Guilt is one of the many emotions burden humans. As this comes often when one feels they have done something wrong, whether at the time or soon after. Those whom we have wronged may have forgiven us, but we rarely forgive ourselves. There is also those of us who don’t feel guilt whatsoever, as they don’t see that they ever did anything wrong in the first place.
Rather than dwell on those many who are amoral, it is often those who are wrought with this burden that find ourselves revisiting this one memory that evokes guilt over and over again. As I can remember a museum exhibit I made my Mom miss, even though she made no big deal of it. I felt guilty then and it stings even more now she is no longer with us, because there is no way to undo that mistake. In Wastelanders: Star-Lord #1, we find Peter Quill back home on Earth feeling guilt for leaving the place he called home before the Ravagers took him.
We find Peter Quill back on Earth, shortly after defeating Galactus’s final threat on the planet, as he pays a tribute to those he left behind at Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters. He is greeted by someone who looks like Kitty Pryde, who he chases at the once standing mansion, where he also runs into what looks like the specter of Cyclops and the rest of the X-Men. It turns out these are manifestations of guilt borne of his mind palaces, even brining up the ghosts of the Avengers and Nova, eliciting physical pain in exchange for mental anguish, tearing the very fibers of his character. By Issue’s end, we find out Shadow King was behind it all, and shuts him down once and for all, leaving Earth again and changing the designation of his ship to the name of his former love, the Pryde.
Overall, Wastelanders: Star-Lord #1 is the best of the Wastelanders one-shots so far. The story by Douek is bittersweet and satisfying. The art by the creative team is gorgeous. Altogether, a story that those of us who suffer from PTSD will more than identify with.
Story: Rich Douek Art: Brent Peeples, Cris Peter, VC’s Cory Petit, Josemaria Casanovas
Story: 8.0 Art: 8.0 Overall: 8.0 Recommendation: Buy
Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
Purchase: comiXology – Amazon – Kindle
Source: Graphic Policy
