Guardians of the Galaxy (Modern)

Infobox comics organization


imagesize= 250
caption=Promotional image for "Guardians of the Galaxy" vol. 2, #1 (May 2008)
Art by Clint Langley.
team_name=Guardians of the Galaxy
publisher=Marvel Comics
debut="Guardians of the Galaxy" vol. 2, #1 (May 2008)
creators=Dan Abnett
Andy Lanning
base=Knowhere
Freedom's Lady
USS Captain America
memberlist= List of Modern Guardians members
subcat=Marvel Comics
hero=y
villain=
sortkey=Guardians of the Galaxy

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. The title features a new team of characters from the "" storyline."Guardians of the Galaxy" vol. 2, #1 (May 2008)] [ [http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=149237 Abnett & Lanning on "The Guardians of the Galaxy"] , Newsarama, March 6, 2008]

Abnett and Lanning's work on the "Annihilation: Conquest" story took helped the foundation for the new Guardians that they had been wanting to launch for some time. [ [http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=12595 DnA + Pelletier + Rosemann on "Guardians of the Galaxy"] , Comic Book Resources, February 19, 2008] 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 a very fun team." It also provided the motivation for the team, as "on the heels of two back-to-back wars, they’re out to prevent any new Annihilation-size disasters from erupting." [ [http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=148414 Bill Rosemann talks Guardians of the Galaxy] , Newsarama, February 26, 2008]

Fictional team history

In the aftermath of "", Star-Lord [ [http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=156349 Greeting the Guardians: Star-Lord] , Newsarama, May 8, 2008] 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, [ [http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=156443 Greeting the Guardians: Adam Warlock] , Newsarama, May 9, 2008] Drax the Destroyer, [http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=156860 Greeting the Guardians: Drax and Gamora] , Newsarama, May 13, 2008] Gamora, Phyla-Vell (the new Quasar), [ [http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=156699 Greeting the Guardians: Quasar] , Newsarama, May 12, 2008] Rocket Raccoon, [http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=156983 Greeting the Guardians: Rocket Raccoon, Groot] , Newsarama, May 14, 2008] and Groot, with Mantis as support staff.

On the recommendation of ally Nova, the group establishes a base of operations at the space station Knowhere, which possesses a teleportation system with near-universal range. ["Nova" vol. 2, #8-9 (Nov. - Dec. 2008)] An intelligent, super-powered dog called Cosmo acts as Knowhere's chief of security and works closely with the new team. After an initial clash with the revitalised Universal Church of Truth, the team's investigation of a mass of "Limbo ice" reveals a semi-amnesiac man who identifies himself as Vance Astro - Major Victory of the Guardians of the Galaxy. [ [http://www.newsarama.com/comics/080625-GuardiansGalaxy03.html DnA: Whose Shield Was That? Guardians of the Galaxy Secrets] , Newsarama, June 25, 2008] Astro's declaration inspires the as-yet-unnamed team to adopt the "Guardians of the Galaxy" name for their own."Guardians of the Galaxy" vol. 2, #2 (June 2008)]

The team then battle the Universal Church of Truth once again, while Astro is attacked aboard Knowhere by an incarnation of his former teammate Starhawk. "Guardians of the Galaxy" vol. 2, #3(July 2008)] Matters worsen when the alien shape-shifting Skrulls apparently infiltrate Knowhere. ["Guardians of the Galaxy" vol. 2, #4-5(Aug. - Sept. 2008)]

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. [ [http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=16836 Sales Estimates for May, 2008] , Comic Book Resources, June 17, 2008] The first and second issues sold out, requiring a reprint, [ [http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=16490 "Captain Britain," "Guardian of the Galaxy" sell out, variant cover second printings announced] (press release), Comic Book Resources, May 20, 2008] The first two issues have been reprinted in a collected edition. [ [http://www.comicsbulletin.com/news/121487738943050.htm Guardians of the Galaxy: Legacy Redefines Marvel’s Cosmic Universe!] (press release), Comics Bulletin, June 30, 2008]

Collected editions

The series is being collected into trade paperbacks:

*"Volume 1" (collects "Guardians of the Galaxy" #1-6, 144 pages, January 2009, ISBN 0785133380)

Notes

References

*comicbookdb|type=team|id=1351|title=Guardians of the Galaxy (Earth-616)
*gcdb series|id=30802|title="Guardians of the Galaxy" (2008)
*comicbookdb|type=title|id=18558|title="Guardians of the Galaxy" (2008)

External links

* [http://www.cincity2000.com/content/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1443 Character Sketches #6: Rocket Raccoon and Cosmo the Psychic Commie Dog from CC2K]
* [http://www.brokenfrontier.com/lowdown/details.php?id=1339 Inside Look: "Guardians of the Galaxy" #1] by DnA, Broken Frontier, May 21, 2008

Reviews

* [http://www.comicsbulletin.com/reviews/12106952741122.htm Issue #1] , Comics Bulletin
* [http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=user_review&id=124 Issue #1] , Comic Book Resources, May 19, 2008
* [http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=156891 Best Shots Extra: Guardians of the Galaxy #1] , Newsarama
* [http://www.comicsbulletin.com/reviews/121369225556213.htm Issue #2] , Comics Bulletin
* [http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=user_review&id=222 Issue #2] , Comic Book Resources, July 5, 2008
* [http://www.comicsbulletin.com/reviews/121549970611279.htm Issue #3] , Comics Bulletin