Rocket Raccoon: Grounded

Rocket Raccoon: Grounded #1-5

by Matthew Rosenberg, Jorge Coelho (Illustrator)

Collects Rocket Raccoon (2016) #1-5.

He's used to having a whole galaxy to guard, but now Rocket has found himself stuck in the absolute last place he'd want to be - the backwards, no-class, pit of a planet called Earth! It's where those dumb furry things that people say he looks like are from! One thing is clear. The how doesn't matter...nor does the who or what that gets in his way...he's gotta get off this mudball. Now! But that's easier said than done...

Genres: Comics, Marvel, Graphic Novels, Superheroes, Comic Book, Science Fiction, Fiction

122 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 22, 2017

About the author

Librarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name

"I haven’t always been a writer. My parents are writers and my brother is a writer, and I resisted that as long as I could. When I was 17, I hopped in a band’s van and I went on tour for a summer, and that was it, that was what I wanted to do. I ran a record label for 10 years, a small indie punk label. I did everything in music that you can do that doesn’t involve having musical ability. Eventually the music business, probably in a similar way to comics, will just start to break your heart, and I realized one day that I kind of hated music. I was resigned to thinking, if I’m going to be involved in music forever, I’m going to hate it for the rest of my life. I just stopped. I stopped having any sort of business with music, any involvement.

I read comics my whole life, so I just naturally fell back into another medium that is marginalized and hard to make a living in."

Source: http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles...

Writer of comics WE CAN NEVER GO HOME, SECRET WARS JOURNAL, OUR WORK FILLS THE PEWS, 12 REASONS TO DIE, & MENU.

Reviews

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 3 out of 5]

"This planet sucks"--Rocket Raccoon

Let me just say that I didn't read any of Skottie Young's run, I just happened to randomly pick this up in the YA comics section of my library, so had no expectations. Rocket Raccoon is a member of the Guardians of the Galaxy, and he is stuck on his least favorite planet where people humiliatingly mistake him for Squirrel Girl. The particular adventures are pretty forgettable, but the crackling wit and one liners from Rocket help to entertain, and the art fits the action-oriented comedy.

[Petergiaquinta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Better than most of the flarkin dreck I’ve read from Skottie Young, this volume features a Rocket more morose than usual (and Grootless), stranded on Earth (a planet characterized by how very much it sucks) and hunted by Kraven, which makes for some General Zaroffesque interaction between the hunter and the hunted, as well as some less-than-subtle commentary on America’s current (mis)treatment of immigrants. And Kraven’s got a conversion van with some really shitty panel art, and doesn’t that just ring truer than true?

Rocket in his BVDs is worth the price of admission, and Johnny Storm seems like a bigger douche than normal, and you gotta believe that the biggest yet unstated real reason Rocket thinks this planet sucks so hard is because Trump is president of this unholy shit show.

[alexander shay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rocket's personality (as portrayed by the MCU) comes through clearly, to the point that his voice was doing all his dialogue as I read. And the plot isn't boring by any means. But I don't enjoy Rocket as his own character as much as I do the whole GotG, which surprised me. And maybe I'm just not familiar enough with his character from the comics, but Kraven drove me nuts. I at least got the relief of characters in the comic making fun of him for various reasons, pointing out some of the stereotypical things that bother me about his character, but his prominent presence for so much of the volume kind of irritated me.

[Rod Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

A passably amusing yet depressing satire of the immigration debate (debacle?) using actual aliens and one angry little fellow who looks a lot like a raccoon. I didn't really like the portrayal of Kraven the Hunter, and the gratuitous destruction of a major American landmark toward the end of the book was too over the top for my tastes.

Rosenberg's Marvel work is nowhere near as good as his 4 Kids Walk Into A Bank.

