All-new Guardians of the Galaxy Reading Order
With the success of Marvel'south Guardians of the Milky way films, the old question once again arises. Where does someone who likes the movies start with the comics?
Surprisingly, when information technology comes to Guardians of the Galaxy comics, the reading path is relatively streamlined…to a point (things get scattershot once Marvel realizes Quill and visitor are a coin factory). There's a real starting betoken and y'all honestly don't accept to go back to the characters' original problems. Rocket Raccoon's early adventures are entirely different from how nosotros know him today, Groot didn't become a loveable scamp until the mid-00s, and the whole starting signal of the Guardians equally we know them was when Drax got a scrap of a reboot.
If you're new to comics or don't know as well much about Marvel, remember that there are two dissimilar kinds of Guardians of the Galaxy. The originals were heroes from the future (Stallone's coiffure at the end of the sequel is loosely based on them), merely you don't really need to read those. The link between them and the current Guardians is mentioned here and in that location, merely they're non worth studying up on. For the Guardians y'all know and honey from the movie, you really don't have to go that far dorsum. How convenient is that?
Enjoy this road map to what you need to read to get into Guardians of the Milky way. I'g trying really hard not to get into spoiler territory, merely sometimes that can't be helped. For instance, 1 of the books is chosen The Thanos Imperative . That very championship is a spoiler.
Here we get…
DRAX THE DESTROYER (2005-2006)
This miniseries is widely considered the moment when Curiosity decided to actually push the catholic corner of their universe, which previously had mostly been forage for stories about how much Jim Starlin loves Thanos. Fittingly, this is a new beginning and it starts with a graphic symbol that really needed a new coat of paint.
For years, Drax the Destroyer was considered nix more than than "Infinite Hulk" considering, honestly, that's all they gave us. There was an interesting backstory buried in there, only at the end of the solar day, he was a big, greenish, angry, dumb, super-potent guy dressed in purple. He was basically the Hulk with a hate-on for Thanos.
This iv-issue miniseries works on literally rebuilding the character. Drax is on a prison transport that crashes onto Earth. At that place, he forms a bond with an antisocial girl named Cammi (remember Mandy from Grim Adventures ) while fighting off some of the fellow infinite prisoners. Stuff happens and Drax ends up reborn in a less bulky body and is more about taking people out with his cunning and killing skills than, "DRAX Boom!"
Basically, he wasn't the Hulk anymore. He became much more like Riddick. Similar, he is and then blatantly Vin Diesel, which makes information technology funny how they did a Guardians flick with Vin Diesel playing a completely different role while casting "poor man'southward Vin Diesel" equally Drax.
This series is luckily collected in the same books as…
Annihilation (2006-2007)
You might besides just save yourself some fourth dimension by getting the collected editions for this, since it has everything you need to read too every bit the Drax the Destroyer miniseries earlier it. Otherwise, here's how it works. They did a i-shot chosen Annihilation: Prologue . In this comic, we go to run into a bunch of our players and the initial await at our threat, the Anything Wave. Who's behind it, I won't spoil in case yous don't know. What I will spoil is that past the terminate of the first issue, it looks like everyone is screwed.
From there, we become four four-issue miniseries that take place meantime against the same threat: Silvery Surfer , Nova , Super-Skrull , and Ronan . Yep, Ronan the Accuser, crazy movie villain, is a protagonist. His miniseries introduces Gamora to the Marvel cosmic resurgence while Drax and Cammi show upwardly in Nova'south book.
Thanos is also a pretty big deal in all of this, even if he isn't the primary villain. Nosotros however don't have the Guardians of the Galaxy yet, but we're getting many of the core characters. Peter Quill has a supporting office that I totally forgot nigh, simply that's considering he's a lot different from how we know him these days. Plus the Nova series is the first of many footprints that Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning will leave when it comes to cosmic Marvel.
One time those four minis finish, nosotros get Annihilation proper. At that place, it'south a big team-up between all the remaining heroes from the different stories. It's actually crawly and you'd be a fool to skip it. Afterwards, there's a 2-issue epilogue chosen Anything: Heralds , which ties upwards a loose end in the story. It's a decent read, admitting not essential.
