Guardians of the Galaxy background stuff?

[JohnniG]

I saw the movie yesterday and really liked the universe. I'm pretty new to comics and I thought that this would be a decent place to start. Can you point out a few good comics to start out with, if I want to dig a bit into the whole Guardians of the Galaxy universe? There seems to be a lot of comics and I dont know where to start!

Thanks in advance.

[KurtW95]

Start out with the mini-series, "Annihilation Conquest," which leads into Abnett and Lanning's Guardians of the Galaxy run.

[JohnniG]

Alright. I'll try to look that up. ty

Edit: Not sure if it's allowed to post a link of this kind, but is it this one?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Guardians-Ga...ation+Conquest

[pinoypanzer]

Alright. I'll try to look that up. ty

Edit: Not sure if it's allowed to post a link of this kind, but is it this one?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Guardians-Ga...ation+Conquest

That's the first twelve issues of Abnett and Lanning's run. The lead-up to them are these:

Annihilation Conquest Book 1

http://www.amazon.com/Annihilation-C...ation+conquest

Book 2

http://www.amazon.com/Annihilation-C...ation+conquest

After that you have 25 issues of of Abnett and Lanning's run and then you have the Thanos Imperative event. I would also recommend the Nova series by also Abnett and Lanning which crosses over with the Guardians of a few occasions. If you're not sure you have the correct Nova check to see that the main character is Richard Rider instead of Sam Alexander (who is the current run).

I also recommend the Annihilation Event since that's easily one of the best events of the last 10 years or so (IMO) especially the Annihilation: Nova miniseries. Though it doesn't feature the Guardians it sets the stage for Conquest.

There are some additional ones I could recommend but I don't want to overload you with too much info (Though I may have already)

[Overhazard]

Well, like others have said, check out Annihilation and Annihilation conquest. Then DnA's guardians, their run on Nova was pretty good too.

If you want to read about the original guardians, there's Jim Valentino's run from the 90's. It's good, not groundbreaking, but good. It's been collected into two trades on amazon, and I think it's on comixology too. Dan Abnett is also writing about the original team in guardians 3000. I think it's only at issue #2.

[Songbird/Diamondback]

[Trident]

Also comixology has a sale going for GoTG Bendis: http://cmxl.gy/1C5iSmJ
I haven't read it so I have no clue if it's good or not. However, can't beat .99 cents per issue.

[Songbird/Diamondback]

Also comixology has a sale going for GoTG Bendis: http://cmxl.gy/1C5iSmJ
I haven't read it so I have no clue if it's good or not. However, can't beat .99 cents per issue.

I would recommend the DnA run over Bendis. Bendis seems to miss the point of GOTG being a Space team and instead makes them Space Avengers.

[Overhazard]

Bendis's run is not worth your time or money. To call the book awful is an understatement, he can do noir and street level characters well, but he can't write cosmic, at all. The art is the only thing good about it.

[JohnniG]

That's the first twelve issues of Abnett and Lanning's run. The lead-up to them are these:

Annihilation Conquest Book 1

http://www.amazon.com/Annihilation-C...ation+conquest

Book 2

http://www.amazon.com/Annihilation-C...ation+conquest

After that you have 25 issues of of Abnett and Lanning's run and then you have the Thanos Imperative event. I would also recommend the Nova series by also Abnett and Lanning which crosses over with the Guardians of a few occasions. If you're not sure you have the correct Nova check to see that the main character is Richard Rider instead of Sam Alexander (who is the current run).

I also recommend the Annihilation Event since that's easily one of the best events of the last 10 years or so (IMO) especially the Annihilation: Nova miniseries. Though it doesn't feature the Guardians it sets the stage for Conquest.

There are some additional ones I could recommend but I don't want to overload you with too much info (Though I may have already)

Thanks for all the replies. So i get the annihilation conquest book 1 & 2, and then the 25 issues with Lanning and Abnett. Then i'm not really sure where to place annihilation event and nova in the timeline.

[JohnniG]

Also, when situated in Europe, where do you order comics? Amazon?

[pinoypanzer]

Thanks for all the replies. So i get the annihilation conquest book 1 & 2, and then the 25 issues with Lanning and Abnett. Then i'm not really sure where to place annihilation event and nova in the timeline.

First would be Thanos Samaritan TPB which collects Thanos #7-12 which acts as a prologue to Annihilation and it also re-introduces Star-Lord though the main focus is obviously on Thanos. If you can't find Samaritan you can instead get Thanos: Redemption which collects Thanos #1-12 but only the last 6 are relevant.

For Annihilation, The Book 1 and Book 3 collections are the important ones. Book 1 has the Prologue and Annihilation: Nova #1-4. Book 3 has the main event. You don't really need Book 2 unless you want additional detail.

Conquest occurs after Annihilation and both Book collections are needed since the Star-Lord mini is in Book 1 and the main event is in Book 2.

For the Nova and Guardians of the Galaxy series you can look at the list that Songbird/Diamondback posted. You don't have to get the other stuff in War of Kings and Realm of Kings. Just stick to Nova and the Guardians.

The Thanos Imperative TPB collects all the issues for the event and is the conclusion of DnA's run. After this the Guardians disband.

Annihilators is a spin-off and only the back-up stories feature Guardians characters, namely Rocket Raccoon and Groot. If you want to read just those back-up stories you can get the Rocket Raccoon & Groot TPB which collects just those back-up stories and their first appearances and Rocket's miniseries in the 80s.

[anthony_lynch15]

This Marvel Cosmic collection is one of the best over arching stories I've ever read.
Highest recommendation. (Although personally I'd skip those Pre-Annihilator ones)

[pinoypanzer]

This Marvel Cosmic collection is one of the best over arching stories I've ever read.
Highest recommendation. (Although personally I'd skip those Pre-Annihilator ones)

Stormbreaker: The Saga of Beta Ray Bill I thought was pretty decent but yeah as a whole Pre-Annihilators group is the weakest of the bunch.

[Drakeon]

While not neasessary there is also the Drax the Destroyer mini that turns Drax from a simple hulk like being into the badass he would become and in turn acts as a prelude of sorts to Annhilation.