Legendary Star Lord #1 Review

This past Wednesday, July 2nd, saw a trio of Guardians of the Galaxy comics hit the stands, including Legendary Star Lord #1 …Who? Star Lord, man… (sorry, I had to). This comic, aimed at bringing new readers in to the film world of the Guardians, briefly visits Peter Quill, his past, and present.

Written by Sam Humphries with art by Paco Medina, this is a great start for anyone who is interested in reading more about Peter Quill before going to see Guardians of the Galaxy. It’s a great jumping-off point for anyone who hasn’t read the comics before but want to get into it, or for those fans who just need more Guardians before they hit the screen in twenty-seven days (not that I’m counting).

Humphries does a great job of establishing Quill’s background without it taking the entire issue to do so. We see him as a small boy on Earth having been dealt a hand heroes in the Marvel universe (and comics in general) know all too well, to the present day where he’s being pursued by The Badoon after having been accused of stealing a precious gem, the Mandalay Gem, ‘one of the most powerful minerals in the universe’.

He seems like nothing more than a thief or a bounty to most of the characters in the comic, but Quill is able to show that he’s got some redeeming qualities as well near the end. When he ends up in lock up on The Badoon ship and finds out he has a blood bounty on his head, Quill knows he needs to move fast, and have a bit of luck on his side.

Without spoiling the story, I can say that this comic gives readers a great introduction to Quill, a little bit of background on him and a taste of his personality. He’s witty but not over the top or too “in your face” and it’s easy to like him, especially near the end of the comic. But, he’s still got some mysteries about his life that he needs to get to work on unfolding, as well as going after Thanos. The comic could have worked well as a one shot until you reach the last page and when you read it, you’ll see why.

Humphries and Medina work in perfect harmony here to bring the new Star Lord to life and put a different spin on his original conception (who was a NASA astronaut visited by an alien entity that offers him the role of Star-Lord, an interplanetary police officer) which will leave readers wanting more from the duo. Medina’s intricate work in every panel, combined with inker Juan Vlasco and colorist David Curiel make every page pop.

The only thing I did take issue with was that they used The Badoon in the comic; they can’t be used in the films because the rights to the Badoon are owned by another company, though I’m sure Quill will be busy enough in the film hunting down Thanos to worry about them. Still, the reptilian species has always been present in the comics and will likely continue to only have a presence there.

All in all, while it’s a big change from the Star Lord that Guardians fans knew, the idea behind Legendary Star Lord is to introduce readers to the character that we’ll see in the film and Humphries and Medina do a fantastic job.