When Earth’s environment collapsed in the 1990s, an American astronaut, Vance Astrovik (Vance Astro), embarked upon the first manned space flight to another star system while Bionic Wars ignited among the growing cybernetic population of Earth The wars culminated in a nuclear attack on western Canada, and in 1995, the Confederation of Nations was established, uniting mankind in one global society. Unfortunately, anti-mutant prejudice remained strong, and prompted Earth’s mutants to relocate to Jupiter’s moon of Europa.
In 2001 Martians invaded Earth, decimating and enslaving humanity. For years, the Martians ruled the planet before mysteriously abandoning it in 2075. Afterward, Earth was ruled by “Techno-Barons” in various warring city-states. By 2525, the last of these Barons were dethroned, enabling Earth to create a new World Federation by 2553. Over the course of the following century, Earth colonized the other planets of the solar system, genetically engineering each specific populace to withstand the environment of each colony, many of which were specialized outposts. Jupiter became Earth’s manufacturing colony and main Military installation; Mercury was a mining colony; Pluto housed scientific expeditions. Earth began a new golden age of scientific and social advancement.
The Badoon Wars
Unfortunately, this new golden age was not destined to last. The Badoon invaded the solar system in 3007 A.D, destroying many of Earth's colonies and ultimately killing nearly every inhabitant of the three settlements on Pluto, Mercury, and Jupiter. The Badoon then invaded Earth itself, decimating the technologically inferior space fleet of the United Lands of Earth. Millions of human beings were exterminated and the remainder forced into slave labor.
Space militia pilot Charlie-27, a native to the Jupiter colony, returned from a solo tour of duty to see his home world overrun by the Badoon. Managing to escape by jumping into a teleportation tube, Charlie-27 arrived on Pluto and joined forces with Martinex, the last Plutonian left on the planet, who had volunteered to stay behind when his people evacuated in order to destroy Pluto's scientific achievements to keep them out of enemy hands. Charlie-27 and Martinex then teleported to Earth, hoping to learn the extent of the Badoon invasion.
A year prior, Vance Astro had arrived on the planet Centauri IV over a thousand years after his space launch, (having been in suspended animation en route). While he slept, Earth had developed faster than light travel and traveled to Alpha Centauri centuries ahead of him, founding a settlement. Upon learning his achievement was meaningless, Astro left the human colony to complete the surveying mission he was assigned to anyway. He soon met Yondu, a member of the native humanoid population of the planet, and in 3007, when the marauding Badoon exterminated Yondu's tribe, Yondu accompanied Astro back to Earth. Taken captive by the Badoon upon arrival, Yondu and Astro encountered Charlie-27 and Martinex. Managing to escape the Badoon, the four decided to band together to rid the Earth and its colonies from Badoon oppression. They named themselves the Guardians of the Galaxy, becoming a force for good and committed to resist the Badoon occupation of the galaxy.
In 3014, the Earth-woman Tarin was accidentally transported back in time and across dimensions to the modern era of Earth-616. There, she encountered Captain America, Sharon Carter, and The Thing and elicited their help in her time. They joined with the Guardians of the Galaxy in freeing New York City from the last of the Badoon before returning home.
The Guardians later traveled to 20th Century Earth, where they hoped to retrieve a Badoon memory tape containing a detailed account of the aliens' first invasion attempt in the 20th Century that had ultimately failed. There they encountered the Defenders and helped them defeat the monster Eelar. Although they failed find what they came for, they recruited the Defenders to help them liberate Earth once again. Once back in the 31st Century, they were joined by Starhawk, and together the heroes finally routed the Badoon Empire.
Since then, the Guardians dedicated themselves as a group of space explorers. Among their various adventures, they recruited the last surviving Mercurian colonist, Nikki, and discovered the truth about Starhawk’s alternate female form, Aleta, who was Starhawk’s wife. When their spaceship, Captain America, was destroyed in battle against the Reavers of Arcturius, the team recovered a lost Federation space station, Drydock, and there built a new ship, the Freedom’s Lady.
