Rocket Racoon #2 - Marvel Comics

ROCKET RACCOON No.2, October 2014

Whilst possibly not quite as action-packed throughout as the first issue, this second comic book by the superbly talented Skottie Young, easily contains far more energy-packed explosions and zany mayhem than its predecessor when it does finally get going; and it’s not as if the first few pages aren’t entertainingly fun in their own right anyway as Rocket Raccoon is interrogated by the Police before being incarcerated on Devin-9. Certainly there’s a few film/television quotes thrown about that most should recognise… or perhaps “you can’t handle the truth”?

To be honest there is little if anything to fault with Skottie Young’s storyline or pacing for this edition of “Rocket Raccoon”. There’s some genuine ‘laugh out loud moments’ as the “innocent, foul-mouthed, gun-toting, bipedal woodland creature” leads an extraordinary prison break with the help of Groot.

 The American illustrator’s artwork is equally as perfect as his writing, and exquisitely coloured by Jean-Francois Beaulieu. The highlight being the two Guardians’ “prison break montage”, a centre-pages spread that is absolutely crammed full of action, adventure and utter destruction. One can only imagine the thought that went into composing such an aMAZEing piece of art.

 

Note must once again be made of the terrific sound effects used throughout the panels depicting this adventure. Whilst there’s still the now obligatory “Zz-zap!”, “Kaa-Boom!”, “Blam” and “Zigy zapp” on display, where else can you hear “Face”, “Boom Biddy Bye Bye”, “Hold up! Wait a minute” and “They came to drop bombs”?

 

But such creativity and imagination are clearly some of Young’s strengths as he finishes the book by conjuring up the most bizarrely diverse and strangely colourful space fleet I’ve ever seen; that of the Women of the Ex-Terminators. The promise of the ensuing space battle should have any reader pre-ordering the following issue in an instant, especially as the final panel depicts a space-borne Rocket complete with bloater fish space helmet and piscine mini-gun!?!