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing that take over. They go sliding safely into second base getting the team that much-needed double. Part of me felt sad that it was announced that this is only a limited series, just as the duo had planned.

On the one hand, I’m always happy for pros to be able to tell the overall story that they want, with that beginning, middle, and end. On the other, I’m loving so much what they are doing with this series. I would give anything to read a regular Firefly-like Guardians series. It’s a refreshing change that is also a return to form in many ways. So many avenues could be explored but right now I’ll happily settle for this deeply emotional powerful story.

As the films have shown, it’s the emotions and character development that work greatly for these characters. A bunch of rough people with hard lives who came together as a found family and became heroes. Even at their lowest they are still those heroes and are trying their best to survive and help who they can.

In just five issues, the Hivemind has shown once again why they are some of the best writers around. Taking simple subjects and premises and making them deeper, more powerful, and emotionally charged than one might expect.

Guardians Of The Galaxy #5 is now available from Marvel Comics.