Writer: Nicole Perlman / Artist: Marco Checchetto / Marvel Comics
In the grand finale of her solo series, Gamora ends its run as one of comics’ best-kept secrets. Escaping from Ubilex, Gamora is left with a choice of whether to kill L’Wit – and exact the revenge that had been her life’s purpose – or to challenge what Thanos made her become, and live. The interactions between Gamora and L’Wit had long been the most compelling element of this story, and Perlman masterfully writes their dynamic while side-stepping the pitfall of being overly cheesy or clichéd. Gamora’s a stone-cold killer, yet her emotional inner conflict consistently rings genuine, and L’Wit, to her own credit, is no bystander as she actively fights for her life and exposes Gamora to the truths she had never faced in herself.
Yeah, this entire series had bars as it balances frenetic action scenes with clever one-liner style dialogue, frequently enough to be a consistent staple but sparse enough that they feel like haymakers when they land. We have all seen the overly clever character whose wit is so frequent that it can be annoying sometimes – from Juno to Tyrion – or the hero is only speaks in hero-tongue, but part of what makes Gamora feel relatable is the tone of her inner dialogue, thoughtful in its reflection, and how she communicates those thoughts with others, especially when the stakes are high. When Gamora’s own flesh and blood pleads “We’re your family,” and Gamora says “No. You’re just my relatives,” I nearly had a stroke.
Overall, Gamora is one of the most unexpected gems on comic shelves this year. The conclusion makes it feel like one hell of a prequel to what will happen next in her life, which is one hell of a chapter in her life and the actual payoff from her childhood trauma. Killing the entire Badoon bloodline would not bring her peace, but the journey of that discovery led her a step closer to deciding what might.
Reading Gamora? Find BNP’s other reviews of the series here.
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