Rocket and Baby Groot by Paolo Rivera

Rocket Raccoon by Michael Golden

Rocket Racoon by Ron Lim

Incredible Hulk #271 Recreation by Simon Williams

Guardians of the Galaxy - A Spoiler-Free Review

Directed by James Gunn
Written by James Gunn and Nicole Perlman
Starring: Chris Pratt, Bradley Cooper, Lee Pace, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Michael Rooker, Karen Gillan, Djimon Hounsou, John C. Reilly, Glenn Close, Benicio del Toro

Marvel/Walt Disney Studios pulled it off. I was just as skeptical as a lot of you when I first heard that they were going to make a movie starring the Guardians of the Galaxy. And not only did they pull it off, they hit a home run. It's a quirky, entertaining ride with a lot of feeling and emotions.

The story is a space opera of galactic proportions but it's the solid cast and writing that really stabilizes it, transforming it into a touching journey. Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) brings together a group of ragtag loners on a quest to stop the destruction of the universe. Ronan the Accuser, played by Lee Pace, was outstanding in the role of the Kree judicator and proved to be a great antagonist. Rocket (Bradley Cooper) and Groot (Vin Diesel) are the product of some spectacular CGI, and in particular, Cooper steals the show with a lot of great moments.

Don't hesitate to see this film, you won't be disappointed. My kids told me when I left to see it, that when I came back I just had to say that it's okay for them to see (as they had seen the trailer and loved it). Unlike Captain America 2, which was far too violent, and Man of Steel, which was simply a disappointment, Guardians of the Galaxy is a movie that I'd be happy to bring them to see. There are a few mature scenes, but you can really tell that Marvel/Disney worked hard to keep the film at a PG level. It also succeeds in striking a nice balance for non-comic book fans who can enjoy the film as a stand-alone entity, but also rewards the comic book fans with a lot of Marvel Universe references.

"I am Groot!"

(Found this fan poster at:
http://geektyrant.com/news/stunning-guardians-of-the-galaxy-poster-art-by-paul-shipper)

A Little Golden Book with a Rocket Raccoon twist!

http://jspiotto.blogspot.ca/2013/02/a-little-golden-book-guardians-of.html

Marvel Comics Solicitations for March 2013 - 1980s goodness

IRON MAN 2020 TPB
Written by KEN MCDONALD, FRED SCHILLER, TOM DEFALCO, SIMON FURMAN, WALTER SIMONSON & DANIEL GOODBREY
Penciled by MARK BEACHUM, HERB TRIMPE, BARRY WINDSOR-SMITH, BRYAN HITCH, WILLIAM ROSADO, BOB WIACEK, LOU KANG & MANNY GALAN

The armor is familiar, but the man inside isn’t who you’d expect! He’s Arno Stark, the cold and hard-hitting Iron Man of the future — and Tony Stark’s descendant has quite a legacy to live up to. Catch all the futuristic action as Arno battles Spider-Man and Blizzard in a time-traveling adventure to stop a nuclear terrorist; faces Machine Man at the behest of Tony’s old foe Sunset Bain; and clashes with the original Death’s Head, industrial saboteur Wellington Marcus and the high-flying Commodore Q! Can Arno overcome his foes — and himself — to become the hero he’s modeled himself after?

Collecting AMAZING SPIDER-MAN ANNUAL (1964) #20, MACHINE MAN (1984) #1-4, DEATH’S HEAD #10, IRON MAN 2020 #1, ASTONISHING TALES: IRON MAN 2020 #1-6 and material from WHAT IF? (1989) #53.
304 PGS./Rated T ...$34.99

# # #

WOLVERINE BY CLAREMONT & MILLER HC
Written by CHRIS CLAREMONT
Penciled by FRANK MILLER & PAUL SMITH

Wolverine’s vacation from the X-Men is interrupted when he discovers that his beloved, Mariko Yashida, has been married off by her criminal father Lord Shingen! When Shingen humiliates Wolverine in front of Mariko, the hero loses heart, drowning his sorrows in beer, bar fights — and the arms of wild assassin Yukio. But when ninjas attack and betrayal strikes from a most unexpected source, can Wolverine reclaim his honor, and rescue Mariko and himself from the trap Shingen has drawn around them both? Then: The X-Men travel to Japan to rejoin their wayward teammate, but the villainous duo of Viper and the Silver Samurai want to guarantee that the mutants’ story won’t have a happy ending. It’s secrets, shockers and broken hearts in Wolverine’s legendary first solo adventure!

Collecting WOLVERINE (1982) #1-4 and UNCANNY X-MEN (1963) #172-173.
144 PGS./Rated T ...$24.99 - Trim size: oversized

# # #

ROCKET RACCOON & GROOT: THE COMPLETE COLLECTION TPB
Written by BILL MANTLO, DAN ABNETT & ANDY LANNING
Penciled by JACK KIRBY, KEITH GIFFEN, SAL BUSCEMA, MIKE MIGNOLA & TIMOTHY GREEN II

After the Guardians of the Galaxy disbanded, Rocket Raccoon settled into a quiet life with a steady job in a mailroom. But when a killer clown made of sentient wood attacks him at work, the trigger-fingered and quick-witted hero must journey to Planet X — home of his old buddy Groot, the giant tree-creature — in search of answers! The cosmic dream team is reunited at last! Then: Mojo, bloated entertainment mogul of the Mojoverse, battles Rocket Raccoon and Groot...onstage! It’s a high-stakes campy cosmic free-for-all! Plus: get caught up on the early adventures of Rocket and Groot!

Collecting INCREDIBLE HULK (1968) #271; ROCKET RACCOON #1-4; and material from TALES TO ASTONISH (1959) #13, MARVEL PREVIEW #7, ANNIHILATORS #1-4 and ANNIHILATORS: EARTHFALL #1-4.
264 PGS./Rated T ...$29.99

Original art for Rocket Raccoon #1 sold for $7,170!

Over at Heritage Auctions, the original art for the cover for Rocket Raccoon sold for 

the nice sum of $7,170 on Friday.

http://comics.ha.com/c/item.zx?saleNo=7066&lotNo=93309

Here's the published version:

Bill Mantlo's 61st Birthday

Pulled from: http://seanhowe.tumblr.com/post/35570342318/bill-mantlo-micronauts-rom-rocket-raccoon-jack

Happy Belated Birthday Bill!

For the full story, go here: http://www.lifehealthpro.com/2011/11/07/tragic-tale

1984 - Amazing Heroes #60

Cover art by Rick Leonardi, Terry Austin, and Mike Mignola.

I cleaned it up a little: