Writer: Donny Cates
Art by: Cory Smith, Victor Olazaba, David Curiel and VC’s Cory Petit
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: September 18, 2019

Well I hope you prayed to whatever deity you pray to, because when we last left or fractured heroes it was in dire straights. DJ Jazzy J’son (airhorn sound) just revealed his ace in the hole to his son Peter Quill. In the belly of a Temple-Destroyer the Universal Church of Truth are housing enough Cocoons they could make Wilford Brimley look like Honey Boo-boo (I’m just assuming that’s what he looked like as a child). Are there thousands of universe ending beings about to be unleashed into the Marvel Universe? Or maybe J’son is just intending to restock the worlds Monarch butterfly population? 

We open to the end of everything, as the Universal Church of Truth sees it. J’son has Peter in some kind of image inducer. He is trying to influence him by showing him images of an apocalyptic future. It’s not entirely certain that this is for sure what millions of years in the future looks like or if this is what the Church wants you to believe.

What is certain is these are some beautiful destruction images. The narration over the top of them helps convey the desolation also. 

Who rules at the end of time when everything is dead? Well it is quite simple really Death herself. She alone stands on top of the Throne of Annihilation.

J’son explains to his son that in order for the Church to return to the future and kill Death with their soon to be hatched Messiah they have to drain Earth of a continent or two worth of life energy to power their engines. 

This plan is a bit crazy though. Did they leave the future with these cocoons already in their hold? I am assuming they used all their engine power to come from the future. That is why the ship is just drifting aimlessly when the Nova Corps found it. The Church ship had no hopes of ever reaching full power in the future because no one was left. But does their Messiah need help from the Temple-Destroyer (clever name for a ship by the way) to defeat Death especially if there is more than one Messiah, apparently? Didn’t the Universal Church of Truth from the future who now runs on life force perpetuate the down fall of all life? Hopefully my questions are all answered in the end of this series, but right now this is very Uroboric. 

Star Lord has heard enough he smacks his father in the jaw without thinking any further than that. He makes a hopeless attempt at escape and is taken down by man’s best friend, Cosmo.

On some hidden planet in some hidden sector of space the last remaining free Guardians fight through hoards of rock critters with teeth. Rocket explains he was told of this place by Gamora when they were drinking one night as he sat around slowly dying. 

If the Church controls Gamora do they not know what Gamora knows?

Rocket says the team needs the help of the person that resides here on this planet. As if on cue said person makes himself known to the team of Rocket, Groot, and Moondragon. A very young Mangus who Rocket seems to be pals with. I can’t recall the last time I have seen Magus and that is why I was kind of assuming it was he in the multiple cocoons in the church ship.

J’son throws his disappointing son at the base of the Temple ,that is in the belly of the Temple-Destroyer, as a sacrifice to their Messiah….AND HE IS GLORIOUS! 

So, let’s ignite these thrusters get to earth and wipeout a large portion of these humans so we can get back and save a universe no one will be left behind to appreciate, Amen….um what now?

Final Thoughts:

Welcome to the Thunder Dome Rapture style. This is a fast paced captivating read that has left my head swirling and it brought a movie slogan to my mind. “It is everything you’ve dreamed of. It is nothing you expect”. With art and colors that are just phenomenal but a villain with questionable motivations I can only give 

8.8/10