The Annihilators battle... things...
It's no secret that I am not the biggest fan of the Marvel's cosmic universe, aside from Silver Surfer. I am very unfamiliar with the characters, and I tend to feel a bit lost when reading. However, just because I don't know anything about a series or its characters, that doesn't mean I shouldn't take a dive into a new series. So, this review is for the common man! The person who doesn't normally read Marvel's cosmic wonders! That being said, time to review!
The Good
I believe this is the first time I loved the back-up story more than the main story in an issue. The Rocket Raccoon and Groot story is the best thing to come out of this book. Timothy Green II's art really pops on the page, and he has a great style. The difference between the art on the main story and the back up is night and day. The story is over-the-top, humorous, and a lot of fun. I may not be familiar with either of these characters, but it didn't matter to me since everything else about the story was top notch.
The Bad
This book made me feel dumb and confused. My unfamiliarity with this side of Marvel left me scratching my head since, even with the recap page in the front of the book, I had no real idea what was going on through all the scientific terminology. As a new reader, I felt like this story was going over my head just because it could. One thing that really bugged me was how Silver Surfer was written. He's usually calm and collected, but he comes a little more emotional and a lot more sassy than normal. Needless to say, it didn't feel like Silver Surfer. I was not a fan of the art on the first story as well. It felt a bit bland, and it would have popped more with more dynamic coloring.
The Verdict
We have a great back-up story, and a main story that left me in the dark that I don't have anything really great to say about. Even though I know little to nothing about these characters, I'd still read a Rocket Raccoon/Groot series because it is written so reader friendly. Annihilators, on the other hand, makes you feel bad as you flip through it because you're not part of group of people who understand these characters. I do not recommend this book for new readers; however, I'm sure fans of the cosmic world of Marvel will enjoy this book because it is well-written. For the rest of us, it's a borrow just for the back-up story.
