Guardians of the Galaxy (2008 team)

For the original team, see Guardians of the Galaxy (1969 team).

Guardians of the Galaxy
Promotional image for Guardians of the Galaxy (vol. 2) #1 (May 2008) Art by Clint Langley.
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Guardians of the Galaxy (vol. 2) #1 (May 2008)
Created by	Dan Abnett Andy Lanning
In-story information
Base(s)	Knowhere
Member(s)	Current Members Bug Drax the Destroyer Groot Rocket Raccoon Star-Lord Jack Flag Moondragon Gamora Mantis Major Victory Cosmo Former Members Adam Warlock Martyr
Roster
See:List of modern Guardians of the Galaxy members

The Guardians of the Galaxy are a fictional superhero team that appear in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The Guardians first appeared in Guardians of the Galaxy (vol. 2) #1 (May 2008).

Publication history

The second volume of the title was published in May 2008, written by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning and featured a new team of characters from the Annihilation: Conquest storyline.^[1][2]

Abnett and Lanning's work on the Annihilation: Conquest story laid the foundation for the new Guardians of the Galaxy book that they had been wanting to launch for some time.^[3] Editor Bill Rosemann, who had also edited Annihilation: Conquest, provided more background: "As the planning of Annihilation: Conquest came together, it occurred to us that, if things went well, there would be a group of characters left standing who would make for a very interesting and fun team." It also provided the motivation the team would need, as "on the heels of two back-to-back wars, they’re out to prevent any new Annihilation-size disasters from erupting."^[4]

The title ran parallel with Nova vol. 4, which was also written by Abnett and Lanning. The two crossed over in the storylines "War of Kings"^[5][6] and "Realm of Kings".^[7][8][9]

The book was cancelled in April 2010 with issue 25. Some plot threads were concluded in "The Thanos Imperative" 1-6 and its two one-shots (May 2010 - Jan 2011).^[10]

Fictional team history

In the aftermath of Annihilation: Conquest, Star-Lord^[11] decides to form a team of interstellar heroes that will be proactive in protecting the galaxy, rather than reacting to crises as they happen. To this end, he recruits Adam Warlock,^[12] Drax the Destroyer,^[13] Gamora,^[13] Phyla-Vell (the new Quasar),^[14] Rocket Raccoon,^[15] and Groot,^[15] with Mantis as support staff.^[16] On the recommendation of their ally, Nova, the group establishes a base of operations on the space station Knowhere, which possesses a teleportation system with near-universal range.^[17] An intelligent, telepathic dog named Cosmo is Knowhere's chief of security and works closely with the new team. After a confrontation with the Universal Church of Truth,^[1] the team's meets a semi-amnesiac man who identifies himself as Vance Astro - Major Victory of the original Guardians of the Galaxy.^[18] Astro's declaration inspires the as-yet-unnamed team to adopt the "Guardians of the Galaxy" name for their own.^[19] When the team learns Star-Lord directed Mantis to telepathically coerce the heroes into joining the team, they disband.^[20]

Rocket Raccoon decided to continue Star-Lord's mission and started a search for the missing members. He asked Bug to join the team, as well Groot's return to full size and the addition of Mantis and Major Victory as field members.

Meanwhile Star-Lord was banished to the Negative Zone by Ronan the Accuser for his actions during the Phanlanx's attempted conquest of the Kree Empire. There, he finds himself in the middle of King Blastaar's fight to break into 42 and use it's portal to invade Earth. Star-Lord allies with Jack Flag to defend the prison and contact the other Guardians for rescue. Rocket's new team successfully brings both of them back, and Flag becomes a Guardian.

Elsewhere, Drax and Phylla begin looking for Cammi, but on their search they talk to a seer who tells them about an oncoming war. Phylla was able to wake Moondragon from the dead, but lost her Quantum Bands in the process. The consequence for Phyla is that she is now the new avatar of death. They went back to Knowhere and did not follow up on the search for Cammi.