When Thor of Earth-616 traveled to their future to stop the menace of Korvac the Enemy, the Guardians helped Thor however they could, even journeying with him 'back' to the 20th Century. There, they hoped to protect Vance Astro’s counterpart, Vance Astrovik, who was a likely target for Korvac, and the Guardians soon joined the Avengers in confronting him. During their stay, the Guardians were all granted honorary Avengers membership. They continued their stay in the 20th Century for some time, joining other heroes such as the Thing and Spider-Man in various adventures. During their stay, Astro took the opportunity to unleash his younger self's latent psionic powers, thus ensuring that the boy would not grow up to make the same mistakes he made, despite the protest of his teammates who were loath to alter the timeline in such a manner. Soon thereafter, they returned to the 31st Century, realizing that their own era was where they truly belonged.
Quest for the Shield
The Guardians later embarked on a quest dedicated to recovering the shield of Captain America. One of their first encounters was with the alien Stark, which resulted in Starhawk and Aleta being split into two beings as well as the destruction of the Freedom’s Lady. They claimed the Stark spaceship for their own, calling it the Captain America II. Their quest was ultimately successful, despite the recurring competition of the mercenary team Force, and Vance Astro claimed the shield. Possession of the shield led Astro to later create a new identity as Major Victory. Eventually, Martinex relinquished leadership of the Guardians to Major Victory, expanding the Guardians’ operations, and re-branding them the Galactic Guardians.
Returning to Earth to visit, the Guardians of the Galaxy sub-team found the planet in ruin, victim to an overwhelming addiction to a holographic television created by Doctor Doom, who had survived as a living brain in the Adamantium skeleton of Wolverine.
Recruiting Hollywood and the Inhuman, Talon, into their ranks, the Guardians joined Tarin and her team of guerrilla fighters in thwarting Doom as well as a remnant of Badoon who created human agents in the form of an army called the Punishers.
Their new teammate, Talon, became inflicted with Graal's disease, and the Guardians were forced to return to Earth-616 to receive specific aid due to his Inhuman physiology. The team used the Avengers headquarters, briefly stopping an incursion by the Masters of Evil. When they returned to their future, the Guardians found they had picked up a hitchhiker, Yellowjacket. Rather than immediately return her to her time, the team welcomed her into their membership, since she had helped them defeat the Masters of Evil.
Receiving a call for help from Talon’s mentor and honorary Guardian, Krugarr, both Guardians teams, the Guardians of the Galaxy and the Galactic Guardians, found themselves battling Dormammu. Drydock was destroyed in the battle, and the Galactic Guardians gave their sister team a new ship, the Icarus. In the Icarus, they again returned to Earth to help Tarin, who at this time became President of the Northeast Corridor, and later resurrected Cuchulain and his guardian, Shamrock to offer them a place on the team. Instead, the two declined membership, hoping to serve as Earth-bound heroes.
The Ripjak Saga
The Guardians had their biggest shake-up when they were asked to help the real Ripjack and the High Evolutionary against the threat of Bubonicus, a genocidal alien that had decimated the Martian race centuries earlier. Vance Astro had allied with Ripjak, much to the defiance of other members, and soon Bubonicus was defeated. The Guardians regrouped, and Charlie-27 was elected their leader.
Preventing the War of the Worlds
Under Charlie’s direction, the team traveled back to the 21st Century in an attempt to stop the Martian invasion from ever occurring. They were successful, but when trying to return to their rightful home in the 31st Century, they encountered the alien Wormhole, and became lost in space-time.
Weapons: None known.
Most of the members of the Guardians are also honorary members of the Avengers.
- No trivia.
- 19 Guardians of the Galaxy (Earth-691) Members
- 128 Appearances of Guardians of the Galaxy (Earth-691)
- Media Guardians of the Galaxy (Earth-691) was Mentioned in
- 21 Images that include Guardians of the Galaxy (Earth-691)
- Team Gallery: Guardians of the Galaxy (Earth-691)
- Fan-Art Gallery: Guardians of the Galaxy (Earth-691)
Links and References
- http://www.imagecomics.com/messageboard/viewtopic.php?t=144 Jim Valentino comments on his issues], and lays out his plans up to what would have been issue #51
- http://www.marveldirectory.com/teams/guardiansofthegalaxy.htm Marvel Directory entry