Daily Archives: August 11, 2014

Douglas Adams Would Have Loved Guardians of the Galaxy

Is it heretical to suggest a favorite author, now passed on, might have loved something new and hip that’s just hit the scene?  I hope not, because I really believe Douglas Adams would have loved Guardians Of The Galaxy, the white-hot sci-fi movie that has burned up the box office and once again affirmed Marvel’s dominance as the house of ideas when it comes to Hollywood blockbusters.

The protagonists in Guardians and those in the works of Mr. Adams share a certain madcap glee in their roles. They don’t use the same methods. Adams’ work in The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy actually lampoons the sort of all-out violence that Star-Lord and his crew of misfits employ to solve the pressing problems in Guardians Of The Galaxy. Despite this, some parallels still remain. Without spoiling things too much, the heroes of Guardians use cinematic violence to achieve their goals, for sure, but ultimately carry the day on the strength of their growing friendship and trust in each other’s abilities. While the Hitchhiker movie adaptation did not enjoy the runaway success Guardians currently basks in, I feel like Mr. Adams would have smiled at the amazingly well-realized CGI characters of Rocket Raccoon and Groot. While both characters generate plenty of laughs in Guardians, they also deliver some emotional moments. Their inhuman appearances juxtaposed with their all-too-human foibles helps communicate the notion of a galaxy brimming with possibility. Intelligent life exists in multifarious shapes and sizes.

Indeed, in many ways, Guardians marks the next step in post-racial sci-fi. We see this in the “good-guy” world of Xandar, an enlightened society teeming with sentient beings of all shapes and colors, living and loving together beyond the boundaries of racial identity. Writer/director James Gunn surely calculated all of this when putting this tour-de-force sci-fi epic together, but the movie’s first aim, like the works of Mr. Adams, is entertainment, and it scores big on that account!

If you have seen Guardians and you find yourself wanting more, or if you have not seen it yet and want a primer on Marvel’s spacefaring characters, now might be a good time for a short list of recommended titles.

Guardians1-cov Guardians Of The Galaxy: Tomorrow’s Avengers vol. 1. Anyone who wants to start at the very beginning need look further than this volume for the origins of Marvel’s first Guardians Of The Galaxy. This distinctively 1970’s take on the 30th century features plenty of classic comic book action, and wonder of wonders, thought bubbles! Yes, before it came uncool to reveal a character’s thoughts in today’s post-modern superhero comics (thanks, Brian Michael Bendis), writers could freely provide handy exposition and story elements by showing you what a character was thinking. If you like this one, be sure to check out Vol. 2 as well!

Guardians-Leg-cov Guardians Of The Galaxy: Legacy Vol. 1. In 2008 incomparable duo Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning revived Guardians Of The Galaxy. The movie that’s tearing up the box office like Michael Rooker chewing scenery would not exist without the stories in this collection. Along with artist Paul Pelletier, Abnett and Lanning redefined Guardians for a new era of Marvel readers. If you like this, be sure to grab Vol. 2 as well!

thanos imperative-cover The Thanos Imperative. It doesn’t get much more cosmic than this one! Abnett and Lanning once again deliver the goods as the Guardians, Nova, and a bevy of other characters first aid, then foil the plans of the Mad Titan, Thanos.

 

 

Battlebeyondthestars Battle Beyond The Stars. This campy Roger Corman sci-fi romp is not a Marvel movie, but its characters share the same misfit status and esprit de corps as the Guardians. It’s Seven Samurai in space, what more can a sci-fi fan ask for?

 

–Scott

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