In the last issue of ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ we hit the Original Sin storyline and that means we’re finally starting to see what happened to Richard Rider, Peter Quill, Drax, and Thanos in the Cancerverse. While the first issue left us off at a horrible cliffhanger, this one lets us find out a few more details.

Bendis finally is letting us know what happened to the characters. Not only is the plot pulling forward a little, but this issue is action packed and full of non-stop fighting. Our cast quickly works out that in the Cancerverse that they, like its inhabitants, cannot die. Not only that, but they start taking out years of aggression on one another. Only they aren’t alone here. It quickly turns into an all out war against this Universe’s team of The Revengers. Going toe to toe with Thanos was one thing, but when they are all pitted against this team of ex-superheroes who also can’t die? You just have to feel sorry for them.

On the art side, McGuinness delivers one knock out blow after another against each other with the  heroes and villains. The visuals of this slug fest in space are astounding and the pages are brilliantly illustrated.

We’re one issue away from finally finding out what happened, and the way that things are left off is just too painful to wait. Will the cosmic cube be their ticket home? It’s hard to tell. It’s also hard to tell if Bendis fully read through ‘The Thanos Imperative.’ While I have been loving all of the past story line, there are some huge issues coming up as well.

Huge ones.

Gamora, for example, had been to the Cancerverse and actually saw these Revengers firsthand so some of her skepticism is feeling completely off base here. Also, it seems highly implausible on the lack of Death in the Cancerverse. The story closed with Thanos being an avatar of Death and was able to bring Death back to that Universe when he killed Mar-Vell. (Unless they found another way to beat her.) There is a LOT of problems here in relation to what happened previously and it is really taking away from what would otherwise be an enjoyable book.

As expected, Bendis does not give us the full story. Just as the first issue we’re left off with a painful cliffhanger and this one is dead set on showing us that things are going to get even worse for our heroes, and Thanos, before they get better. What will happen to Nova? How do Drax, Star-Lord, and Thanos return to the living 616 universe? Why have only Star-Lord and Thanos been acting as if they know what has happened? I’m dying to find out and I have a feeling we’re going to finally get some answers in the next issue. I only hope that some of the continuity issues stop popping up

atoms_3.5

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #19
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: Ed McGuinness