Guardians of the Galaxy (1969 team)


Guardians of the Galaxy is a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The Guardians first appear in Marvel Super-Heroes #18. The initial roster consisted of Vance Astro, Martinex T'Naga, Captain Charlie-27, and Yondu Udonta. Later members included Stakar Ogord, Aleta Ogord, and Nikki.

Publication history

recounted
The team first appeared in the partial reprint title Marvel Super-Heroes with issue #18, written by Arnold Drake and penciled by Gene Colan. Despite strong sales on this issue, the Guardians of the Galaxy would not appear again for over five years, in Marvel Two-In-One #5. The story's writer, Steve Gerber, liked the team enough to use them again in Giant Size Defenders #5 and The Defenders #26–29. In each case, other heroes such as Captain America, the Thing, and the Defenders aid them in their war against the alien Badoon, necessitating the liberal use of time travel in these stories.
The Guardians were finally given their own series in the existing title Marvel Presents, starting with issue #3. Steve Gerber, still handling the writing, reflected, Gerber left the series after seven issues, and Roger Stern took over with Marvel Presents #10. The series was cancelled shortly afterwards due to poor sales, with the final issue being #12. The team then made guest appearances in Thor Annual #6, The Avengers #167–177 and #181, Ms. Marvel #23, Marvel Team-Up #86, and Marvel Two-in-One #61–63 & #69. Marvel Two-in-One #69 drastically changed the Guardians of the Galaxy's story; due to changes made to the past of one of the members, the future which the Guardians of the Galaxy come from and the mainstream Marvel Universe are permanently separated, becoming alternate timelines to each other. After this, the Guardians of the Galaxy were absent from published stories for over a decade.
In 1989, Marvel editor-in-chief Tom DeFalco revived the Guardians of the Galaxy in order to cash in on the popularity of the TV series Star Trek: The Next Generation. DeFalco worked out a series concept using a new team of Guardians, but when he saw a series proposal for the original team that writer/artist Jim Valentino had coincidentally been working on at the same time, he green lit Valentino's idea instead. The Guardians' first self-titled comic launched in June 1990 and ran for 62 issues Michael Gallagher commenced writing the title, and continued until its cancellation with issue #62. According to Kevin West, who became the penciller with issue #30, he and Gallagher worked together closely on the series, employing the Marvel method of creation, and became good friends. A spin-off four-issue miniseries, Galactic Guardians, also by Gallagher and West, appeared during this time. West explained why he did not draw the final issue of Guardians of the Galaxy:
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 #12–17 and #25.
A new ongoing series starring the original Guardians, titled Guardians 3000 and written by Abnett, launched in 2014.

Fictional 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, an astronaut from 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. 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 team: the Inhuman Talon, the Skrull Replica, the second Yellowjacket, and an aged Simon Williams.
Wanting to expand the Guardians to a multiple-team organization, Martinex eventually leaves to look for additional members for a second unit, the '''Galactic Guardians.'''

Connection to the 2008 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 issues #7 and #16 of the series, it was revealed a great "error" in the present day has caused the future to be destroyed; Starhawk is constantly trying to prevent it by time travel, causing the future 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 issue 17, the universe of the Guardians' future had been taken over by the alien race called the Badoon, and only a small portion remained undestroyed. The Guardians sent a warning to the present day, though at the cost of the end of their own universe.
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 alternate Vance Astro appears in #17.
In #18, a third version of the Guardians' future was shown, this time led by Killraven against the Martians.

Membership

In other media

  • The original Guardians of the Galaxy appear as playable characters in Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2 via the "Classic Guardians of the Galaxy" DLC pack.
  • The original Guardians of the Galaxy serve as inspiration for the following Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 characters: Yondu Udonta, Stakar Ogord, Martinex T'Naga, Charlie-27, Aleta Ogord, Mainframe, and Krugarr. These versions are high-ranking members of the Ravagers.
  • * Stakar, Martinex, Mainframe, and Yondu appear in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

    Collected editions

  • Guardians of the Galaxy: Earth Shall Overcome : Collects Marvel Super-Heroes #18, Marvel Two-in-One #4–5, Giant-Size Defenders #5, and Defenders #26–29.
  • Guardians of the Galaxy: The Power of Starhawk : Collects Marvel Presents #3–12.
  • Guardians of the Galaxy: Tomorrow's Avengers Vol. 1 : 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 : 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: Quest for the Shield : Collects Guardians of the Galaxy #1–6. Released in February, 1992.
  • Guardians of the Galaxy by Jim Valentino Vol. 1 : 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 : Collects Guardians of the Galaxy #8–20
  • Guardians of the Galaxy by Jim Valentino Vol. 3 : Collects Guardians of the Galaxy #21–29, Annual #2, Marvel Super-Heroes #18
  • Guardians of the Galaxy Classic by Jim Valentino Omnibus : Collects Guardians of the Galaxy #1–29, Annual #1–2, and Marvel Super-Heroes #18, plus material from Fantastic Four Annual #24, Thor Annual #16 and Silver Surfer Annual #4
  • Guardians of the Galaxy Classic: In the Year 3000 Vol. 1 : Collects Guardians of the Galaxy #30–39, Annual #3, and material from Marvel Comics Present #134
  • Guardians of the Galaxy Classic: In the Year 3000 Vol. 2 : Collects Guardians of the Galaxy #40–50, Galactic Guardians #1–4, and material from Annual #4
  • Guardians of the Galaxy Classic: In the Year 3000 Vol. 3 : Collects Guardians of the Galaxy #51–62, and material from Annual #4
  • Guardians 3000 Vol. 1: Time After Time : Collects Guardians 3000 #1–5, and material from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 #13
  • Korvac Saga: Warzones! : Collects Guardians 3000 #6–8, Korvac Saga #1–4
Three Epic Collections have been released to date.

Epic Collection