- For the modern team, see Guardians of the Galaxy (2008 team).
The original Guardians of the Galaxy are a fictional superhero team that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The Guardians first appear in Marvel Super-Heroes #18 (Jan. 1969).
Publication history
The team first appeared in the partial reprint title Marvel Super-Heroes with issue #18 (Jan. 1969), written by Arnold Drake and penciled by Gene Colan. They appeared sporadically in several Marvel titles, such as Marvel Two-In-One #4â€"5 (Julyâ€"Sept. 1974), Astonishing Tales (April 1975), and Giant Size Defenders #5 and Defenders #26â€"29 (Julyâ€"Nov. 1975). In each case, other heroes such as Captain America, the Thing, and the Defenders aid them in their war against the alien Badoon.
The Guardians were next featured in Marvel Presents #3â€"12 (Feb. 1976 â€" Aug. 1977). This was followed by a series of appearances in Thor Annual #6 (1977), The Avengers #167â€"177 (Jan.â€"Nov. 1978) and #181 (March 1979), Ms. Marvel #23, Marvel Team-Up #86 (Oct. 1979), and Marvel Two-in-One #61-#63 & #69 (Nov. 1980).
In the early 1990s, the Guardians starred in a self-titled comic that ran for 62 issues. This series was initially written and illustrated by Jim Valentino. With issue #29 (Oct. 1992) Michael Gallagher commenced writing the title, and continued until its cancellation with issue #62 (July 1995). A spin-off four-issue miniseries, Galactic Guardians (Julyâ€"Oct. 1994), followed.
A second volume was published in May 2008, written by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning. The title, set in a different timeline, features a new team, drawn from participants in the Annihilation: Conquest storyline. The 1969 team made guest appearances in #12â€"17 and #25.
A new ongoing series starring the original Guardians, titled Guardians 3000 and written by Abnett, launched in 2014.
Team history
The Guardians are active in the 31st century in an alternative time-line of the Marvel Universe known as Earth-691. The original members of the team include Major Vance Astro (later known as Major Victory), an astronaut from the 20th century Earth who spends a thousand years travelling to Alpha Centauri in suspended animation. He is also the future alternative universe counterpart of Vance Astrovik, the hero known as Justice.
Other original team members are Martinex T'Naga, a crystalline being from Pluto; Captain Charlie-27, a soldier from Jupiter; and Yondu Udonta, a blue-skinned "noble savage" from Centauri-IV (the fourth planet orbiting the star Alpha Centauri B). Each is apparently the last of their kind and they are forced to unite as a team against the actions of the Badoon, an alien race which attempts to conquer Earth's solar system.
During the course of the war against the Badoon, the team gains three more members - the mysterious husband and wife duo, Starhawk and Aleta, as well as Nikki, a genetically engineered young girl from Mercury seeking excitement in her life - and travel back in time, where they encounter several of the heroes of 20th century Earth, including Captain America and the Thing.
The Guardians eventually defeat the Badoon, but soon find themselves facing a new foe called Korvac, who was in part a creation of the Badoon. After teaming with the Thunder God Thor to defeat Korvac in the 31st century, the Guardians then follow Korvac to 20th century mainstream Earth, where together with the Avengers they fight a final battle.
The Guardians reappear years later and have a series of adventures in their future, with several others eventually joining the Guardians, such as the Inhuman Talon, Replica, a Skrull, and the second version of Yellowjacket, Rita DeMara. A future version of Wonder Man named Hollywood, Man of Wonder also joined their ranks.
Wanting to expand the Guardians to a multiple team organization, Martinex eventually leaves the team to look for additional members for a second unit, nicknamed the Galactic Guardians.
Connection to the "Modern" Guardians
During their second mission, the team that was to become the Earth-616 incarnation of the Guardians discover a time displaced Vance Astro in a block of ice floating in space. It is his introduction as "Major Victory of the Guardians of the Galaxy" that inspires the team to take up the name. In #7 and #16 of the series, it was revealed a great "error" in the present day has caused the future to be destroyedâ€"Starhawk is constantly trying to prevent it by time travel, causing the future (and the Guardians) to be altered. Only Starhawk, who is changed with each reboot but is "one who knows" about the changes, realizes anything is different, but each change still ends in a cataclysm. In #17, the Guardians' future was a universe where only a small portion remained undestroyed, which had been taken over by the Badoon. A warning was sent to the present day, though at the cost of the universe being ended.
The Vance Astro of the modern-day Guardians is revealed to be a Major Victory from one of these altered futures, rather than the original. A second potential Vance Astro appears in #17.
In #18, a third version of the Guardians' future was shown: this time led by Killraven against the Martians.
Collected editions
- In February 1992, a trade paperback was released titled Guardians of the Galaxy: Quest for the Shield ( 0871358794) reprinting Guardians of the Galaxy issues #1â€"6.
- Guardians of the Galaxy: Earth Shall Overcome (ISBN 9780785137863): Collects Marvel Super-Heroes #18, Marvel Two-in-One #4â€"5, Giant-Size Defenders #5, and Defenders #26â€"29. Released in April, 2009.
- Guardians of the Galaxy: The Power of Starhawk Premiere Hardcover (9780785137887): Collects Marvel Presents #3â€"12. Released in July, 2009.
- Guardians of the Galaxy: Tomorrow's Avengers Vol. 1 ((978-0785166870): Collects Marvel Super Heroes #18, Marvel Two-In-One #4-5, Giant -Size Defenders #5, Defenders #26-29, Marvel Presents 3-12
- Guardians of the Galaxy: Tomorrow's Avengers Vol. 2 (978-0785167556): Collects Thor Annual #6; Avengers #167-168, 170-177, 181; Ms. Marvel #23; Marvel Team-Up #86; Marvel Two-In-One #61-63, 69
- Guardians of the Galaxy by Jim Valentino Vol. 1 (978-0785184201): Collects Guardians of the Galaxy #1-7 and Annual #1, plus material from Fantastic Four Annual #24, Thor Annual #16 and Silver Surfer Annual #4
- Guardians of the Galaxy by Jim Valentino Vol. 2 (978-0785185635): Collects Guardians of the Galaxy #8-20
- Guardians 3000 Vol. 1: Time After Time (978-0785193128) Collects Guardians 3000 #1-6, and material from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 #13)
See also
- List of superhero debuts
- Guardians of the Galaxy (film)
References
External links
- Guardians of the Galaxy (Earth-691) at the Comic Book DB
- 'Guardians of the Galaxy (1990) at the Grand Comics Database
- Guardians of the Galaxy (1990) at the Comic Book DB
- Guardians of the Galaxy at the Big Comic Book DataBase
- Marvel Directory entry
- Friday Flashback: Guardians of the Galaxy, Newsarama, June 6, 2008