Pick of the week (Jun. 3rd): Groot #1

Groot #1

Writer: Jeff Loveness

Art:: Brian Kesinger

Publisher: Marvel

“I am Groot!” – Groot

Hot off the success that was Guardians of the Galaxy (GotG) Marvel has been giving individual members of the team their own books. First it was Rocket Raccoon and Star Lord, and now Groot. Despite having a huge soft spot for the Groot, I was a bit skeptical. Mainly I was worried about how the dialogue would be when the only words the protagonists can say are “I am Groot”. It turns out though that Groot didn’t have to say much, his old pal Rocket Raccoon came along to narrate/interpret for us. The story starts out with Groot trying to convince Rocket to head to Earth. Rocket is not so sure because according to him Earth is the worst place in the Galaxy. Groot eventually wears him down and the two decide to head to Earth. It turns out that their ship is broken and so the pair must hitchhike their way, this leads to some interesting adventures including Space sharks (who are of course…endangered), and a group of Mormon siblings (ok so not really, but if you read it you’ll understand). Ultimately leading to a run in that changes the direction of the book and had me laughing out loud for a full minute after I had put the issue down. Seriously, this plot is one of the best ideas I’ve ever read. I love how Loveness builds up the characters in a way that pays off at the end of the issue. I can tell what direction the plot is moving and I think it’s the best possible direction for a Groot series. The art by Kesinger was great. He really captured the essence of Groot, drawing him in a cartoonish way that highlighted his naivety and his childlike sense of wonder. The rendering work on the space backdrop is also some of the best space-work art I’ve seen in quite awhile. Even better was his work on facial expressions. I’ve never seen a better use of facial expressions in comics. there’s one panel that is devoted just to just Groot and Rockets faces, and it is by far my favorite panel.  All in all this is a fantastic issue and a exciting start to a series. I love the direction the book went at the end and I can’t wait to read what happens next.

Rating: 9/10

-Andrew Horton