[Villain E · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was entertaining. After Civil War II, the Guardians are trapped on Earth and Rocket has gone off on his own. But Rocket doesn't like Earth, so he seeks out the underground alien community to try and find a way off the planet. But he gets stuck in the middle of someone hunting aliens, because their dubious legal status makes them vulnerable. And just when he thinks he's safe SHIELD takes him to an alien holding facility because, again, dubious legal status. I wonder if this is a metaphor for something? But don't worry, the political subtext is far overshadowed by snarkiness and explosions. The art has it's moments. Like when the villain crashes an oil tanker into a ferry, that's done pretty well.

[Georgie Zakka · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5, THIS PLANET SUCKS

rocket raccoon: grounded - rocket is stuck on earth and tries to find a way back to his planet but hits some obstacles on the way, obstacles named kraven and a lot of kraven.

My thoughts - Matthew Rosenberg nails the rocket raccoon personality, arrogant, stubborn and selfish but has a little heart deep down. The art style is really good and I really like sketch-esque feeling. Some flaws were the villain, especially kraven who I found really annoying coming back again and again.

Overall good book

[Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ditto to @David Schaafsma's review. I hadn't read any of Skottie Young's run before I happened to pick this up at my local library. So, to me, this was a fun one-off book of a character I only know from the Marvel U movies.

I loved the NY backdrop (whatup Times Sq Subway station!), the jokes were funny (including a funny dig at the X-Men, a terrible catchphrase "Blam! Murdered.", & an actual racoon in an orange jumpsuit), the writing was good (Rocket seems to be in character) & I even liked the alien immigrant storyline.
BUT... I hated Kraven (I always hate Kraven) & the art didn't impress me.

Overall, 3/3.5 stars.

[Adan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a bit of a depressing read, man. Rocket is stuck on Earth, and he friggin’ hates it. Everyone treats him like a joke except for Kraven the Hunter, who wants to murder him and skin him for his pelt. It turns out Kraven is running some kind of contest where humans are killing aliens for sport (and that’s doubly depressing because Unbeatable Squirrel Girl had been doing a pretty decent job of redeeming Kraven as a character, but now he’s just a dick murderer again). Also, because Rocket was specifically stuck in the US, cops are constantly pointing their guns at him even though he’s the victim (but, you know, he “looks” threatening), and then he gets put in an alien internment camp because of course that exists in this country. Sigh. Dude should've been stranded in Canada. At least Rocket gets to say “Blam! Murdered you!” a couple of times.

[Hey Xrystya · Rating 2 out of 5]

Відтиснула у племінника на годинку.
Вся суть коміксу в піф-паф і бажанні Ракети, тобто єнота, вирватись з Землі і те як він намагається реалізувати задумане.

Було нормально, племіннику сподобалось більше :)

[Bekah Manseau · Rating 4 out of 5]

this wasn’t exactly what I was expecting but it was still pretty good

[Hunter Lambright · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this in single issue form all at once.

I wonder if my expectations for Rocket Raccoon are too high. By all means, he should be one of the most entertaining members of the Guardians of the Galaxy but instead he gets saddled with ridiculous, inconsequential adventures that felt like five issues trying to sell comics while bridging the gap until All-New Guardians of the Galaxy.

The art isn't my favorite. The story struggles. Why is Kraven training pathetic humans to target defenseless aliens? There's no skill in that hunt. And taking on Rocket is well beneath his dignity. Maybe the Kraven in my head is just different from the one they chose here but it's safe to say that this was not my favorite Rocket series, and since it's already canceled and he has yet another new series out, it really is just a nonsensical stopgap with no real value.

Hopefully writers will remember to raise the stakes in the future. If your story isn't weighty, it at least needs to be entertaining.

[TwinFitzgeraldKirkland · Rating 3 out of 5]

La trama è di quelle semplici: Rocket Raccoon si ritrova per motivi non meglio precisati intrappolato sulla Terra, un pianeta che odia, incapacitato a trovare una nave spaziale o a contattare i suoi amici Guardiani, questo nonostante incontri diversi super (tra cui Johnny Storm, che è solo il cognato di una delle menti più geniali del pianeta) e creature aliene che avrebbero modo, di fatto, di comunicare con lo spazio extraterrestre da un certo punto della storia in poi, e nonostante Rocket sia un Guardiano della Galassia in questo fumetto, in teoria sarebbe stato logico che qualcuno dei suoi amici a un certo punto della storia cercasse di mettersi in contatto con lui.
Tutto questo rende l'atmosfera "Rocket vs. il mondo" un po' forzata in certe parti, e il finale deludente.