Read Annihilation Volume 1 on Amazon
Anything CONQUEST (2007-2008)
Annihilation did well enough to get itself a follow-upwards and we're led one pace closer to Guardians of the Galaxy being a affair. Conquest is essentially the Guardians of the Milky way origin story. Information technology's told in the same mode as Anything , more or less. The prologue shows a new threat completely unrelated to what we got in Annihilation , but on the same level. It'southward something that will spread across the universe and destroy all life if non stopped…if it tin can be stopped. At the eye of this is Peter Quill, who blames himself for what's happening.
Again, nosotros're given four stories that run concurrently, then funnel into Annihilation: Conquest . The difference here is that at this point, Nova already has his ain ongoing series, so the Conquest stuff takes place from Nova #4 to Nova #7 . Otherwise, we also get miniseries for Starlord (no hyphen back in 2007), Quasar , and…ugh… Wraith .
Listen, if you are getting these via the single issues and non the trades, it'southward totally okay to just pretend Wraith never happened. Marvel's been doing a skillful job with it.
Every bit you tin guess, the Starlord miniseries is a pretty big deal. Not but does it put Peter Quill in a leadership part, merely it also reintroduces both Rocket Raccoon and Groot. Groot has the aforementioned speaking gimmick we know and beloved (or you hate because you hate fun), but is a scrap of a wiggle hither. Rocket, on the other mitt, is a fleck more upbeat than what we're used to. Nonetheless, the honey Rocket/Groot bromance begins here.
Oh, and Mantis is there too. She's kind of a big deal now.
Once Annihilation: Conquest hits its get-go real issue, we find out who'south really behind the threat. Once again, I won't spoil who information technology is, only it is someone who is a chip well known to Marvel motion-picture show fans, so if you can read information technology surprised, you lot should exist delighted.
No, it's not Thanos.
Read Annihilation Conquest on Amazon
GUARDIANS OF THE Milky way (2008-2010)
Rather than do Annihilation 3: Die Darkman Die , Abnett and Lanning go directly to a Guardians of the Galaxy ongoing. The 5 members from the initial movie are all here besides as a handful of other characters. Some nosotros'll surely see in the futurity Marvel movies like Adam Warlock and others who we probably won't like Bug. Bug's crawly and all, but I wouldn't hold my jiff for him in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 .
Guardians of the Galaxy itself isn't an event, which ways that you'll have to fix yourself for a handful of tie-ins to actual events. Stuff like Undercover Invasion and War of Kings . Despite being another space-related event, War of Kings is something you don't really have to worry most on its ain. Just stick with this comic's 25 issues without any real distractions. It'due south the nearly straightforward run y'all'll become on this whole list, so take it in.
Despite the distractions of consequence story tie-ins and time travel, Guardians of the Galaxy still gets to tell its main story, which is gear up from day 1 when Mantis tells the reader that there's a traitor in the midst, merely she won't tell the squad because she's annoying like that. Regardless, it's a slap-up run and it's what inspired the idea of giving the squad a pic in the commencement place.
Plus, in that location's even a quick Star-Lord vs. Ronan fight tossed in there before anyone knew that would be such a large deal!
Read Guardians of the Galaxy: The Consummate Drove on Amazon
THANOS IMPERATIVE (2010)
Around this time, Curiosity had a addiction of stealth canceling comics by having them pb into a miniseries so walking abroad once it's done. That's what Thanos Imperative is to both Guardians of the Galaxy and Nova . The story is what should exist the epic finale of the Abnett/Lanning catholic run at Marvel, but not quite. I'll go to that in a 2d.
The story has to practice with an alternating universe called the Cancerverse. See, many years ago, Curiosity killed off a superhero named Captain Mar-Vell and gave him a really sweet, touching death told in its own comic dorsum when stuff like that didn't happen so often. In this alternate dimension, Mar-Vell's analogue rules because Death has been taken out of the picture. Nobody dies. Life itself is a cancer and it threatens everything. It's such a big threat that Thanos is on the aforementioned side equally the heroes.
