Rocket Raccoon Volume 1

Title: Rocket Raccoon Volume 1: A Chasing Tale

Writer: Skottie Young

Artists: Skottie Young, Jake Parker

Color Artist:  Jean-Francois Beaulieu

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Rocket Raccoon: A Chasing Tale is the first solo paperback from the Rocket Raccoon ongoing.  It follows Rocket as he is chased by an army of his ex-girlfriends, and is framed for multiple murders by a cloaked figure.  This is primarily an explosive space adventure, with a lot of fight scenes, explosions, bleeped profanity, and snark.  The first three issues cover the story of the frame up and the ex-girlfriends, with the last two being stand alone stories.  The first of these is a story inside the story. Rocket and Groot are talking to campers around a fire and Groot tells a story featuring himself and Rocket.  This story, as one might expect, consists entirely of “I am Groot.”  The second  stand-alone is the story of Rocket returning a murderous robot to his “people” as a favor to Cosmo (for those that saw the movie Cosmo is the cosmonaut dog in the Collector’s establishment).

I found this story thoroughly enjoyable.  It didn't change my life, or the way I view the world.  It made me laugh, which sometimes can be just as important (YA novels do not have many laughs).  The art was bright and cartoonish, which fit the silliness of the story quite well.  I found the Groot issue to be especially enjoyable, and I was able to follow it despite its Grootish narrative style.  Despite its cartoonish nature, this is one of the more maturely themed Marvel series, and as such I would recommend it to 10th graders and older.

I would give this book 9 notaraccoons out of 10.