Se si va oltre però si trova un volume mediamente godibile che dietro la storia di un procione modificato geneticamente che deve cercare di tornare a casa sua e dai suoi amici (o perlomeno in un luogo in cui non viene trattato come una bestia comune), possibilmente senza farsi uccidere da un cacciatore di alieni folle con la passione dei leggins leopardati, parla di tematiche molto attuali, e non solo nell'America di Trump: si toccano i temi dell'immigrazione clandestina, si apre uno spiraglio sui dimenticati della società, sul rifiuto del diverso che ci porta a de umanizzarlo e rifiutarlo (anche quando la persona dalla pelle di un colore diverso magari è nata nel nostro stesso paese).
Peccato che il messaggio si perda, o di contro risulti troppo scorreggione e poco sfumato, nel mezzo di alcune gag forzate o di una trama con seri limiti logici e forzature che non riesce a decollare appieno. Rocket come al solito è decisamente un adorabile bastardo sopra le righe, ma l'idea di fondo è che si trattenga, e che debba molto caratterialmente parlando alla sua controparte cinematografica.

[47Time · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rocket is a lot less funny this time around. I get how he is disgruntled most of the time, but behaving like that must be tiring. The humor and occasional emotional moments from the movies and the previous series are done away with in favor of violence, eviscerations and entirely antisocial behavior. He even disconsiders Lady Liberty. I dare say he was intentionally written to be an a$$hole. Also the encounters with superheroes are deus ex machinas if I ever saw any. They're designed to be artificial and do nothing to enhance this otherwise fun character or to improve the story.

Rocket is stranded in New York City. He quickly gets a wanted level and is surrounded by police. He needs to get off Earth, but his transporter gets killed. A group of humans is hunting him and any other aliens.

Rocket gets into more trouble before meeting Spider-Man. The latter is a bit of a pussy - none of his jokes land. Rocket talks down to him (almost kills him) like he does to basically everyone. Kraven the monologuing Hunter is next. He runs over Rocket with an oil tanker. That feels pretty original. Rocket blows up the tanker with a flare gun (yeah, right) and destroys Lady Liberty.

He gets captured by SHIELD and put in a concentration camp for aliens. Of course, Rocket breaks out, while saying for the umpteenth time that Earth sucks. Kraven comes to the rescue - cause he wants the 'hedgehog' for himself. He prevents Rocket from being teleported away by one of his new alien friends. After a flashbang to the nuts, Kraven is pacified and the Inhumans show up out of the woodwork to do nothing. And that's it. Waste of time...

[Дарина Гладун · Rating 4 out of 5]

Оскільки комікси я читаю близько місяця (до грудня 2021 я прочитала лише комікс про Дональда Дака десь наприкінці 1990-х, а після того не читала їх узагалі), то тільки починаю знайомитися зі світом Marvel. Тобто я дивилася фільми (і "Вартові галактики" серед них), але не всі. Тож з єнотом Ракетою я була знайома (і він мені так подобався, що після його перегляду моя найкраща подруга стала Єнотом, а в нас з'явилися дуууже локальні меми і пісеньки).
Тобто мені дуже подобався єнот Ракета як персонаж, тому я придбала комікс, щоб почитати на дозвіллі (не для підготовки тематичних тижнів, а щоб розважитися). Але не дуже він мене потішив. Тобто окремі речі були дуже класні: переклад, якість видання, малюнки... (Дуже сильно виглядала голова Статуї Свободи, занурена в воду до лінії очей — ніби хижачка-крокодилка з дивною короною на голові). Та сюжет мене не вразив (повороти досить передбачувані). Образ головного поганця — непереконливий. Якоїсь глобальної розв'язки немає: проблема головного героя наприкінці нікуди не зникла (він як не міг втекти з планети, так і не може), а колізії були ніби марафоном на біговій доріжці (дистанція ніби збільшується, ви ніби кудись рухаєтеся, але коли "пробігаєте марафон", то не прибігаєте нікуди, а досі знаходитеся у точці, з якої починали).