This one doesn't accept the aforementioned reading list gimmick as Annihilation and its sequel. But read Thanos Imperative: Ignition and and so the six-issue miniseries. There's an epilogue issue chosen Thanos Imperative: Destruction , but don't worry almost it. That's a launching point for The Annihilators , another attempt at creating a catholic superhero squad (featuring guys like Silver Surfer, Ronan, and Beta-Ray Nib), only that concept never actually takes off.
Consider Annihilators actress credit, if just for the Rocket Raccoon backup stories.
Read Thanos Imperative on Amazon
AVENGERS Get together (2012)
By the time nosotros go Avengers Assemble , the whole Guardians of the Milky way concept has been practically dead and buried. In fact, in that location are some major happenings in Thanos Imperative that completely touch on the Guardians roster. Brian Michael Bendis doesn't care about such things. He has a trend to introduce characters in his stories written very differently from where he found them. Guys similar the Hood, Luke Cage, the Lookout man, and then on. He'll brand them well-known, only on his terms.
His Avengers Assemble run starts out as just an Avengers story, only soon stretches into something more cosmic, giving u.s. the first meeting betwixt the Avengers and the Guardians. Some huge plot points from Thanos Imperative are completely ignored, which rightfully annoyed fans. Bendis would finally get to explaining things about two years afterward, presumably because he got annoyed at readers bugging him most it. Or maybe he just didn't want it distracting from the initial relaunch for new readers.
This is a real turning bespeak due to how Curiosity was getting into full movie hype fashion. Not only is this series meant to piggyback onto the success of the Avengers movie, but information technology'due south meant to reintroduce the Guardians of the Galaxy and so that readers will be a chip more interested in their eventual picture show.
Read Avengers Gather on Amazon
It also springboards into the next phase…
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY (2013-2015)
While I've harped on Bendis for his, "aye, whatever, we're doing this at present," storytelling, he's still actually skilful and there'southward a reason why he was pretty much Marvel'southward tiptop writer for xv years. His version of Rocket does get a scrap aroused and catchphrasey, but I'm not certain if that'south Bendis' call or mandated to make him more in line with the then-eventual Bradley Cooper version.
While the roster changes a lilliputian flake, it has a rather interesting approach. Y'all have the five flick characters and the others are attempts to get more than optics on the franchise. For instance, early on, Atomic number 26 Man joins the squad. It's great just for the small-fish-in-a-large-swimming take on him where he'due south no longer the smoothest, smartest man in the room and information technology humbles the hell out of him. Other members of the team include the current Captain Curiosity (Carol Danvers, the one getting her own flick), Venom, and Angela.
If you lot don't know who Angela is, don't worry about it. She'due south honestly more interesting due to the behind-the-scenes reasons for her being in this comic, simply that would have too long to explain. Just enjoy her fun BFF relationship with Gamora.
Read Guardians of the Milky way Volume 1 on Amazon
Of course, it would be wasteful just to have one comic for these guys…
ROCKET RACCOON (2014-2015)
Being the large breakout star of the movie, Rocket naturally got his ain solo series out of the deal. While the other members of the team cameo, the volume ultimately has little to do with the Guardians exterior of Groot. Instead, information technology focuses on the wacky space adventures of Rocket as he becomes raveled in a series of stories that are linked to his hole-and-corner origins. It stands as its own thing and doesn't necktie into the big motion picture, but if you're a fan of the grapheme, it'southward worth checking out.
If annihilation, at least read the fifth issue. It'south a self-contained story with a hilarious gimmick.
Read Rocket Raccoon Volume 1 on Amazon
LEGENDARY STAR-LORD (2014-2015)
Likewise capitalizing on the movie's success was a solo series almost the team's charismatic leader. While not as cartoony, it had the same goofball adventuring feeling as Rocket'south book. Peter wrestles with a lot of problems, such every bit feelings of vengeance, his own greed, a bounty on his head, and most challenging of all, maintaining a long-distance relationship. It also introduces the revelation that Peter has a half-sister out there in the universe, only she had the misfortune of existence raised past their male parent.
Legendary Star-Lord is very light on the Guardians, but information technology does build towards the side by side big entry on the list.
