A comiXologist Recommends:
Mike Isenberg recommends Rocket Raccoon (2014-) #5

From the trailers alone it was pretty clear that this past summer’s Guardians of the Galaxy film was going to launch at least one of its main characters into stardom in a major way. Of course I’m referring to that furry little foul-mouthed ball of violence, Rocket Raccoon. So it came as little surprise when Marvel announced that, a month before the movie’s release, they’d be giving everyone’s soon-to-be-favorite Procyonid his own spin-off comic series.

We’re now five issues into the series, and Rocket Raccoon (2014-) has continued to impress and entertain each month. Drawn and written by the ever-talented Skottie Young (skottieyoung), the book is funny, exciting, and irreverent. Young’s art is dynamic and animated as ever, and gorgeously complimented by Jean-François Beaulieu’s beautiful coloring work. The characters are all lively and lovable, the action sequences are all fluid and intense, and the humor is all just mature enough to give adults some good unexpected chuckles without going so far that kids couldn’t enjoy this book as well. Boiled down to a single word, this book is FUN.

Issue #5 sees Rocket and Groot taking a well-deserved break after the craziness of opening story-arc reached its conclusion last month. The book opens with the two Guardians relaxing around a campfire, telling stories to a group of what appear to be extra-terrestrial cub scouts. The bulk of the issue consists of one such story, as told to the campers by Groot.

Of course, Groot’s three-word vocabulary isn’t particularly well-suited to storytelling. So every word of the story—every line of dialogue, every sign in the background, and even every sound effect—is portrayed as Groot would have said it himself: “I am Groot.” It’s an entertaining conceit that’s executed extremely well; the story is fast paced and exciting, and the fact that Skottie Young and Jake Parker (co-credited with art on this issue) have pulled it off without the gimmick getting stale shows just how much fun it’s possible to have with these characters.

For anyone looking for a book to put a smile on your face, Rocket Racoon (2014-) is pure distilled fun. Full of gorgeous artwork, irreverent humor, and crazy action, this book is definitely recommended.

For more of Skottie Young’s fantastic art, check out his Marvel Oz books, starting with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Also take a look at the Special Edition of Rocket Raccoon #1, which includes full-page thumbnails, inks, and colored versions of every page in the comic. (Have I overused the word “gorgeous” in this review yet? Because it’s gorgeous.)

And if you’re looking for more Rocket Raccoon, you can’t go wrong with the Rocket and Groot Ultimate Collection

[Read Rocket Raccoon (2014-) #5]

Mike Isenberg is an Associate Production Coordinator at comiXology, and the co-writer of First Law Of Mad Science. He lives in Harlem with his cats, Tesla and Edison