War of Kings

Main article: War of Kings

Warlock and Gamora return and inform the team of the War of Kings. They split into three teams, one each to the Kree and Shi'ar, and one staying on Knowhere to coordinate. The Kree team is heard by Black Bolt and the Inhumans, but their request for peace is denied. The Shi'ar team is attacked by Vulcan and the Imperial Guard, leading them to ally with the Starjammers

Star-Lord, Mantis, Bug, Jack Flag, and Cosmo are taken to the 31st Century by that era's Guardians, who warn them of the creation of an all-destroying energy rift called The Fault at the war's conclusion. Trapped in the future, Star-Lord's team is able to get a message to Warlock in the 21st Century. Warlock is unable to stop The Fault's creation, but is able to contain it with a spell that requires a stable, unused timeline. Warlock chooses the one he previously erased,^[21] causing him to become the Magus. Star-Lord's team, with the help of Kang the Conqueror, are returned to this point in the timestream. To escape, Magus fakes the death of himself, Mantis, Cosmo, Major Victory, Martyr, and Gamora.^[22]

Martyr frees herself with the help of Maelstrom, and enables Mantis to call the other Guardians for help telepathically. When they come to the rescue, Phyla-Vell is misled by Maelstrom into freeing Thanos. Thanos kills Martyr, but is captured by the Guardians and taken back to Knowhere as a Prisoner.^[23]

The Thanos Imperative

Main article: The Thanos Imperative

When the universe is invaded by the alternate universe, "Cancerverse," on the other side of the fault, the Guardians take Thanos to the Cancerverse in an attempt to end the war early.^[24] Along the way, Drax attacks Thanos and is killed.^[25] They are ultimately successful at ending the war, but Thanos is left enraged and promising to kill everyone. Along with Nova, Star-Lord remains in the collapsing Cancerverse as the other Guardians escape.^[26]

After the death of Star-Lord, the Guardians disband. Still believing in their cause, Cosmo recruits another team under the name "Annihilators."^[27]

References in Thunderbolts

Zemo in Thunderbolts #106^[28] says that the Guardian Protocols are an intergalactic pact between species founded by a universal protectorate known as the Guardians of the Galaxy, thousands of years ago. Their purpose was to safeguard the known universe from threats to reality. The Protocols were put into motion for the first time recently with the advent of the Phoenix Force on Earth.

Reception

The May 2008 sales estimates were that the first issue had sold 39,854 copies, making it the 61st top-selling comic title that month.^[29] The first and second issues sold out;^[30] they have been reprinted in a collected edition.^[31]

Collected editions

The series is also being collected into individual volumes:

• Legacy (collects Guardians of the Galaxy (vol. 2) #1-6, 144 pages, hardcover, January 2009, ISBN 0-7851-3338-0, softcover, April 2009, ISBN 0-7851-3338-0)
• War of Kings:
  • Book 1 (collects Guardians of the Galaxy (vol. 2) #7-12, 136 pages, hardcover, June 2009, ISBN 0-7851-3982-6, softcover, October 2009, ISBN 0-7851-3339-9)
  • Book 2 (collects Guardians of the Galaxy (vol. 2) #13-19 and Marvel Spotlight: War of Kings, 144 pages, hardcover, November 2009, ISBN 0-7851-4127-8)
• Realm of Kings (collects Guardians of the Galaxy (vol. 2) #20-25, softcover, November 2010, ISBN 0-7851-4049-2, premiere hardcover, July 2010, ISBN 0-7851-4543-5)

In other media

Television

• The Guardians of the Galaxy are scheduled to make an appearance in the second season of The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes.

Toys

• A Guardians of the Galaxy three pack will be available in Nov 2011 from the Marvel Universe 3 3/4" toyline. It will include Star-Lord, Drax, Rocket, and a miniature Groot sapling as an accessory.