Read Legendary Star-Lord on Amazon
THE BLACK VORTEX (2015)
Black Vortex is a mini-event crossover betwixt the X-Men and the cosmic corner of Marvel. As a follow-up to the Marvel consequence Infinity , Thane (son of Thanos) teams up with Star-Lord's Globe-hating father J'son. Together, they amp themselves up with the Black Vortex, a special mirror that gives people crazy cosmic powers. Though with bang-up power comes peachy conflict.
The X-Men, the Guardians, and Nova team up together to put a stop to this and even power themselves up. And then Ronan the Accuser gets involved because, what the hell, might besides accept him disharmonism with the Guardians since that'southward what the movie-going public knows.
Regardless, the adventure ends with the reveal of a union between the two superhero teams that volition mean much for the Guardians for…well, about a twelvemonth and a half, I guess.
In terms of Guardians of the Galaxy and Legendary Star-Lord , information technology takes place right earlier the stop and only has an epilogue before those books come to a shut. On the flipside, information technology comes towards the beginning of Guardians Squad-Up .
Read The Black Vortex on Amazon
GUARDIANS TEAM-UP (2015)
The title sums it up. The Guardians squad up with dissimilar Marvel heroes in each result every bit told past a unlike creative team. The get-go arc has them work alongside the Avengers in the comic volume introduction of the movie-style incarnation of Nebula. After that, it'south the Black Vortex tie-in issue.
Once that's settled, we become a agglomeration of done-in-ones. Gamora fights alongside She-Hulk. Rocket works with the Pet Avengers. Gamora swashbuckles with Nightcrawler. Drax tries to heist with Ant-Man. Argent Surfer and Groot exercise mopey infinite stuff. Star-Lord joins forces with Spider-Man. Then to cease information technology off, Deadpool and Rocket squad up to face their common enemy Manlike Gomez.
Nothing pressing in at that place, but at to the lowest degree nosotros get to come across a panel of Drax wearing Zubaz and a fanny pack.
Read Guardians Squad-Upwardly Volume 1 on Amazon
GROOT (2015-2016)
As a follow-upwardly to Rocket's series ending, Groot gets his own run a risk. Groot insists on visiting Earth and information technology doesn't accept long in their trip for Rocket to get captured. From there, information technology becomes a rescue mission where Groot teams up with three incompetent Skrulls, a robot programmed to pump gas, and obscure Marvel character Numinus. Plus the Silverish Surfer shows up over again.
Not merely is this comic hilarious, only it also has a ton of eye, especially when we discover why Groot wants to run into Earth then much. The book features a new origin for Groot and even retcons how he and Rocket met. Sadly, Annihilation: Conquest is swept under the rug.
I absolutely recommend reading this.
Read Groot Volume 1 on Amazon
WHAT IF? INFINITY: GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY
Curiosity released a batch of comics relating to Infinity in one way or another. They gave us some smashing moments, like Norman Osborn wielding the Infinity Gauntlet and Black Bolt merging his power with Beauty's to annihilate Thanos. But the virtually enjoyable i centered around the Guardians.
By the cease of Infinity , Thanos was imprisoned in amber and the Illuminati secretly held them captive. This story shows the Guardians becoming enlightened of this, leading to a total-on Guardians vs. Illuminati battle. Not simply is it lifted by Rocket's humorous narration (the panel where he imagines his own cartoon series is killer), but the ending is both badass and a nice middle finger to Earth's heroes.
STAR-LORD (2015-2016)
Meet, once Secret Wars is over, Marvel goes full-on crazy with Guardians stuff. Non merely do they go another ongoing and a high-concept spinoff, but all the heroes from the first picture get their own comics. While I'll get to the rest in a fleck, Star-Lord is the one that feels rather important. It'south a follow-up to Humphries' previous run, only essentially tells ii stories. The latter is nearly expanding on the groundwork of a major evolution in the master Guardians of the Galaxy volume.
The other is a new wait at Star-Lord'south origin. Namely, information technology introduces Yondu into the fold. Yondu's always been an odd duck with the Marvel Cinematic Universe, since he's loosely based on the archer from the original, futuristic version of Guardians. Now we become to see a movie-friendly have on him that exists in the present. Plain, he'south the ancestor of the archetype hero.
