So, yesterday I reported on the Guardians of the Galaxy we were first introduced to in the '70s getting an ongoing series in October. This series is to be written by none other than Dan Abnett, which I think you'll all agree is some cause for celebration! But I noticed in the comments of that thread that quite a few people aren't too knowledgeable about these characters. So, here I am, in my infinite knowledge, to give you guys the low down on this team and the characters in it.
This team are actually active in the 30th Century of an alternate timeline that came about thanks to the team's leader, Vance Astro. While in the past, he told his younger self not to go the same way he had, thus, Vance and his team returned to their time while Vance's younger self became the super-hero known as Justice.
The team formed in revolt of the Badoon conquering of our galaxy. Resepctively, each member of the team is the last of their kind. Vance, the last man of the 20th Century. Charlie - 27, the last of the gravity-repellant Jovians. Martinex, the last of the crystalline humanoid Pluvians. And Yondu, the only real alien of the team as a Centaurian archer. Martinex and Charlie are actually members of races that consist of humans who were genetically engineered to live on other planets in the solar system. In their cases, Jupiter and Pluto. The team was later joined by an all-knowing and omnipotent being called Starhawk. Starhawk was a member of an extinct race of people who bore a strong resemblance to humans. However, Starhawk was actually the son of Quasar and Kismet of our timeline. He was kidnapped and raised on Arcturus by the Arcturans. He developed a friendship with his "sister" Aleta. When he and Aleta triggered a doomsday device accidentally, the Arcturans were wiped out, but Starhawk was born as both Aleta and Stakar (Starhawk) became one entity. The team was later joined by Nikki, a Mercurian, but we won't bother with her right now as it doesn't look like she'll be on the team in this new ongoing series. But, now that we've got specifics about the team, let's take a closer look at the members themselves!
CHARLIE - 27
A Jovian, Charlie is the strongman of the team. As a member of the genetically engineered Jovian race, Charlie has the ability to withstand insurmountable amounts of gravitational pressure as well as apply incredible force with his attacks. When in lower gravitational fields, Charlie can leap great distances thanks to his resistance to the effects of gravitational pull. Charlie developed a relationship with Nikki, the fire-haired Mercurian member of the team. He is also the team's main pilot.
YONDU
A Centaurian, Yondu is a very traditional and religious character. He possesses an incredible aptitude for archery. His arrows are actually made from a metal native to his homeowrld, Centauri IV, called Yaka Metal. This mysterious mineral actually responds to sound and Yondu uses this to his advantage in abttle. By letting out a series of whistles, Yondu can control the movements of the arrows he fires from his bow. He was the first team member to encounter Vance Astro when they were both captured by the Badoon on Centauri IV.
MARTINEX
A Pluvian, Martinex is a man made of crystaline silicone in order to withstand the harsh temperatures of the gaseous world of Pluto. Though most people would say Vance Astro is the team's leader, it is actually Martinex who holds that title, as well as being the science officer. Martinex possesses the ability to shoot beams of pure heat or pure cold from his hands. An intellectual, Martinex develops most of the machinery and tech used by the team, such as the stars they wear on their chests which act as homing beacons and communication devices.
MAJOR VICTORY
The only human of his time period left alive, Vance Astro was fired into space in the 20th Century.. His destination: Centauri IV. However when he reached the planet a thousand years later, he found it had already been colonised by humans as they had developed faster-than-light travel during his voyage in cryo-stasis. Now, he was stuck in his copper suit, as removing it would cause his cells to age rapidly and Vance would die of old age and actually turn to dust. Vance is actually a mutant and possesses telepathic and telekinetic abilites. During his adventures with the team, he recovered the lost shield of Captain America being guarded by the mysterious Mainframe in an abandoned space facility. Vance also has the ability to fire telekinetic blasts from his mind.
STARHAWK
Starhawk is an omnipotent being made up of two people. Stakar and Aleta Ogord. The two grew up believeing themselves to be brother and sister, until it was discovered that Stakar was adopted and also a mutant. After the two bonded into one being, they ventured out into space and settled down to a quiet life, even having three children. The children were killed by Korvac and Starhawk enlisted the aid of the Guardians to defeat Korvac. It was later revealed that Starhawk is a being who has lived out his life several times, thus revealing why he says, "Trust the word of one who knows." He has experienced everything before and believes he exists purely to prevent Korvac from ever succeeding in his plans for universal domination. Starhawk's suit uses solar sails to allow him to fly through space. He can also project beams of pure light from his hands.
If you want to read more about the team's adventures, i highly reccomend stories such as The Korvac Saga, Earth Shall Overcome and Quest For The Shield. All stories are essential to the mythos of this incredible team and are also damned good reads!
So, that's it, the original Guardians of the Galaxy in a nutshell. I hope this little analysis has sparked your interest in these amazing characters and that you might even decide to pick up the forthcoming ongoing seires for the team. Hit the red glove if you enjoyed the read and be sure to leave your thoughts and questions in the comments section below! And if you missed the news, check it out at the source link below!