REVIEW: ‘Imperial Guardians’ Issue 1

Imperial Guardians Issue 1 is published by Marvel Comics. Written by Dan Abnett, pencils by Marcelo Ferreira, inks by Jay Leisten, colors by Rachelle Rosenberg, and letters by Cory Petit.

A new black ops team had been established by Star-Lord and run by Maximus, with a mission to keep the Galactic Union intact.

This issue sounds directly out of the events of Imperial and the Imperial Guardians one-shot. There’s a fascinating structure to Imperial Guardians Issue 1, one that prioritizes the action. The new cosmic team is thrown straight into a battle, attacking a Kree ship with a dangerous payload. It’s fast and frantic, with a very specific goal in mind.

The Imperial Guardians are tasked with stopping anything that could disrupt the new Galactic Union, a treaty among the various races and empires across the cosmic Marvel Universe. It’s a fragile place, based on lies and hidden truths. So the actions to preserve it are clandestine and not entirely honorable. In just Imperial Guardians Issue 1, Abnett highlights the deadly things that need to be done.

Then, after the action, the plot moves back in time to establish the formation. It may be back to front, but that makes the pacing so much more engaging. There is a lot of history bleeding into this story, binding those included in the group together, but it’s brilliantly explained.

The cast selected by Abnett is filled with personality and conflict, featuring Gamora, Captain Marvel, Amadeus Cho, Darkhawk, and Cosmic Ghost Rider. Gamora had been chosen as the leader despite Carol Danvers’s involvement. There isn’t much friction between the two, but Gamora is no-nonsense and direct. They’re both professionals. Darkhawk is insecure and out of place. The crystal on his chest makes him powerful, but he’s daunted and traumatized. This means he needs reassurance and help from the others, who will coach him through the battle.

Cho brings both brawn and brains to Imperial Guardians Issue 1. He’s got the power of the Hulk, a Stark suit of armor, and his own genius intellect. And Cosmic Ghost Rider is wildly unpredictable, working for Maximus more than he does with the others. It’s a terrific mixture of voices. With Maximus, the Mad Inhuman, leading, the formation of the team is fractious from the start. There are so many secret agendas and machinations.

There’s talk of Peter Quill directing the team’s creation, but he’s not seen at all. Only Maximus talks about what Quill wants, which makes what he says immediately dubious. It makes the foundations on which the group has been built so fragile. The cast size is perfect. They’re already big and complicated personalities, taking up so much space, and any more would push it too far.

The art is instantly infectious, delighting in the cosmic carnage. All of those included seem to come from different worlds, with unique designs that Marcelo Ferreira brilliantly illustrates. They’re zany and fun, with a phenomenal variety of action. There are weapons, tech, and powers all being unleashed at the same time. Cosmic Ghost Rider and Cho have so much going on. Ghost Rider had a flaming head and chains, with a hover bike.

Cho wears a bulky suit of armor, but when the faceplate lifts, a Hulk face is underneath. Darkhawk is one of the coolest designs ever. But when the mask comes off, you see a normal man overwhelmed by the situation. Gamora is permanently serious and angry, charging in with severe precision. It makes the comic big and loud, yet there is a determination to let the brain process what is going on.

The colors are fascinating because the heroes demonstrate the ability to shift. Captain Marvel has her new red-and-gold uniform, but you see it transform into a more binary black-and-white. It’s sleek and suits her, warning that what’s about to happen can’t be done by an Avenger. Cho is interesting because, at first, he has a green tinge to his armor, resembling the Shi’ar Imperial Guardian Warstar.

But for the rest of Imperial Guardians Issue 1, there’s a silver shade. It’s hard to know if this is a clever disguise or an error, but it’s worth giving the benefit of the doubt due to what Carol does with her own disguise. The lettering for the general text is perfectly fine. However, the captions for character names are incredibly difficult and awkward to read.

Imperial Guardians Issue 1 is a frantic new adventure. It picks up the pieces from Imperial and traverses the new universal order beautifully. No one understands cosmic Marvel like Dan Abnett, considering his previous work with Andy Lanning. The galaxies seem free to explore, and there’s a richness to the characters and new union. Each member is complicated and has their own reasons for being there. It’s a clever, chaotic comic that has both exuberance and delicacy.

Imperial Guardians Issue 1 is available where comics are sold.