The ORIGINAL Guardians of the Galaxy Appreciation 2019

[616MarvelYear is LeapYear]

The first Guardians of the Galaxy are a team of freedom fighters in the 31st century.


Origin
In the 31st Century, the Guardians of the Galaxy are freedom fighters formed by a diverse group of beings.
The home reality of the Guardians of the Galaxy has been designated Earth-691.
The founding members are Vance Astro (later Major Victory), Charlie-27, Yondu and Martinex.
The team was founded to fight the Badoon race, who had conquered the Sol system and the Alpha Centauri system among others.
The Guardians became the leading force of the resistance movement against the Badoon.

Creation
The original Guardians of the Galaxy were created by writer, Arnold Drake and artist, Gene Colan,
in their first appearance in Marvel Super-Heroes vol 1 #18 (1/1969).
Mike Esposito was the inker for this debut.
Drake and Colan created the founding members being from the 31st Century reality called Earth-691.

[616MarvelYear is LeapYear]

Aside from Yondu, I am hoping to see the others appear in the movies post MCU Phase 3.

[616MarvelYear is LeapYear]

Marvel Super-Hoeroes #18 Jan 1969
"Earth Shall Overcome!" Origin and first appearance of the Guardians of the Galaxy.
Charlie-27 returns from a six-month mission to discover that his home planet of Jupiter has been completely enslaved by the evil Badoon.

He knows that he wouldn't stand a chance against them on his own, so he teleports to other worlds to find help.
First, he joins forces with Martinex on the planet Pluto.
Then together they travel to planet Earth, where Vance Astro and the Centaurian Yondu have just escaped from Badoon forces themselves.
When Vance and Yondu encounter Charlie-27 and Martinex, they briefly mistake them for more Badoon guards

and a misunderstanding fight ensues. However, soon enough they realize that they are all fighting for the same side

and a new super-team is born... the Guardians of the Galaxy!

Script by Arnold Drake, pencils by Gene Colan, inks by Mike Esposito (as Mickey Demeo).

[Phoenixx9]

Yay, I love these guys. The original GoTG team!

[K7P5V]

Yay, I love these guys. The original GoTG team!

Me too. Gerber's run from Marvel Presents is still a favorite of mine.

[Phoenixx9]

I never understood how or why these great originals were replaced!?!

Those other "guardians" could have come together as a team, but needed a totally different name, so that these heroes were not lost in limbo!

[616MarvelYear is LeapYear]

After their debut in 1969 their next appearance was in 1974 Marvel Two-In-One..

5 years later!!!!
They got used again in comics, published by marvel comics, thanks to the writer Steve Gerber.

[XPac]

I never understood how or why these great originals were replaced!?!

Those other "guardians" could have come together as a team, but needed a totally different name, so that these heroes were not lost in limbo!

Though I really do like the current Guardians, I've always feel real bad for the originals. The movie essentially cements the new group as THE Guardians, making the originals just sort of absolete.

But it was always hard to do stuff with the original guardians, because they're from a different timeline. It's tough to get them in the mix.

But the originals were cool. I became a fan of Starhawk in particular... hopefully more is done with them.

[kcekada]

I recall when the 70s era series was out -- and thinking that they looked very cool, but I couldn't afford to buy every comics that had cool looking heroes. Didn't really get introduced to them until they were part of the Korvac Saga in Avengers. I wasn't that crazy about the 90s series, but I do like the Gerber stories. I like the modern GOTG, but I wish they hadn't hijacked the name. Also wish that we'd get more Marvel Legends -- aside from Vance Astro. Starhawk is a must hae for me!

[Phoenixx9]

I have liked the originals from the beginning.

There was also a great story with them in the original Defenders comic too. Another plus for the original Defenders!

[Sutekh]

I always thought Nikki had a ton of potential. I love dynamic characters that are always moving around during combat, like Spider-Man or Nightcrawler, so her combination of heightened agility and guns was a neat one, and then she was fleshed out to not merely be resistant to heat and cold, but able to shrug off most forms of energy, the most common attack from their Guardians typical ray-gun weilding enemies, and she kind of became a bit of an unstoppable powerhouse. Even if the Badoon *could* hit her, and there's no guarantee of that, with how fast she moves and reacts, their usual weapons could, at best, knock her down and singe her clothes. Her heightened agility including some heightened accuracy also made her a deadly shot with her silly looking wrist blasters, combining some effective offense to her great defense. I think she'd be amazing as an animated character, in particular, where we could see that dynamic fighting style in motion, as a bunch of ray-gun wielding foes try in vain to hit her while she leaps around and picks them off, Spider-Man style.

And yet, for some reason, writers seem most likely to drop her when using the classic Guardians, which boggles my mind, since she's totally badass.

[MajorHoy]

from The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Vol. 1 No. 4 (April 1983)

[Tulku]

I have been re-reading my Doctor Strange collection. I am now up to reading the original GotG books (ca. 1991-92) that introduced Krugarr, the future Sorcerer Supreme (taught by his mentor, the Ancient One--one Stephen Strange). Another character sadly forgotten. I should probably copy this to the Lost & Forgotten thread!

[616MarvelYear is LeapYear]

Thanks for the post and the link to the comicbook character Krugarr

[616MarvelYear is LeapYear]

Avengers #181 Mar 1979
"On the Matter of Heroes!"
Wonder Man and Beast catch a movie, and afterwards discuss the need and psychological role that heroes play.
They return to the mansion, only to have inserting Wonder Man's key provoke a security response!
They manage to unentangle themselves and, thinking something is wrong, they burst through the door to find a technician (Scott Lang).
Wonder Man is in the middle of shaking him down when Gyrich and Tony Stark come up and stop him.
Gyrich tells them to head to the conference room, where he'll make known
the rest of his demands for the Avengers priority status to be returned to them.

A cab drops a mysterious white-bearded person off in front of Avengers mansion.

Inside, Gyrich addresses all Avengers and the Guardians of the Galaxy.

He tells them that they have to pare down to seven members (!!), and then proceeds to tell them who those members will be!
He lists Iron Man, Vision, Scarlet Witch, Beast, Captain America, Wasp and... The Falcon?
Iron Man objects, but Gyrich tells them equal opportunity for minorities is a federal requirement.
Quicksilver also objects strenuously on the grounds that Falcon isn't even an Avenger, and then suddenly falls over.
Thor rushes to "get a doctor", and outside the mysterious white-bearded man smiles.

Doctor Blake is waiting for test results.

The Guardians of the Galaxy are leaving to return to their time.
Wonder Man packs his bags. Jan and Henry flirt. Various other now "former" members leave to much sadness,

with the few remaining to be gone in 24 hours, and then Wanda also mysteriously collapses!
Dr. Blake reveals that Quicksilver's test results just came in -
his heart no longer beats, but his body doesn't decay... He is neither dead nor truly alive!

The mysterious white-bearded figure checks into a hotel and opens his bag to reveal two little wooden figures carved to
look like Wanda and Pietro in cages, and they're moving! Not only that, but the man refers to them as... his children?
Cameo appearances by the Guardians of the Galaxy, Captain Marvel, Ms. Marvel, Black Widow, Hercules and Moondragon.
Note: John Byrne begins his 1-year stint as the regular artist on the series. Note: First appearance of Scott Lang (the second Ant-Man).

Written by David Michelinie. Art by John Byrne (breakdowns) and Gene Day (finishes).