GUARDIANS OF THE Galaxy (2015-2017)
Bendis finishes off his run on the characters and starts off with an interesting roster. Non merely is Quill no longer the leader, just for a comic holding that gradually fits into the public perception, it now has iii team members who nosotros virtually certainly won't be seeing as Guardians on the silver screen any time soon. This includes a brand new Star-Lord and, of class, the always-loving Thing, who needs something to do now that Fantastic 4 no longer has its own comic.
The series goes strong, merely unfortunately the latter half centers around the garbage fire event known as Civil War Two . Luckily, this is one of those things where y'all can read the tie-in story and not have to worry almost reading the outcome story itself. If anything, it'south worth powering through just for the explosive finale.
ROCKET RACCOON AND GROOT (2016)
Skottie Young'south wacky space adventures with Rocket and Groot keep, though they never quite reach the heights of the offset Rocket series, nor that Groot comic by Jeff Loveness. The kickoff few issues deals with a story where due to some time-and-space weirdness, Rocket and Groot are presumed dead while Rocket is an amnesiac space dictator and Groot has carved messages into his bark like the guy from Memento .
Once that'due south done with, we get a agglomeration of one-shots until Nick Kocher takes over. From at that place, it again ties into Civil War Ii , but it's bang-up at all, since Rocket and Groot go to team upwards with Gwenpool. Gwenpool is good.
Read Rocket Raccoon and Groot on Amazon
DRAX (2015-2016)
If you're a wrestling fan, the existence of the Drax book is rather fascinating. Afterward CM Punk left WWE considering stars like Batista could just flit in and take the high-contour spots from mainstays like Punk, Punk'due south star power lands him the ability to write a comic near Batista'due south cinematic alter-ego. Regardless, his collaboration with Cullen Bunn has plenty of energy and even leads to the wonderful image of Fin Fang Foom dressed every bit a farmer.
Feeling similar an outcast among his superhero team, Drax decides to become off and kill Thanos. That doesn't happen due to his send beingness a piece of crap and he instead gets roped into an risk that includes space dragons, a redemptive Terrax, gladiator fights, and the return of his one-time sidekick Cammi.
If anything, read it for Hepburn's art style. It'due south fantastic.
Read Drax Volume i on Amazon
GUARDIANS OF INFINITY (2015-2016)
As we've already established, there are two versions of the Guardians of the Galaxy. You have the distant future guys who had comics back in the 60s and the more modern day infinite squad who this list is based on. Only…what if there was another team? Let's say a k years agone? Guardians of Infinity is a big viii-issue squad-up between all three iterations of the Guardians of the Galaxy. All written by Dan Abnett, one of the fathers of Guardians existence such a big deal to begin with.
Non only that, but each issue has a backup story past a different creative team. One of which is co-written by Darryl "DMC" McDaniels. Certain, why not.
Read Guardians of Infinity on Amazon
GAMORA (2017)
Fittingly, this series is written by Nicole Perlman, the co-author of the showtime Guardians of the Milky way moving-picture show. This story takes place in the past, showing how Gamora went from Thanos' puppet girl to a more heroic warrior. Naturally, that means Nebula gets to take a presence as the comic tries its hardest to fit in with the moving-picture show'south continuity.
Gamora annihilates the Badoon horde responsible for her people'south genocide, just to discover that there'due south a princess subconscious away. Gamora seeks her out, partially out of revenge, partially to consummate her mission, and partly out of relief of having something to live for.
Read Gamora Volume 1 on Amazon
ROCKET RACCOON (2017)
As a follow-upwardly to the whole Civil State of war 2 nonsense, the Guardians are temporarily grounded. In fact, Grounded 's the label they use for this and the side by side entry on the list. That ways nosotros get five problems of Rocket grumbling at how much Earth is the worst planet. Well, "World sucks," is the thing he says at to the lowest degree twice an issue.
It'due south your average fish-out-of-water story, merely with a space raccoon who weirds out every unmarried Earthling he comes beyond. Cheque it out every bit he tries to find a way off Earth while lament nigh how lame Earth guns are and trying to evade Kraven the Hunter.
