Asgardians of the Galaxy #9

By Cullen Bunn, Paolo Villanelli, and Federico Blee

War of the Realms is the big event at Marvel right now, and essentially all the main series are tied into it. Of all the tie-ins, the one that makes the most sense is hands down Asgardians of the Galaxy. This series does have space adventures, but it also has many Thor supporting characters, including everyone’s favorite frog. As the team deals with Malekith and his forces, they must also attempt to save Annabelle from death. Protecting the universe is always a tough job!

Cullen Bunn seems to have a knack for making odd characters very likable. Look at a character like Thunderstrike, and he is hands down one of the best characters in this series. Bunn writes him like a young and inexperienced kid at times, but he has a ton of heart. This issue deals with the death of Brunnhilde in War of the Realms, and the possible life of Annabelle. Bunn gives Ren some time in the spotlight and fleshes out their relationship more. The issue goes back and forth between now and then. In the then, Valkyrie and Annabelle discuss what will happen to Annabelle. In the now, Ren and company make an attempt to save Annabelle’s life with the help of Clea. Bunn’s technique works ere as we get both sides of the story at different times. This issue really shines a light on how strong the bond is between Annabelle and Ren. Kudos to Bunn for giving us an issue that showcases their relationship.

The pencils this issue are handled by Paolo Villanelli with colors by Federico Blee. Villanelli’s pencils are very good this here. The first few pages, which are almost like a recap to War of the Realms #2 are drawn a little grittier, and the pencils have a different feel than the rest of the issue. As we move past the initial few pages, the pencils get smoother and the art is a little cleaner. This was a very emotional issue for an artist to draw; the pain on Ren’s face as she runs out of the room claiming Annabelle is gone is a great panel for Villanelli. This art style works well for this issue, some panels, like Ren running away emotional, have a ton of detail. Others, like Clea arriving, don’t have as much facial detail, but it’s not as necessary. The colors by Federico Blee are excellent. He uses a heavy dose of pinks and blues, but they look great. As the team arrives at the mists surrounding Valhalla, their costumes are dark with a tinge of blue and the background is darker pink. This is a great coloring job by Blee.

I feel like Asgardians of the Galaxy is a book that gets overlooked pretty frequently, but it’s been a quality book for a while. Cullen Bunn is a writer who knows how to craft an interesting story. The pencils and colors this issue were very good and should draw you into the book more. You’d be hard pressed to find a better tie-in series than Asgardians of the Galaxy.