[Alex E · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the last Guardians of the Galaxy volume, which was also called "grounded", we got vignettes of each member of the team, and what they were doing during their time on earth. The one that was missing, was Rocket. And that's because it takes more than one issue to show what's going on with this guy, thus: this volume.

...and he basically hates his time on Earth. He kind of hates Earth in general and let's everyone know it. He's not looking to understand or acclimate in any way - he just wants to get a ship and get the hell out of town... well, every town I guess you would say. And along the way, he helps out other aliens who are being hunted by bad humans, along with fighting Kraven - of all people - who is hunting him because... why not?

This was fun and really just highlighted Rocket and all his quirks. It was a good way of reminding people how dangerous and crafty he can be, and really, just how cool of a character he is. I think Matthew Rosenberg nailed the voice of the character, and was able to let Rocket's personality shine through all the chaos of the story.

Highly recommended for fans of the character.

[Scott Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book follows Rocket in his first forays out into Earth apart from the other members of his incarnation of the Guardians following the "Grounded" storyline that ended the old book and Bendis's run.

While Rosenberg writes a great funny-book (great comics, and in this case great humor-first comics), the book mostly stands as proof that the gold in the Abnett and Lanning created contemporary MU Guardians lineup is in the group and its interactions. As mini-series that is essentially Rocket Raccoon vs. Kraven the Hunter (and lots of the rest of Earth) it's pretty darned cool. The art is consistent, both realistic enough to convey detail and quirky enough to fit the humor that is the books selling point (and Rocket's selling point as a character). Rocket without the other Guardians (especially Groot) wears a bit thin for me though. At just this amount of comics this is great reading and a lot of fun. Don't know that I could take it as an ongoing though.

[Brandon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rocket Raccoon is stuck on Earth, he hates most every Earth-person he meets in space so he has to hate Earth itself, right? Yeah, he really does. He gets in trouble with the law because... it's a thieving raccoon that shoots and steals things, of course he's going to get in trouble. So he tries to evade the law, while finding a new way off-Earth since the Guardians of the Galaxy are currently "grounded".

Oh and he fights Kraven cuz yeah he's a raccoon that can talk, of course Kraven wants to hunt him.

It's a fun ride that never takes itself too seriously, is more than happy to poke fun at how silly Earth culture can be, and has big explosive action scenes as Rocket's love of explosions and shoot-outs make up the majority of the fights.

[Valerio Pastore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dopo tante belle partenze risoltesi in poco di fatto, bisognava arrivare a questa mini per avere un Rocket più coinvolgente e tosto, in una situazione che mette in grave pericolo la sua vita e riesce a regalare momenti di comicità.
Il Guardiano della Galassia (che NON E' un procione) è intrappolato sulla terra dopo gli eventi di Civil War II, la sua astronave è esplosa, i Guardiani si sono sciolti (di nuovo) e lui vagabonda per New York alla ricerca di un modo di tornare a casa. Peccato che ci sia un bel bersaglio sulla sua pelliccia, e quel bersaglio lo ha messo Kraven!
Una mini di 5 episodi che volano veloci e scattanti, adrenalinici e divertenti, con uno stato dell'arte nervoso e dinamico.

[Adam Fisher · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the aftermath of Civil War II, the Guardians have been cut off from space. Enter the "Grounded" storylines...
Rocket is hilarious and everyone knows that, but on his own, it's not as easy to get things done. Tracking down a Shi'ar operative, Rocket is trying to get off world, but he gets pulled into an alien slave camp, gets involved in a battle against an unrelenting Kraven, fights SHIELD, teams up with Johnny Storm AND.... destroys the Statue of Liberty! All while cracking jokes and being the hilarious grump he is.
Always fun to read about Rocket! Recommend.

