REVIEW: ‘Imperial War: Imperial Guardians’ Issue 1

Imperial War: Imperial Guardians Issue 1 is published by Marvel Comics, written by Dan Abnett and Jonathan Hickman, art by Cory Smith, Wayne Faucher, and Luca Maresca, colors by Espen Grundetjern, and letters by Cory Petit.

This is part of the Imperial event. Gamora, Darkhawk, and Captain Marvel begin investigating a conspiracy long before it becomes apparent.

This one-shot is unique among the other tie-ins to Imperial, because it technically occurs before the events of the war. In Imperial, it was revealed that the Skrull Queen Veranke, killed in a previous conflict, had been impersonated by other Skrulls as part of a rebel group, trying to disrupt and break up the union between the Kree and the Skrulls.

There’s a peculiar but intriguing structure to Imperial War: Imperial Guardians Issue 1. It unfolds over several months leading up to the outbreak of the conflict. It shows both the movement of the Skrull rebels and “Veranke.” But there are also heroes hunting her down. Gamora and Darkhawk are already on her trail, but then the much more powerful Captain Marvel joins in.

Imperial War: Imperial Guardians Issue 1 alternates between heavy action and discussions about the past and the future. Within the story lies the truth behind the most significant aspects of the entire event, from the beginning. There are multiple shocks and revelations. The story can be difficult to follow at times, but that’s because it’s so layered with history and cosmic politics.

Abnett and Hickman are both masters of story architecture, particularly in the realm of Cosmic Marvel. The ending of Imperial War: Imperial Guardians Issue 1 is a selection of surprises. Not only is there a reveal, but it’s the ramifications and actions taken to stop those revelations from spreading further into the galaxy.

There are so many voices from across the universe in Imperial War: Imperial Guardians Issue 1. At the center of the book are Gamora, Darkhawk, and Captain Marvel. The dialogue between the three is fantastically written. There are little punches exchanged between them, and bruised egos defending themselves. They know how the different empires operate, especially Carol Danvers and Gamora, but they all have different ideas of where to go next. It’s not tension, just mistrust.

There are villains who each have their own agenda in Imperial War: Imperial Guardians Issue 1. Some are looking to restore the Skrulls to their former glory, while others seek to dismantle the peace deal between the shapeshifting aliens and the Kree. And some just want to see how this cosmic game unfolds. Alongside that, there is the omniscient narration. It’s that final inclusion that, while well-written and fascinating, can make the comic confusing.

The art is spectacular in Imperial War: Imperial Guardians Issue 1. There is a tour of Skrull territories, from the far reaches of the outworlds to the throneworld. The designs of these planets by the artists are phenomenal. Each world had its own look, with culture and history woven into the lines. Some are lavish and radiate splendor, while others have been forgotten, clinging to the remains of the Skrull religion.

The characters also look sensational, with both Captain Marvel and Gamora appearing tough and capable of tackling any challenge. Darkhawk is an excellent design and is very important to the story. Without the helmet and the wings, he can look like a regular dude, because he is. But he wears an alien suit, one that’s got more capabilities than even he is aware of.

The detail on all three, and many other recognizable characters in Imperial War: Imperial Guardians Issue 1, is exceptional—especially Carol’s long and intricate hairstyle. The fight scenes are exhilarating and varied. There are so many of them in this one-shot, each with its own design and choreography. There are high-tech mercenaries and robots, as well as extremely powerful villains that may overwhelm the heroes.

The colors are terrific in Imperial War: Imperial Guardians Issue 1. The pages and backgrounds are bright and extravagant, allowing the vibrancy of the costumes and skin tones to really pop. Darkhawk gets visions, and these are striking red and black. This is a distinctly different color palette from the rest of the issue, drawing our attention to it. During the most word-heavy scenes, the lettering can be tough to read. The layout is comfortable, but there are a lot of word balloons competing for space with caption boxes, which damages the flow of the dialogue.

Imperial War: Imperial Guardians Issue 1 heads to the beginning of the story before the event ends. With so many threads and reveals in the main book, there were many questions around when the ideas for conquest began. This issue shows just how long the seeds have been sewn for. The expensive nature of the comic and the spectacular art make it a gorgeous read, but it may take several read-throughs of the pages to comprehend all of it thoroughly. Even as secrets are ripped open, others are created to keep those first ones from spilling over.

Imperial War: Imperial Guardians Issue 1 is available now wherever comics are sold.