Review: First Issue of 'Rocket Raccoon'

Maya Zach ’17 / Emertainment Monthly Staff Writer

In his first real foray into writing, Skottie Young proves that he is not just a talented artist, but also an exceptional writer. Rocket Raccoon is the first series that Young both writes and illustrates, with the help of color artist Jean-Francois Beaulieu.
Creating a comic starring Rocket was not a surprising move by Marvel, as the Guardians of the Galaxy film is set to release August 1st, less than a month after the first issue of Rocket Raccoon. This could seem like a desperate attempt to sell comics based on a potential new fan favorite, but Marvel created a truly unique and amusing comic with a stellar team. Not as much can be said about Legendary Star-Lord, but that’s a review for a different day.
Young very quickly establishes Rocket’s character, allowing readers unfamiliar with the raccoon the chance to dive right in and enjoy the new series. It turns out that Rocket isn’t quite as cute and cuddly as he appears. As fans of Rocket have come to expect, he has quite a mouth on him; he’s a sweet-talker yet curses like a sailor. Though he saves plenty of princesses, it’s for his own personal agenda. And between his dates with a myriad of different women, Rocket still manages to tick off just about everyone. Everyone except for the Guardians of the Galaxy, that is.
Right off the bat, Rocket Raccoon opens with two major story lines, each one interesting enough to carry the series through its first arc. Not only does it turn out that Rocket isn’t the last of his species, but his dozens (hundreds?) of ex-girlfriends are seeking their revenge. Rocket might be getting help from his pal Peter Quill (AKA Star-Lord), but he will most likely need to pull himself out of his mess.
Though the story and dialogue are strong, what really makes this series unique is its art style; this shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to any readers familiar with Skottie Young’s work. The characters are swimming in bright colors and etched with both soft strokes and sharp points. The series seems animated, almost child-like, but with a rough edge. This is a brilliant choice, as it matches Rocket and his personality: soft yet fierce.
Emertainment Monthly gives this issue a 9/10.