Rocket Raccoon

• Title: Rocket Raccoon and Groot #3
• Comic Vine: link
• Writer: Skottie Young
• Artist: Filipe Andrade

Rocket Raccoon and Groot #3 closes the new series’ opening arc featuring the misadventures of Rocket Raccoon and Groot in a parallel dimension where Rocket’s working for a crazy warlord and supposed amnesia turns out to all be an elaborate ruse to get back at his best pal for a surprise birthday party. Once again the issue features the low-rent knockoffs Pockets and Shrub (who go toe-to-toe with our heroes at one point in the story before being forced to work together and flee for their lives). It’s a goofy conclusion to a bizarre story that provides some enjoyable moments. For fans.

[Marvel, $3.99]

• Title: Rocket Raccoon and Groot #1
• Comic Vine: link
• Writer: Skottie Young
• Artist: Filipe Andrade

Occasionally comic writers can get too cute for their own good. Set eight months after the events of Marvel’s Secret Wars (an event I skipped and have no plans on catching up on anytime soon), the new series launches with the rest of the Guardians believing both Rocket Raccoon and Groot are dead (although they mostly don’t appear that broken up about it).

With our heroes missing in action, Rocket Raccoon and Groot #1 delivers a Rocket and Groot story featuring two low-rent stand-ins in a surly mouse and (far less imposing) walking plant lifeform with a limited vocabulary hired by Groot to deliver himself to his old friend (who apparently has become a dictator on some far off world).

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• Title: Rocket Raccoon #10
• Comic Vine: link
• Writer: Skottie Young
• Artist: Jake Parker

Rocket Raccoon #10 interrupts Rocket Raccoon‘s attempt to pay the money owed to all his ex-girlfriend princesses when Rocket is approached by his old frenemy Klep who informs our hero about a chance to find the missing Book of Halfworld… for the right price.

Turning his hard-worn earnings over to Klep for the intel rather than paying off his debts makes Rocket an immediate fugitive from the law (and even Cosmo) aboard Knowhere but if Klep’s information pans out we’ll get to see how Skottie Young plans to reintroduce the character’s somewhat convoluted comic book past and make it fit into the current Marvel continuity.

As we’ve come to expect from the series, issue #10 is heavy on both action and humor as Rocket is forced to fight his way out of Knowhere after paying off Klep. Armed with a new lead, and a new reason for authorities and bounty hunters to come after him, Rocket and Groot’s new adventure kicks off with an entertaining first issue. Worth a look.

[Marvel, $3.99]

• Title: Rocket Raccoon #9
• Comic Vine: link
• Writer: Skootie Young
• Artist: Jake Parker

Set 30 years in the future Rocket Raccoon #9 offers a glimpse at a possible dark future for Rocket and Groot. Long after their collective adventures have ended, and Groot has decided to stay on Earth without his friend (helping its heroes unlock the secret to his regenerative properties), a monster-sized Groot is terrorizing the planet destroying everything in sight. Who’s Tony Stark gonna call? Gundam-style Rocket Raccoon, that’s who!

Dark future stories of heroes are hardly anything new but writer Skootie Young still finds a way to infuse the comic’s zaniness and fun without getting lost in the grim future.

The twist near the end of the comic lessens the impact of the story a bit as it’s revealed we’re only seeing a simulation of one possible future of the pair. What makes the story work is Young flipping the idea that Groot keeps Rocket in line and that the raccoon’s loving friend might become something far more dark and dangerous without his questionable influence. Yeah, looks like Rocket Raccoon is a good influence after all (at least for a living tree turned Kaiju monster). Worth a look.

[Marvel, $3.99]