Title: Gamora #1
Writer: Nicole Perlman
Art: Marco Checchetto and Andres Mossa
Cover: Esad Ribic
Price: $3.99
In stores: Wednesday, December 21, 2016
Description:
Before the Guardians…there was Gamora! From screenwriter Nicole Perlman—co-writer of the Guardians of the Galaxy screenplay—and Marvel superstar artist Marco Checchetto comes a killer new ongoing series! Once upon a time she was Thanos’ heartless pet assassin and favorite daughter. Today, she is the backbone of the Guardians of the Galaxy, putting her life on the line to defend the innocent. What was it that transformed her from being used as a tool of her oppressor, to a champion of the powerless? Embark on a journey of revenge and redemption, and witness how Gamora earned her reputation as the Deadliest Woman in the Galaxy.
Review:
We have Nicole Perlman to thank for killing off Abnett and Lanning's great Marvel Cosmic as Perlman was a part of the Marvel Studios writers group who came up with the idea of the Guardians of the Galaxy movie. Just think, if Perlman never was inspired by DnA's Guardians of the Galaxy, Marvel Cosmic could still be thriving. Instead, Axel Alonso, Jeph Loeb and Brian Bendis took it upon themselves to fire DnA and reboot Marvel Cosmic with a really cheesy and goofball approach that has been an utter failure. Obviously, Perlman wasn't directly responsible, and I suppose we can't (still) be mad at her after six or so years (lol).
The good news is that Nicole Perlman's take on Gamora doesn't take the Bendis-approach or even the "Lost In Space" approach of James Gunn's movie. Nicole Perlman is a science-ficiton writer, and it definitly shows. By all accounts, her version of the Guardians of the Galaxy movie script, prior to James Gunn coming on board and rewriting, was a much more serious science-ficiton approach. There's a difference between "science-fiction" and "sci-fi" as the latter is deemed a less serious take and applicable more for the "general public."
The Gamora comic primarly follows Gamora, her sister Nebula and Thanos. It's Gamora's birthday, and Thanos' gift to his adoptive daughter is the deaths of the Badoon, the reptilian aliens that wiped out Gamora's race. Gamora finds out the Badoon's King has a daughter that was hid away on the planet Ubliex, a planet where the lowest of the low reside, and a planet where no one has escaped alive.
Perlman's writing is top-notch, as to be expected, and the art is tremendous. We're given a dark and gritty tale about the relationship between Gamora and the rest of her "family." There's some great dialogue between Thanos and Nebula. While Thanos, Nebula and Gamora are shown to be truly ruthless in epic fashion, you can sense that there is something more "human" to Gamora, which Perlman will be expanding in subsequent issues. The issue also does a great job of leaving you desiring for more as the "deadliest woman in the galaxy" on the deadliest planet in the galaxy will make for some good reading.
The only problem I had with the issue was Gamora's costume, which looked out of place. I don't believe it's the fault of the artist as Marvel had Steven McNiven redo the Guardians of the Galaxy costumes. McNiven never read or worked on Cosmic and it shows in the poor designs. Hopefully, Marvel will correct the error.
If you're were a fan of Marvel Cosmic under DnA, you'll want to pick up Gamora.
