LEGENDARY STAR-LORD #1 is on sale July 2, 2014.
The Good
Before reading this issue, I wasn't aware how much I actually wanted this series. Star-Lord has, over the last few years, started becoming more and more popular, despite his debut back in the 70s. We've been enjoying his exploits with the Guardians of the Galaxy in their team book but this is a chance for us to see more of Peter Quill in action. And that's really exactly what we need.
It's no secret that Marvel is looking to build on the buzz from the upcoming theatrical release of Guardians of the Galaxy. If that's the case, it's a brilliant move as there should be Guardians comics for movie-goers/non-comic readers to discover after watching the movie. And if it means we get more great stories with a character we're liking more and more each day, we all win.
Sam Humphries is not only give us some solo adventures with Peter Quill, but also giving us some glimpses into his past. There's also that little development between Peter and Kitty Pryde that came out of The Trial of Jean Grey. Of course us over-protective Kitty fans will be paying close attention to this. With Star-Lord's slightly complex publishing past and continuity, this series will give us a chance to find out who Star-Lord is these days since team books don't always offer the opportunities to fully flesh out individual characters.
Aside from the growing developments between Peter and Kitty, there is another big twist happening here that was pretty unexpected. Another reason to tune in each month. And who doesn't want to see Star-Lord versus the Badoon. You can expect plenty of cool space-action here.
Paco Medina does a great job with Star-Lord, with and without his mask, as well as young little Peter Quill. The entire look of the series fits in with the other cosmic Marvel titles, especially GUARDIANS. I'm usually a stickler when it comes to color in sci-fi comics the color palette and shading used by David Curiel gives it all a great feel.
The Bad
We get a great start to the solo Star-Lord series but feels a little like it's a set up issue. The story is largely self-contained but there are a couple big things teased that we'll have to wait for. It's great having a full story you can read from start to finish but sometimes knowing things will get resolved, for the most part, in a single issue, can take some of the suspense away.
The Verdict
Get ready to discover who exactly the Legendary Star-Lord is. With the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise heating up, it's the perfect time to explore more of who this individual character is. Sam Humphries gives us a great start to a space-western series showcasing the character while also developing new and past events in his life. Paco Medina's art and David Curiel's colors give it all a nice glossy feel. The story feels a little isolated due to the largely self-contained format but we do have a couple big develops brewing and this format does make it new-reader friendly. This is a character we'll be seeing a lot more of and the time is right to jump on board this new series. The legend of Star-Lord is in safe hands with Humphries.