Last month, Nicole Perlman wrote her first comic book with Gamora #1, a series putting the spotlight on the Guardians of the Galaxy member as she embarks on her own solo adventures. Delving into her previously mysterious past, it promises to flesh the fan-favourite warrior out in a way that no other series has before.
Of course, this was an interesting challenge for Perlman, especially as she has experience with the big screen version of the character, too. Before James Gunn came on board and rewrote the screenplay, it was her who provided Marvel Studios with the draft that convinced them to move forward with a movie many said would be their first flop. Obviously, it wasn’t, and Perlman is now hard at work on Captain Marvel. But what was it like to write two distinct versions of Gamora?
“I am attempting to walk a respectful tightrope between the Marvel Cinematic Universe version and the comic book versions of Gamora, which are close but not carbon copies,” said Perlman. “I don’t know that it’s possible to have a character from the comics feel exactly the same as the films, or vice versa – or whether we would even want that. The mediums are very different and therefore provide different opportunities to explore theme and character. I’d like to think that my backstory for Gamora, being fairly modular, could be applied to the films and comics alike.”
That’s a pretty solid approach, and with Marvel Comics borrowing so much from the movies these days, you can see why some fans might be able to use this series as a way of learning more about Gamora before she became part of the titular team. When it comes to solo stories featuring these characters, the company has so far struggled, but this one is definitely off to a strong start.
Still, given Marvel’s habit of relaunching their comics with new #1 issues on a frequent basis, who knows how long Gamora will be around for. With that in mind, you’d best enjoy Perlman’s take on the character while it lasts.