If I say this comic was “out of this world” will you ever speak to me again…? (SPOILERS BELOW)

With the movie in development you might be interested in finding out more about the Guardians of the Galaxy before it’s released. And the superstar creative team of Brian Michael Bendis and Steve McNiven are doing their best to make sure you’ll be reading this series long after as well…

Issue 0.1 set up the history of Peter Quill (Star-Lord) a few weeks ago, and while it’s not required reading to enjoy this issue it does give a background and some perspective on events within. We meet Peter in an off-world bar, attempting to pick up a Kree woman before he’s interrupted by the appearance of his absentee father. Peter is half-human, half Spartax, and the heir to an empire. We learn that a new law means extra-terrestrials won’t be allowed to set foot on Earth any longer. Being part alien, this of course also includes Peter. But with tensions between father and son already running high, he’s not about to start doing as he’s told now.

This discussion is also interrupted, this time by fellow Guardian Gamora (“the most dangerous woman in the universe” according to Peter’s father), coming to what she thinks is the rescue. It tells us all we need to know, introducing Gamora to new and old fans alike, and the rest of the Guardians aren’t far behind – Groot, Rocket Raccoon and Drax the Destroyer join Star-Lord and Gamora on a double page spread as they intercept a Badoon warship, alongside Iron Man in his current (and ugly) deep space armour.

The inclusion of Iron Man may help to bring otherwise undecided readers to this book, and despite being out in space to “get away from the ten teams of Avengers” he seems destined to become part of yet another roster of heroes. As Star-Lord rescues a fallen Stark we’re shown that the Guardians are a fully-functioning unit, a capable team who work well together and have genuine chemistry. Even if you’ve never read any Guardians of the Galaxy before, Drax’s reluctance to leave anyone behind establishes their unity, and Rocket Raccoon goes the extra mile to rescue his buddy Groot.

This comic is definitely worth your time, and I’d seriously recommend getting yourself a copy while it’s still on the shelf. It’s fast, funny and action-packed, beautifully drawn and intriguing, and once the trailers start appearing for what will surely be a shining star in Marvel’s movie universe this issue is going to be much harder to get hold of…

Batman gets picked twice this week. After what he’s been through I think that’s ok… SPOILERS

Firstly, we should address the matter of Batman Inc issue 8. I don’t normally read Batman Inc, but unless you were taking a break from the internet in the week before its release you probably won’t have been spared the news of Damian Wayne’s fate (spoiled by DC themselves before the book was on sale). I picked up issue 8 knowing what happened inside, only because of what happened inside. I’m not a fan of Grant Morrison in general, despite the almost universally accepted knowledge that he’s the greatest thing to happen to comics since Alan Moore. I read Batman Inc #8. I didn’t particularly enjoy it, but I completely get that if a character is going to meet his end it’s only fitting that his creator should be the one who gets to write that scene. I will miss Damian, assuming he doesn’t return after six months, and really enjoyed his adventures and his tenure as Robin. He was an excellent foil for Dick Grayson’s Batman, and his growing relationship with Bruce has been a joy to watch, mainly thanks to Peter Tomasi’s writing within the pages of Batman & Robin.

And it’s this month’s Batman & Robin that has earned the pick of the week slot for me. An entirely silent issue showing Bruce dealing with his loss the only way he knows how. It’s powerful and emotive, and shows the creative team are completely in sync. They deliver a perfectly judged illustration of raw grief throughout the issue, and if the final page doesn’t bring a tear to your eye you probably don’t have a soul.

And if we pick Batman and Robin we can’t not include Batman #18 this week, as we see Batman’s grief and self-destructive actions through the eyes of obvious Robin-in-waiting Harper Row. She’s witnessing from afar that Batman is acting differently and instinctively know the core reason behind his changes. She recognises personal loss.

Saving his life (again) and demonstrating that she’s been training in order to help him out don’t bring out warm feelings in Batman, who breaks her nose as he physically and mentally pushes her away, fearing another death that would be his responsibility. It makes sense from both perspectives, and it’s good to see Harper doesn’t back down. A separate visit to Bruce Wayne leads to a final panel that both pays tribute to Damian and potentially foreshadows Harper’s upcoming role. It’s a brilliant touch, and proves once again why Batman might be the best book in DC’s New 52.

Marvel “then” meets “Marvel Now.” In Style… SPOILERS BELOW

Complex with roots buried deep in Marvel continuity, whilst simultaneously being fresh and new-reader friendly, Jonathan Hickman’s Avengers run may just be destined to be remembered as one of the best the title has seen.

Seeds are being sown here for a grand cosmic adventure, and the ever-expanding roster of this Avengers team are a mostly grounded and relatable group. We’ve already seen plenty of snappy and natural interactions between team members not used to working together (the new Superior Spider-Man’s run-in with Cannonball and Sunspot was a particular highlight of issue 6), and Hickman introduces big ideas with just as much enthusiasm and clarity.

In this issue we’re shown the “White Event,” a reference to Marvel’s “New Universe” created in 1986 (Warren Ellis also revisited the concept in 2007 with newuniversal). The original White Event created a new line of comics separate from the mainstream Marvel continuity, superheroes existing in a world that more closely resembled our own with a more realistic approach and setting. Arguably the most well-known of these characters was Star Brand.

This is where Avengers #7 brings us – a White Event has occurred, but “this was not a normal White Event. The Machine is broken.” We’re shown throughout the issue several potential new heroes at a college, just going about their everyday business. We learn the White Event impacted at the college, and it all looks very straightforward – we assume these people are about to be given powers. Except the introductions we saw turned out to be just one introduction. One person who was present during each scene, a small part of the background who went almost unnoticed at first glance. And he’s the lone survivor of the impact. The new Starbrand. Some foreboding dialogue indicates that the Starbrand should only be given to a certain type of person. And our lone survivor doesn’t seem to be a suitable candidate…

This issue may not be a perfect jumping on point for a new reader, but there may still be time to catch up with back issues or (probably easier) via the upcoming trade. Jonathan Hickman has a solid history as a storyteller who plays the long game, so get in on the ground floor and get ready to enjoy the ride.