If you walked into a comic shop today and asked for the 1st Guardians of the Galaxy comic, you might be in for a massive shock. Seriously. Forget Star-Lord. Forget the 1970s pop soundtrack. Forget Rocket Raccoon or a talking tree who only says three words.
Most people think the team started with Chris Pratt and a Walkman, but the reality is way weirder and dates back to 1969.
The actual debut happened in Marvel Super-Heroes #18. It wasn't some high-flying space opera about a bunch of losers finding a family. It was a gritty, slightly depressing story about a group of freedom fighters in the 31st century trying to stop an alien invasion of Earth. They weren't "guardians" of the galaxy in a voluntary sense; they were more like the last survivors of a dead solar system.
The 1969 Lineup You Won't Recognize
The team in the 1st Guardians of the Galaxy comic consisted of characters that casual fans have probably never heard of, except for maybe a brief cameo in the later films. You had Major Vance Astro, an astronaut from the 20th century who spent a thousand years in suspended animation. Then there was Martinex T’Naga, a guy made of crystalline silicon from Pluto. Captain Charlie-27 was a massive, genetically engineered soldier from Jupiter. And finally, there was Yondu Udonta.
Yeah, that Yondu. But back then, he wasn't a blue space pirate with a mohawk and a sense of humor. He was a noble savage archetype from Centauri IV, complete with a massive red fin that was part of his actual biology, not a piece of tech.
Arnold Drake and Gene Colan created these guys. It’s kinda fascinating because the tone was so different from the Marvel mainstream at the time. While the Avengers were fighting robots in New York, the Guardians were dealing with the Badoon—a reptilian race that had basically enslaved the entire human race across the stars. It was bleak.
Vance Astro is probably the most tragic figure in that initial run. He’s trapped in a copper-alloy suit because his skin would literally turn to dust if exposed to the air after his long journey. Imagine being a hero but never being able to feel human touch again. That’s the kind of heavy lifting the 1st Guardians of the Galaxy comic was doing.
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Why the Badoon Mattered (And Why They’re Gone)
The villains of the 1st Guardians of the Galaxy comic weren't Thanos or Ronan. They were the Badoon. These lizard-people are a staple of Marvel cosmic history, yet they've been largely absent from the MCU because of complex licensing issues involving Fox and Disney back in the day.
In Marvel Super-Heroes #18, the Badoon have already won. That’s the hook.
The story starts with Charlie-27 returning to Jupiter after a long mission only to find his people gone and the Badoon in charge. He escapes to Pluto, meets Martinex, and they eventually link up with Vance and Yondu. It’s a rebellion story. It feels more like Star Wars—which didn't even exist yet—than a standard superhero book.
A Strange Publishing History
After that first issue, the team basically vanished.
Marvel didn't know what to do with them. They didn't get their own title right away. Instead, they bounced around as guest stars. They popped up in Marvel Two-In-One with the Thing and eventually got a recurring spot in The Defenders.
It took years—decades, honestly—for the Guardians to become a "real" team in the eyes of the editorial staff. If you’re looking to collect the 1st Guardians of the Galaxy comic, you’re looking for a book that was essentially a one-shot experiment that took a long time to pay off.
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The Transition to the Modern Era
It’s impossible to talk about the 1st Guardians of the Galaxy comic without acknowledging the 2008 reboot. This is where the confusion usually starts. Most modern fans are actually looking for Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 2 #1 by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning.
That 2008 run is where Star-Lord, Rocket, Groot, Gamora, and Drax finally came together.
But here’s the kicker: the original 1969 team actually exists in the same universe. Through some time-travel shenanigans that only comics can pull off, Vance Astro eventually meets the modern Guardians. In the movies, James Gunn paid homage to this by featuring the "original" team (Stakar Ogord, Martinex, Charlie-27, etc.) as Ravager captains in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.
What to Look for If You’re Buying
If you want the "Holy Grail," it's Marvel Super-Heroes #18.
Be warned: it isn't cheap. Because the movies became a multi-billion dollar franchise, the value of the 1st Guardians of the Galaxy comic skyrocketed. A high-grade copy (CGC 9.0 or better) can set you back thousands of dollars.
If you just want to read it, Marvel has reprinted it in various "Epic Collections" and "Masterworks."
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Look for:
- Marvel Masterworks: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1
- Guardians of the Galaxy: Tomorrow's Avengers
Misconceptions About the Original Team
One thing people get wrong is thinking the 1969 team was "silly" because of the old art. It really wasn't. Gene Colan’s art brought a moody, atmospheric vibe to the book. It felt lonely.
Another misconception is that the original Yondu was a jerk. He was actually the heart of the team—a deeply spiritual hunter who used a yaka arrow controlled by whistling, sure, but his motivation was protecting the natural order of the universe. He was a far cry from the "I'm Mary Poppins, y'all" version, though both versions are great in their own way.
The 1st Guardians of the Galaxy comic also didn't take place in the "present day" Marvel 616 universe. It was set in Earth-691. This allowed the writers to kill off major characters or change the world without messing up Spider-Man’s continuity. It gave the book a "What If?" energy before that was even a regular thing.
Actionable Steps for Collectors and Fans
If you're serious about diving into the history of the 1st Guardians of the Galaxy comic, don't just stop at the first appearance. The lore is deep and spread across several weird titles.
- Check the Quarter Bins: While Marvel Super-Heroes #18 is expensive, the team’s appearances in The Defenders #26-29 are often much cheaper and provide the first real "team-up" feel.
- Verify the Grade: If you're buying Marvel Super-Heroes #18 as an investment, watch out for "marvel chipping" on the edges. Books from 1969 were printed on cheap paper, and the black covers show every single scratch.
- Read the 1990s Series: Jim Valentino wrote a 62-issue run in the 90s that focused on the original team. It’s high-energy, very "90s," and expands the 31st-century lore immensely. It features a future version of Ghost Rider and a version of Captain America’s shield that Vance Astro carries.
- Compare the Themes: Read the 1969 debut alongside the 2008 reboot. You'll see that while the characters changed, the theme of "standing up when no one else will" remained the core DNA of the franchise.
The original Guardians were about the end of the world and the desperate hope of the few people left to fix it. That's a far cry from the "Guardians of the Galaxy" we see on lunchboxes today, but without that weird, experimental 1969 issue, we never would have gotten the cosmic side of Marvel as we know it.
Stop by a local shop or check digital archives for Marvel Super-Heroes #18. Even if you only care about the movies, seeing where it all started—with a guy in a copper suit and a crystal man from Pluto—is a trip worth taking.