Guardians of the Galaxy 35 was cover dated April 1993 and was on sale in February 1993, sharing the spinner racks with Bloodshot #1, Hardware #1, Lance Barnes: Post Nuke Dick #1, Legionnaires #1, Sandman Mystery Theatre #1 and Stormwatch #1.
Biological Warfare was written by Michael Gallagher, drawn by Kevin West and inked by Steve Montano and opens with a brief recap of the current situations of the Guardians of the Galaxy before switching focus to Martinex’s Galactic Guardians and the decaying area of space seen in the last issue. Giraud, the current Phoenix, flies ahead of the rest of the team into this decayed space, falling victim to Bubonicus, who infects him with some sort of disease.
He flies back to his team, with his power raging and the flaming raptor effect grows so large it dwarfs the Icarus and engulfs a nearby uninhabited planet.
Firelord, as a protector of the universe and the spirit of vengeance are enraged and fly after Phoenix, despite Martinex’s warning, while Mainframe gives us some exposition on Bubonicus.
As this happens, Bubonicus infects Firelord and the spirit, both collapse (well they’re in space, so they sort of fold over, but don’t actually go anywhere) and Martinex orders the ship de-cloaked and the two retrieved. Replica argues, which doesn’t sit well with Martinex.
Meanwhile it seems that Bubonicus’ actions may have a larger consequence as Mainframe communes with Eternity, the being whose body encompasses the universe itself. The decaying space is actually a malignant cancer in the body of the universe and unless the Phoenix can help, the universe is in danger. On the Icarus, Bubonicus attacks Martinex, only to learn that Martinex was behind him and Replica is unharmed, she changes form into a Jadroxxian the beats Bubonicus into unconsciousness.
Giraud burns the infection from himself and then does the same for Eternity and all living things take notice. Phoenix returns to the Icarus and does the same there, causing Bubonicus himself to vanish, but allowing the rest of the infected team members to recover.
Replica sees that Bubonicus has gone and the Galactic Guardians head to rendezvous with Drydock, just in time to see it destroyed by the Dread Dormammu.
Notes: That is a hell of a cliffhanger.
This is a disjointed story, feeling at once rushed and also padded. The threat of Bubonicus is consdered so great and yet he is taken out by a teenage Skrull. It seems a little too easy.
I enjoyed seeing Eternity as part of the story and his being injured was interesting. Using Phoenix to cauterise the fabric of the universe is very much in keeping with it’s earliest use in the 70’s X-Men.
West’s art style has fully taken hold now and it’s looking like a good fit, with the not quite so human looking characters still having personality and features.
It feels very much like a fill in issue, but by the main creative team and am it feels like a getting the pieces in place for later issue, than a fully fledged story, that said I do like seeing the Galactic Guardians again and Martinex has been missed from this title for the last 18 or so issues.
Next Time: The Galactic Guardians vs Dormammu and what happened to the Guardians of the Galaxy?
Standing Guard 