| Guardians of the Galaxy | |
|---|---|
Promotional image for Guardians of the Galaxy (vol. 2) #1 (May 2008) Art by Clint Langley. |
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| 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 Martyr Adam Warlock |
| 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).
Contents |
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]
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.
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]
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]
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.
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]
The series was collected into individual volumes:
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