Writer: Donny Cates
Art: Geoff Shaw, , David Curiel, VC’s Cory Petit, David Marquez
Price $3.99
Release Date: Jun 19, 2019
Donny Cates wraps up his first riveting arc in this week’s GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #6 with the conclusion of the Final Gauntlet. Let’s dive into the issue to see the ramifications of what happens to this new team as well as Thanos going forward.
WARNING SPOILERS AHEAD!!!
TOO FAST TOO FURIOUS
The issue was incredibly fast, action-packed, and was over before I knew it started. That said, the issue may have been too fast, which should be a shock coming from this fan that loves fewer words, less dialogue, and story development through the artwork and illustrations. However, Geoff Shaw’s art was confusing at points mainly due to the fact that the issue was moving so quick. This doesn’t mean I was disappointed by Shaw’s art by any stretch. The art was detailed, thorough, and brought each page to life. David Curiel’s colors were incredibly bright, vivid, and took me into the story. However, it’s the pacing and speed of the issue that came off jumbled, erratic, and disorganized.
For example, the dragon and hammer attack at the beginning of the issue was clever but this reviewer felt as though readers were “supposed” to know why that was necessary. Sure, it got Hela away but why was that surprise attack needed? Was it mainly just for show? Its intent seemed to set up something more important to the story yet this fan still doesn’t know why.
In addition, Proxima Midnight looked similar to Hela and it was difficult to decipher the two apart. Furthermore, at one point, this reviewer thought that Proxima Midnight fired her Blackhole Canon earlier in the issue but it turns out it was just Phyla shooting an energy blast. Again, if the pacing was slower, fans could better distinguish the art and action within each panel.
LOOSE ENDS
Wasn’t Gladiator basically skewered through last issue? Now, he’s up and walking about with a hole in his suit. This fan doesn’t know the character too well but that aspect of the last issue was deflated by seeing Gladiator back as nothing happened. Cates made fans feel like $&@$ went wrong and there was no way to stop it. However, all it took was Quill to basically rally the troops, storm the fortress, and wham-bam-thank-you-mam! Something just felt missing.
Furthermore, why was the Cosmic Ghost Rider basically neutered throughout this entire run so far? There is no reason Peter Quill should be able to take him down. Somehow, Hela has control over him however she wasn’t around. Starlord just shot him until he crumbled away. Really?!?! This dude stood toe-to-toe with Thanos but Starlord can simply just him dead.
In addition, why go through the effort of resurrecting Thanos to see him sucked away into a Blackhole? Cates led readers to believe that the transformation wasn’t complete and that Thanos appeared to be a bit “slow”. Why show fans that aspect only to have Thanos lost a panel later? It seemed unnecessary and pointless. Granted, there could be a long game here that readers don’t see yet. That said, readers don’t know the long game and this issue felt like all weight and merit to the run was taken away in the matter of two pages making the story seem hollow, fruitless, and unproductive.
Donny Cates can write in your face action, high octane battles, and full throttle issues filled with epic fight sequences that are creative, explosive, and will keep fans at the edge of their seat. Likewise, this issue was no exception. However, this reviewer feels that Cates may have gone too far over the top, too fast, and forgot to focus on some of the details to his first GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY arc. This reviewer left the issue confused even after numerous rereads and wondering the point of this arc entirely. The series started and ended the very same way. Thanos isn’t back and Gamora is back with the team. Sure, some would argue Thanos will be back and this reviewer would agree. However, the status quo remains the same as it was before this series began and I left the issue wondering what the “Hela” just happened.
FINAL THOUGHTS
If you’ve been reading GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY so far, you got to pick this up to see what happened. However,I just don’t feel as excited for the series moving forward as he was when the series began.