Inside Man
Writer Jeff King
Artist Jorge Fornes
Colorist Jesus Aburtov
Letterer VC’s Cory Petit
So there is an ongoing story that leads this issue but I skipped that to get to the good stuff! I want Rocket and Kitty to get more panel time together. They have great chemistry.
Spaceport City. Knowhere You’d Rather Be . . . Seriously.
Pryde and Rocket are enjoying some drinks. Pryde is hoping to get some one-on-one with Rocket to further their working relationship. Rocket doesn’t see the point in this exercise, as they have each others back during a fight and that is all that matters.
A Kree member comes bursting into the bar, wanting help. After Rocket convinces Durgan the Deadly to bow out, the two Guardians get the job. That job is to stop a new Kree coalition from massacring another group of states.
Rocket wants the job as their day job doesn’t bring in any money. The Kree fellow’s name is Maxor. Rocket knows they are being followed. I like that he thinks they are amateurs until he mentions how, if they were not, they would have people on rooftops. When he points to the roof, there are folks up there. That’s good pacing.
I also like how gritty the art is and the colors really add that texture too.
The two Guardians and Maxor get ambushed and Pryde tackles and phases herself and Maxor through a wall. She doesn’t believe any of this makes sense as it is Kree police officers that are firing on them.
Pryde realizes that Maxor is really a Skrull. He killed Maxor a long while ago and has been in deep undercover since then. The Kree officers are secretly Skrull officers. NuMaxor has gone native.
Pryde uses “toss your trout” as a substitution for throwing up, is that really an expression? Maybe it is a Jewish expression? I’m not sure, it doesn’t sound great.
Rocket is able to keep the Skrulls back as Pryde comes back into the room.
Rocket follows Pryde to discover there are two of them! We get some classic “proof you are who you say you are” comedy.
They want Rocket to shoot the other one and Rocket is tempted to just shoot both of them.
One says their ex-boyfriend was Peter, and the other says Peter Quill. Both give the answer to why they broke up as they drifted apart.
Pryde opens up about how there was no real reason for the breakup, she wanted it to work but it isn’t working so they are not together now. She calls Rocket a jerk for making her say all of that, aloud. Rocket calls her, Kit, which I’m not sure how I feel about that but it shows that they do actually have a bond.
NuMaxor is touched by Pryde’s honest answer and shifts back to his Skrull form.
Rocket gets caught up, he respects the Skrulls plans as it sounds like it would work.
That is a great panel with the spotlight, Kitty has always looked great in a spotlight. If only there was time to put up wanted posters.
Rocket has a plan, he always does.
Pryde has an awesome two part plan! Phase their tech and then kick some arse! That works for me!
Pryde catches up to Rocket and finds two of them! Now it is time for Rocket to prove he is who he says he is. Sounds like the one on our left is the real one, as the bonding thing is new information, right?
The Rocket that gives up first, is the fake one and Kitty knows that. Turns out the two of them have bonded after all.
Pryde gives Rocket a kiss, on the cheek and he only objects that she did it in front of the Skrull.
Rocket tells Maxor the new plan, he’ll go to the Kree and reveal that he is a Skrull that will stop the other Skulls.
Such a fun back up and this team should really get another chance with these characters!
Shadow and Flame with Magik 