Guardians of the Globe

articleissues
unreferenced = August 2008
copyedit = August 2008Superteambox


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team_name=The Guardians of the Globe
publisher=Image Comics
debut="Invincible #7"
creators=Robert Kirkman
Cory Walker
base=
members=Black Samson
Bulletproof
Dupli-Kate
The Immortal
Monster Girl
Rex Splode
Robot
Shrinking Ray
The Shapesmith
Darkwing
The Red Rush
War Woman
Aquarus
Martian Man
The Green Ghost
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subcat=Image Comics
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villain=
sortkey=PAGENAME|

The Guardians of the Globe are the world's premiere superhero team in the Image Comics title Invincible. The original team were based on DC Comics' Justice League of America, and the name is possibly derived from the Global Guardians.

The original Guardians of the Globe

The original Guardians of the Globe were a private organization funded by War Woman and Darkwing. This version of the Guardians was a pastiche of DC Comics' Justice League of America with each of the Guardians, with the exceptions of Black Samson and the Immortal, having an obvious JLA analogue. Kirkman explains in the author notes of "Invincible Ultimate Collection Volume 1" that he went with archetypes because he had only 18 pages to get the reader to care for the characters before they die brutally.

Along with the Immortal and Black Samson (who is in part based on Doc Samson), the team included Darkwing (based on Batman), War Woman (based on Wonder Woman), a Russian named Red Rush (based on the Flash), Aquarus the King of Atlantis (based on Aquaman), Martian Man (based on the Martian Manhunter) and the Green Ghost (based on Green Lantern). Omni-Man, although never an official member of the team, was a trusted associate of the Guardians and knew the location and password of the Guardians secret headquarters in Utah. It was this level of trust that allowed Omni-Man to betray and murder the Guardians after calling them to their headquarters on an emergency. The only member of the Guardians to survive the massacre was Black Samson, who was not actively a member at that time due to the loss of his powers. The Immortal actually returns to life due to his nature.

The new Guardians of the Globe

After the murder of the original team, the United States government decided to reestablish the Guardians of the Globe as a state funded agency. This new team was led by former Teen Team leader Robot under the direct supervision of Donald, the government's superhuman liaison and ultimately responsible to Cecil Stedman. Along with Robot, the initial lineup for the new team were Dupli-Kate and Rex Splode from the Teen Team, Monster Girl, Shrinking Ray and Black Samson, the only surviving member of the old team.

The new team's performance, in its first few months, did not live up to expectations of its superiors, leading Donald and Cecil to make some changes. Bulletproof was added to the team's roster and the newly resurrected Immortal was brought in a consultant to improve standards. After the team continued to under-perform, Robot was replaced as team leader by the Immortal.

Although not actually a member himself (although Robot says he's always welcome if he becomes interested), Invincible reports to the same agency and often helps the team in dire circumstances.

Recently most of the Guardians' most powerful members were sent into space to thwart a Martian invasion. They were successful, but while they were away its weaker members were required to stop a plot by the Lizard League to take command of nuclear warheads. Dupli-Kate and Shrinking Ray were killed by the villain Komodo Dragon and Rex Splode was badly injured in the fight, but survived.

After lashing out at Allen the Alien (who was only looking for Invincible), the Immortal realized just how deeply he'd been affected by Dupli-Kate's death and resigned from the Guardians. However, it is soon revealed that Dupli-Kate was in fact still alive, as she had always left a "Zero" of her herself behind on missions.