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Guardians of the Galaxy (vol. 2) #1 (May 2008)
2. ^ Rogers, Vaneta (March 6, 2008). "Abnett & Lanning on The Guardians of the Galaxy". Newsarama. http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=149237. Retrieved March 9, 2008. 
3. ^ Richards, Dave (February 19, 2008). "DnA + Pelletier + Rosemann on "Guardians of the Galaxy"". Comic Book Resources. http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=12595. Retrieved June 29, 2008. 
4. ^ Rogers, Vaneta (February 26, 2008). "Bill Rosemann talks Guardians of the Galaxy". Newsarama. http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=148414. Retrieved June 29, 2008. 
5. ^ Richards, Dave (July 27, 2008). "CCI: DnA and Rosemann on "War of Kings". Comic Book Resources. http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=17456. Retrieved July 29, 2008. 
6. ^ Rogers, Vaneta (December 18, 2008). "Abnett and Lannig: Readying for War of Kings". Newsarama. http://www.newsarama.com/comics/120818-DnA-War-Kings.html. Retrieved December 19, 2008. 
7. ^ Richards, Dave (August 9, 2009). "CCC09: DnA's "Realm of Kings"". Comic Book Resources. http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=22467. Retrieved August 9, 2009. 
8. ^ McGloin, Matt, Luoma, Mike and Meneese, Bill (August 19, 2009). "Interview with Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning and Bill Rosemann". Cosmic Book News. http://www.cosmicbooknews.com/articles/dnabinterview. Retrieved October 31, 2009. 
9. ^ Richards, Dave (November 17, 2009). "DnA Map Out Their "Realm of Kings"". Comic Book Resources. http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=23755. Retrieved February 21, 2010. 
10. ^ Richards, Dave (March 4, 2010). "DnA Issue "The Thanos Imperative"". Comic Book Resources. http://comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=25088. Retrieved March 19, 2010. 
11. ^ Rogers, Vaneta (May 8, 2008). "Greeting the Guardians: Star-Lord". Newsarama. Archived from the original on February 19, 2009. http://web.archive.org/web/20090219125830/http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=156349. 
12. ^ Rogers, Vaneta (May 9, 2008). "Greeting the Guardians: Adam Warlock". Newsarama. Archived from the original on December 12, 2008. http://web.archive.org/web/20081212041025/http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=156443. 
13. ^ ^{a b} "Greeting the Guardians: Drax and Gamora". Newsarama. May 13, 2008. Archived from the original on February 21, 2009. http://web.archive.org/web/20090221174743/http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=156860. 
14. ^ "Greeting the Guardians: Quasar". Newsarama. May 12, 2008. Archived from the original on February 21, 2009. http://web.archive.org/web/20090221175314/http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=156699. 
15. ^ ^{a b} "Greeting the Guardians: Rocket Raccoon, Groot". Newsarama. May 14, 2008. Archived from the original on February 21, 2009. http://web.archive.org/web/20090221174749/http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=156983. 
16. ^ Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 2 #1 (May 2008)
17. ^ Nova (vol. 2) #8-9 (Nov. - Dec. 2008)
18. ^ "DnA: Whose Shield Was That? Guardians of the Galaxy Secrets". Newsarama. June 25, 2008. http://www.newsarama.com/comics/080625-GuardiansGalaxy03.html. 
19. ^ Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 2 #2 (June 2008)
20. ^ Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 2 #6 (Oct. 2008)
21. ^ Warlock #11 (Feb. 1976)
22. ^ Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 2 #17-19 (Oct-Dec 2009)
23. ^ Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 2 #24-25 (2010)
24. ^ The Thanos Imperative #1 (2010)
25. ^ The Thanos Imperative #3 (2010).
26. ^ The Thanos Imperative #6 (Dec 2010)
27. ^ The Thanos Imperative: Devastation (Jan 2011)
28. ^ Thunderbolts #106
29. ^ Sales Estimates for May, 2008, Comic Book Resources, June 17, 2008
30. ^ "Captain Britain," "Guardian of the Galaxy" sell out, variant cover second printings announced (press release), Comic Book Resources, May 20, 2008
31. ^ Guardians of the Galaxy: Legacy Redefines Marvel’s Cosmic Universe! (press release), Comics Bulletin, June 30, 2008

External links

• Guardians of the Galaxy (Earth-616) at the Comic Book DB
• Guardians of the Galaxy (2008) at the Grand Comics Database
• Guardians of the Galaxy (2008) at the Comic Book DB
• Inside Look: Guardians of the Galaxy #1 by DnA, Broken Frontier, May 21, 2008

Reviews

• Issue #1, Comics Bulletin
• Issue #1, Comic Book Resources, May 19, 2008
• Best Shots Extra: Guardians of the Galaxy #1, Newsarama
• Issue #2, Comics Bulletin
• Issue #2, Comic Book Resources, July 5, 2008
• Issue #3, Comics Bulletin