Review: Guardians of the Galaxy Annual #1

There’s a fine line between a humorous comic and a mistake. Guardians of the Galaxy Annual #1 (2021) crosses that line and then spits on it gleefully. This book is part of the Infinite Destinies crossover which features the infinity stones finding new masters. It’s a nice way of introducing new character to the Marvel Universe. The crossover features major properties but all leads to a Black Cat comic which is incredibly strange.

Crossovers such as this should be aimed at bringing back in new or lapsed readers. Instead we get a focus on a hero no non-regular reader thinks of as being a classic GOTG team member, Hercules. And even that focus quickly shifts to the origin of another Prince of Power.

Hercules is out having a fruit drink when the new Prince of Power crashes in and is quickly attacked by intergalactic gangsters looking for his infinity stone. He announces that he already ate it and then flashes back to his origin. The origin is a full on parody of He-Man, where Prince Majestar of the planet Muscula has a power sword, super strength. He has super-powered friends with names called Biceptor and Abdominal Legday and an enemy named Rapskullion who is obviously Skeletor. His mentor reveals the planet Muscula is split into a good portion Noblor in balance with an evil portion Evillius.

Meanwhile, Prince of Power overhears this while he’s eating what he thinks are candy, but what includes an infinity stone he swallows whole. He becomes super-powered and faces off with Rapskullion with his brother. When his brother is struck down the Prince of Power uses his power sword to destroy Evillius, but when that side is destroyed the good side also blows up and the Prince of Power is the only remaining survivor.

Hercules and the Prince of Power end the issue having a nice laugh. The issue is an awful, poorly executed parody of many comic forms. It makes absolutely no sense in a large Marvel crossover. The art matches the tone of the story well and does a great job with the He-Man parallels, but it can’t help the story feel rooted in any way. There is always a place for humor and parody in comics, but this book is so poorly done that it feels like a waste of everyone’s time and threatens to derail the entire crossover.

Writer: 1 of 5 stars
Art: 3 of 5 stars
Colors: 3 of 5 stars

Overall: 2 of 5 stars

Writer: Al Ewing
Art: Flaviano
Colors: Rochelle Rosenberg
Publisher: Marvel Comics

Author Profile

M.R. Jafri

M.R. Jafri was born and raised in Niagara Falls New York and now lives with his family in Detroit Michigan. He's a talkative introvert and argumentative geek. His loves include Star Wars, Star Trek, Superheroes, Ninja Turtles, Power Rangers, Transformers, GI Joe, Films, Comics, TV Shows, Action Figures and Twizzlers.