Man, Rocket vs. Kraven. How did it take united states that long to become to that pairing?
Read Rocket Raccoon: Grounded on Amazon
STAR-LORD (2017)
Call up that whole fish-out-of-water thing I mentioned? At least Rocket has the excuse of being an alien. Peter Quill was born here. It'southward simply…spending a lot of years in infinite will change your perceptions well-nigh abode, I suppose.
Now naught more than a random dude on Earth (with a laser gun and absurd facemask), Quill becomes aimless and lone. The only people he can confide in are Former Man Logan (due to sympathizing with his plight) and an old man he'due south forced to hang out with equally customs service. Hanging out with Logan leads to barfights and those aren't smiled upon past the law. Ironically, he starts paying off the fine by becoming a bartender at a supervillain bar.
Buy Star-Lord Book 1 on Amazon
ALL-NEW GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY (2017)
By this point, Marvel has completely gone headfirst into the picture show versions of the team. Not merely is it the main v, merely Groot is now stuck in his infant form for reasons. Merchandisable reasons. Back in infinite, the team is full of mysteries. There's the same Groot state of affairs, Gamora is more intense than always, and Drax the Destroyer has become a full-on pacifist with no want to impale some other living beingness.
Gerry Duggan is the author here and information technology's the get-go step in his big, upcoming cosmic event Infinity Wars . Besides, another superhero joins the team belatedly in the series and it's another attempt to capitalize on the success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The Duggan run continues into a story arc called Infinity Quest . Groot's transformation, Gamora'due south secret, and the recent heists are linked and building towards something massive. Something is upward with the Elders of the Universe and it's imperative that the Guardians go their easily on the Infinity Stones. While the Guardians join the Nova Corps as part of a new mission, various players get involved to help set up up Infinity Countdown , which leads to Infinity Wars .
Due to the whole Marvel Legacy gimmick, the run is renumbered at #146 because supposedly that'due south what it would exist if Guardians of the Galaxy comics never restarted from #ane.
Start Here: All-New Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. one on Amazon
I AM GROOT (2017)
In this five-consequence miniseries, Baby Groot accidentally gets separated from his buddies and falls into a portal. On a new planet, he's stuck in a glitchy reality best compared to the Bermuda Triangle. It'south there that he goes on a Wizard of Oz blazon of chance where he'southward joined by a farmer, a talking dog, and a 3-headed woman where each head is a different age.
This one's just evidently weird. Beautiful, but weird.
Read I Am Groot on Amazon
ROCKET (2017)
Al Ewing and Adam Gorham team upward to give united states an at times noirish accept on Rocket Raccoon equally he gets drunk over a contempo misadventure. Tying into his original comic adventures of yesteryear, Rocket gets hired past and and then betrayed by his onetime flame Otta Spice. Opposed by a group of compensation hunters called the Technet, Rocket gets some unexpected assistance from Deadpool, who helps inspire him to set things right and make the guilty parties pay.
Information technology'southward a little out there, just good fun.
Read Rocket: The Blue River Score on Amazon
TL:DR VERSION
Okay, and then that was a lot of words. Hither's the short version of the reading guide.
Origin of the Guardians: Drax the Destroyer, Annihilation, Annihilation: Conquest
Initial Run: Guardians of the Galaxy (2008), Thanos Imperative
Showtime Movie Era: Avengers Assemble, Guardians of the Galaxy (2013), Black Vortex
Optional: Rocket Raccoon, Legendary Star-Lord, Guardians Team-Upward, Groot
Post-Hole-and-corner Wars: Guardians of the Milky way (2015)
Optional: Star-Lord, Rocket Raccoon and Groot, Drax, Gamora, Guardians of Infinity
Grounded/Optional: Star-Lord, Rocket Raccoon
2nd Moving-picture show Era: All-New Guardians of the Galaxy, Guardians of the Galaxy (2017)
Optional: Rocket, I am Groot
Everything goes over Gavin Jasper'south head, only you should still follow him on Twitter anyway.
Source: https://www.denofgeek.com/comics/guardians-of-the-galaxy-reading-order/
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