Guardians of the Galaxy Epic Collection: Homecoming

Comic industrty legend Jim Valentino continues his fascinating look at the 31st century Marvel Universe with the original incarnation of the Guardians of the Galaxy!

The original Guardians of the Galaxy land on the World of Mutants but soon wind up in the middle of a violent rebellion against Wolverine’s descendant Rancor! And to make matters worse, there’s a Dark Phoenix on the loose! Hope they survive the experience! Then it’s off to rescue Firelord, a cosmic clash with Ghost Rider and the debut of the mysterious Protégé --culminating in an epic battle with the Punisher of the 31st century. Wait, did we say Punisher? More like Punishers -- a whole army of them! Plus: The Guardians track the cosmic power of Korvac through time and space -- along the way encountering the Fantastic Four, the Silver Surfer and the future Thor! And a major turning point in the life of Vance Astrovik! Who is Major Victory?

COLLECTING: Guardians of the Galaxy (1990) 7-20, Guardians of the Galaxy Annual (1991) 1; material from Fantastic Four Annual (1963) 24, Thor Annual (1966) 16, Silver Surfer Annual (1988) 4

New Yorker Jim Valentino began his career in the late 1970s creating small-press, self-published comics. He served as a storyboard artist for animated features before his work took him to Marvel and titles including What If? and Silver Surfer. His flair for cosmic action made him a natural to both write and draw Guardians of the Galaxy, the first series bearing the name of the titular team. Guardians established Valentino as one of the superstar artists of the early 1990s, leading him to band together with others and form Image Comics, where he introduced his signature creation, ShadowHawk. Valentino served as Image’s publisher, helping establish the company as an enduring major player in the industry.