Writer – Sam Humphries
Artist – Paco Medina
Inker – Juan Vlasco
Colours – David Curiel
Letters – Joe Caramagna

The team-up between the Guardians of the Galaxy and the X-Men continues as they not only face off against the Slaughter Lords on Spartax but must also try and fend off the Brood before they lay their eggs in the frozen populace of the planet that has been encased in amber. The fight over the Black Vortex also continues with Gara, one of the first people to ever use it and now an Elder of the Universe warning everyone to stay away from it. Jean thinks she must be the one to sacrifice herself to it in order to save everyone and then it is Peter who thinks the same thing, the two of them having the same idea. In the end, it is Kitty Pryde who makes that decision for everyone else. Sam Humphries keeps on delivering strong with Star-Lord’s latest issue and while it is a good book, this crossover has been going on for far too long. All of it could have been told in four to six concise issues and instead, it has been watered down with far too many ancillary tie-ins and thus the impact it might have made is almost non-existent. There are some good moments in the book, specifically when our three heroes are gazing into the Vortex and see themselves elevated into what they could become. The temptation is great and the Vortex provides what the heart wishes with each member having different feelings about the doing of it. Jean is resigned thinking it her fate. Star-Lord cannot bring himself to do it as his improved self reminds him of his father. Kitty does not want it in the least and because she will have no part of it, that alone seems to make her the perfect candidate for undergoing the transition for maybe she alone can fight it off and perhaps come back from it. There is one more issue left in this event and hopefully, it ties things up nicely and neatly and resolves the fates of all who have been transformed, of Mister Knife, of Thane and the people of Spartax.

3.5 out of 5