Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews
Star-Lord & Kitty Pryde #1
Marvel Comics
Humphries, Firmansyah & Kholinne
When last we left off the Marvel Universe, Kitty Pryde and Star-Lord were an item. This comic book toys with that idea as Star-Lord is the leftover from that Universe, remembering his relationship, while Kitty is from some other Universe and has no idea whom Star-Lord is. However, there is a plot that gets opened at the end of the book that takes it further from the strange love story angle. The comic is a good one because it is funny, it sets up personalities and establishes the longer story. This is a fun read and I definitely recommend it.
The comic book opens with Star-Lord, in hiding as Steve Rogers, singing show tunes. Not only is the set-up creative, it is made even funnier because he's singing Disney show tunes. I can't recall a Marvel book making such blatant ties to Disney before and I found it to be a welcome addition. He observes an odd exchange while on stage singing a Sleeping Beauty tune.
Kitty appears to be dealing in a shady transaction with Gambit. They seem to be using a blood tracker to determine if a character is an anomaly to whatever universe they believe to exist in. Fake-Steve decides he doesn't like Gambit moving in on his girlfriend, even if this is technically not his girlfriend. The book ends with a very good twist.
What doesn't work for this comic book is how easily the details are glossed over on how or why Star-Lord has been separated from the other Marvel Universe characters. What also is a stretch and seems to be hand-waved away is what exactly Kitty is up to and how she got the information and technology that she posses.
The book works because the chemistry among the three characters is perfect. All of them are strong and they all seem to establish their personalities and motives very quickly. The comic is also paced perfectly. There is an introduction to Star-Lord, an interaction between Kitty and Gambit, a scuffle and the surprise ending.
The artwork is gorgeous. The pages present the characters with epic entrances and all of them are unique. They all seem to be larger-than-life and glamorous and it works well in this story setting. The art has detailed lines and vibrant colors. The book definitely takes on an epic look.
Star-Lord and Kitty Pryde is a fun read. One is a survivor of the Marvel Universe and the other is not. One is looking to pick up their romantic relationship where they left off while the other has no idea who the other is. The comic is a fast read, with strong characters, solid action and a good hook at the end. The artwork is stellar and helps elevate this to another level. Overall, the book is distant from Secret Wars, but that might serve it well. This is worth a look.
4 out of 5 Geek Goggles
