Guardians of the Galaxy #1 - So i'm reading this and i'm going, wow, these are some krutacking major revisions. Here's Young Surly Star-Lord having an adolescent argument with his daddy, but Gamora was his girlfriend at the time? And there was some sort of intergalactic "leave Earth alone" council that included the Brood and Annihilus (Annihilus?!), let alone Spartax. And then they mention the Cancerverse and i realize this is all meant to be happening now. Umm, ok, i guess that's better, but then why is Star-Lord acting like, and being treated like, an 18 year old? His father even seems to know that he was a hero in the Annihilus War and other such events, so the "This is what you do with your time?" type of questions seem really weird. It's krutacking sad when "Oh, it's ok, it's just bad writing!" makes you feel better about something. I have a feeling that reading this book is just going to infuriate me and i should probably drop it. By the way, here is an actual letter in the lettercol:

0.1 rocked, it was FUN and I hope in the upcoming issues you flesh out WHO these characters are... particularly the squirrel dude.

Man, that just makes me feel old and sad. I'm clearly not the audience for this book, and i can't wait for when the movie comes out and Brian Michael Bendis is acknowledged in the credits in big letters while Abnett and Lanning and Starlin and Mantlo and Englehart and Claremont and Byrne and Kirby, etc. are lumped into a big list at the end, if at all.

FF #5 - This i liked. Whatever my past issues with Fraction in other books, there's no denying this book is a lot of crazy fun, and Allred can't get ALL the credit (not a pun).

Thunderbolts #7 - Honestly, Elektra/Punisher/Deadpool "love triangle" (it's of course nothing of the sort, but what else to call it?) issues aren't what i want most out of this book, but despite the off-putting cover i still enjoyed this. The lack of Dillon didn't bother me, either. Lots of good character stuff here. Since i don't have any serious complaints: the Avengers fighting AIM-powered Super-Apes shouldn't be a throwaway panel; it should be a series. That would be much more fun than anything Hickman is currently doing.

Uncanny Avengers #5 - First my own bugaboo: i read the first two or maybe three Uncanny X-Force trades and i know Remender was doing some stuff with Apocalypse, but i haven't read the rest. It feels like Remender is just picking up here with whatever he left off with in that series. Which is totally fine, but i guess i need to get caught up on those issues; i think they're not all out in trade yet. Now the internet's bugaboo: i don't know what Remender said on twitter, but just based on this issue, it seems like reasonable characterization for Havok to try to discourage the use of the word mutant. In real life we've seen minority groups attempt to "rebrand" vs. others who have attempted to "take back" certain words. Havok as a character choosing a particular path doesn't make it Marvel's official policy on the subject. I'm sure this has all been said elsewhere and more, so i'll leave it at that. Back to more geeky concerns, i really liked it when Rogue absorbed Wonder Man's powers and then said "I had no idea you were... that strong" after snapping the Reaper's neck.

Uncanny X-Force #3 - Note that this is an entirely different series than the Uncanny X-Force i mentioned above. I've been enjoying this. I thought the art was handled really well in this issue; the fight in the dark in the subway tunnel, and the dreamscape at the end. Good stuff, good character writing. I see Humphries is going to be writing a book about Avengers robots so we should get that.

Young Avengers #3 - Teenagers fighting super-evil versions of their parents is a bit overt as a theme, but it's all done smartly both writing and artwise. Haven't been sold on Miss America Chavez but getting a hint of her origins this issue makes her a bit more intriguing. And thrilled to see Gillen still writing Young Loki (but JiM did end with the return of old Loki in Young Loki's body, right?).

I have not read the Abnett and Lanning series, but part of me wonders if the surly teenager Starlord is a writer decision or an editorial directive to align with the upcoming movie.. I think the father issues and Gamora as his girlfriend are movie tropes that they're going to end up using. It also explains why Iron Man is being thrown into this series.

That doesn't excuse the bad writing in this story. It really felt like a dozen other stories I've read before.

Also, maybe I've missed some Brood development in the last decade, but aren't they more like parasites to be exterminated than world powers?

And, don't get me started on "krutaking." It's fracking ridiculous to make up your own curse words.

GotG: oh wow. that was bad. we're dropping this, right? Abnett and Lanning must be pissed.

Starlord needs to stop talking like a snot-nosed kid and he definitely needs to stop being drawn like a twenty-something surfer dude. i suppose they have someone in mind to play him and this is what he's going to look like? all Justin Bieber flippy haired? can't wait.

and i see how they're getting around the Gamorra running around mostly nekkid problem. just put her in generic space armor that doesn't in any way resemble her classic costume. she doesn't need to actually look like Gamorra as long as we have the characters shout her name often enough. plus, she's the only chick, so no worries.

i also thought that whole bar conversation was a flashback with his dad. i still believe it despite the evidence to the contrary.

and Iron Man is happy to get away from the 10 Avengers teams? wasn't it him and Cap getting together in Hickman's Avengers with their brilliant "new" idea of creating a huge Avengers roster (again) in order to combat whatever may come?

i loved GotG when Starlord was an older, more cynical space guy who'd seen it all and Rocket Raccoon and Groot were awesome. i dunno what this is. this makes me apprehensive for the movie.

TB: regarding the cover - dude, where are Elektra's legs? believe you me, i am quite familiar with this pose on covers and let me assure you that the lower half of a woman's legs do not just disappear and only show up as 1 foot around the front of the man's torso. as for the 1 foot wrapped totally around his torso to appear on his pelvis - that Elektra's got some super long calves considering how broad the Punisher likely is. also, that's prolly a very uncomfortable position (for the Punisher) for Elektra's 1 foot to be.

if you think i'm wrong, i suggest you try it yourselves and see where everyone's legs end up.

UA: i see it's not just Deodato who's drawing Cap super tall. Cap's taller than everyone else on this cover, too. he's taller than Thor!

what is up with Rogue? i get her being pissy with the Scarlet Witch over the 'no more mutants' thing. but why is she having a second angsty teen phase with everyone? what did the Wasp and Wonder Man do? perhaps she and Starlord can form an "i hate everybody" club.

Not that i disagree with you about Rogue, especially after what i thought was some good development of her character in X-Men Legacy, but it seems she's being set up for the "minority with the chip on her shoulder" role to contrast Havok's assimilation message. So she's going to act hostile to the Avengers side of the team until at some point she is convinced that they actually mean well.

yeah, sure, but is this supposed to be a well-written story or is this a "for teens" WB evening drama? can we be a little less over-the-top with our stock character portrayal? i mean, if Brevoort wants us to treat Marvel comics as works of great literature, mebbe he needs to let Remender know.