[Reuben · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rocket Raccoon is stranded on Earth, and encounters apathy, fear and hostility from the locals as he tries to find a way off this rock.
The story is pretty basic, but it's saying some very relevant things about what it's like to be an outsider in modern America. The symbolism of the set piece that ends the climactic battle scene has all the subtlety of a 93m statue falling onto someone's head.
We get to see a little of what makes Rocket Rocket - wisecracking, improvised engineering and violence, but I had hoped for a little more.

[Shaun · Rating 4 out of 5]

“This planet sucks,” seems to be Rocket’s motto for his time on Earth. I didn’t think a story on Earth would work for Rocket, but Rosenberg makes it work. Pitting Rocket against Kraven the Hunter was a great idea! I can’t help but notice that the treatment of extraterrestrials somewhat matches the treatment of immigrants in the U.S. today. Rocket is an unlikely hero who never seems to care, but this is what makes his character so fun to read.

[Scarred Wizard · Rating 4 out of 5]

wow! the reviewers here sounds so depress reading a comic book. i'm glad i enjoyed it a lot! apart from the ugly artwork, well it is still readable, this is a really fun read! very action-packed. rocket & kraven fight from start to finish. and it was hilarious style of fight. the joke lines between Rocket & Kraven are funny as hell! another hilarious fun read for Rocket Racoon solo run for me. i enjoyed Rosenberg's Uncanny X-Men run too. don't get the hate for this writer.

[Sean · Rating 2 out of 5]

This wasn't good. Rocket is stranded on Earth and hunted by (SPOILER) and it doesn't work. There are some funny lines from Rocket but for the most part the comedy falls flat but not as flat as the plot. Rocket is a fantastic character but this book doesn't showcase him. The art by Jorge Coehlo was okay but unspectacular. Overall, this is a book that really served no purpose and will be easily forgotten.

[Amanda [Novel Addiction] · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was okay. I think the Guardians stuff is getting stale, or just overdone. I enjoy Rocket's outrageous antics, of course, but the best part of his solo stuff is when he acts like a good guy despite not really wanting to be one. And you get that in here, but mostly this was just a story-line that should have been way shorter extended into too many issues.

[Allan Carpenter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pure Marvel Fun!

Putting cosmic Rocket in a very real NYC setting is a brilliant move, and this book doesn’t disappoint. Very funny, well-paced, and even a little gritty. A bit less wacky than other Rocket solo outings, and that’s a good thing. The shots Rocket takes at Kraven (the VERBAL shots, I mean) are priceless!

[James Elkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

This volume of Rocket Raccoon is fun, sometimes funny, but over all it is a critique of US immigration policies and Xenophobia that doesn't get preachy. I would have given it 4 Stars but there were too many jokes/references to 30+ years of Marvel comics that would be lost to a causal reader.

[Mitchell Friedman · Rating 4 out of 5]

No one romps like Rocket. A fish out of water. Rocket wandering through New York trying to leave the planet. Funny. Silly. Violent. This would make a great short movie with lots and lots of cameos. Not high art. But consistently awesome. Still stupid though.

[Will Plunkett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Coincidence that I read this comic collection where Rocket wants to escape Earth because the planet sucks, on the same day that Jeff Bezos' rocket escaped Earth's gravity for a few minutes? Probably. I chuckled a few times (reading the comic, not watching the launch).

[Jared · Rating 4 out of 5]

+8 Getting to see Rocket go up against Kraven in a solo adventure was really cool. Particularly liked the depth added to him through the honour code by allowing his prey to keep running. The art was serviceable, but it did all of the characters justice. Last one - I will be re-reviewing this once I've read more Guardians of the Galaxy stories.

[Read and reviewed in May 2022]

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

Это было довольно весело. История о том как Ракета "выживал" на Земле. Местами было оч смешно, но сюжет не супер захватывающий. Рисовка просто норм.