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Guardians Of The Galaxy #27

Aug 1992
Jim Valentino, Jim Valentino

Story Name:

Back from the future


Synopsis

Guardians Of The Galaxy #27 synopsis by Rob Johnson
Rating: 4 stars
Last issue after we learned that Starhawk had subtly guided the original formation of the Guardians Of The Galaxy he suggested to Charlie-27, Nikki and Talon that they go back in time to stop the Badoon from taking over the Solar System. And they do it without telling Major Victory until it's too late to stop them.

Now the mobile space-station Dry-Dock is travelling back through time and Vance Astro has been informed by Starhawk that they intend to wipe out the Badoon long before they get a chance to enslave humanity on all the worlds of the Solar System. As predicted Vance does *not* think this is a good idea, and Charlie and Nikki aren't exactly as certain as they thought they were. But the argument is cut short by Talon staggering in and collapsing at their feet. He tells them he's got the hereditary Gral's Disease and they must take him to Attilan on the Moon.

In Attilan the Inhumans Black Bolt, Gorgon, Karnak, Medusa and Triton have just received a report on the explosion at Four Freedoms Plaza (at the end of Infinity War #2) where many superheroes had gathered. They are discussing whether to go to the aid of their friends the Fantastic Four when another report arrives of Dry-Dock materialising over the Blue Area Of The Moon where their city is situated.

The GOTG 5 teleport into Rynda Square claiming that Talon is an Inhuman and needs help, but the ruling family know that he's not 1 of *their* people. Karnak suspects them of being agents of whoever struck the FF's HQ, and impetuous Gorgon acts with a pre-emptive strike of his hooves. Medusa is also suspicious because Major Victory has Captain America's shield, which he throws at her until Black Bolt mentally stops it in midair. Karnak hits Victory, Charlie punches Gorgon while Blackagar Boltagon and Starhawk duke it out. But the Inhuman 'dog' Lockjaw sniffs the feline body of Talon (and maybe confirms that he's Inhuman?).

All the while the GOTG have been claiming they come in peace. At last Vance emits a telekinetic blast which separates all the combatants, and the silent Black Bolt agrees to 'talk'. Medusa tells Gorgon to take Talon to the medical centre, and Vance tells Nikki to accompany them. The Inhumans still want to know why the GOTG showed up just when the FF HQ was bombed but Vance says they just got here (presumably he mentions that they're from the future) and he doesn't remember this happening on *their* timeline (they're from an alternate future split off in Marvel Two-In-One #69).

But now it's interruption time again as evil Doppelgangers of them all (Charlie-27, Major Victory and Starhawk plus Black Bolt, Karnak, Medusa and Triton) materialise. Starhawk as usual knows what they are (despite supposedly no longer being the One-Who-Knows) and that they will try to replace their originals. So it's fight time again.

Gorgon, Lockjaw and Nikki are with unconscious Talon where it has been diagnosed that the fatal Gral's Disease has been caught in time and so the patient will be fine. They hear sounds of battle and so 2 of them rush off leaving Lockjaw to guard Talon, who then wakes up to deal with the natural dog/cat antipathy. But when the duo reach Rynda Square they find the Dops already defeated, seemingly double-handedly by Black Bolt and Starhawk.

Bolt and Victory shake hands and they're all friends, except Lockjaw who has to be ordered to leave the now completely cured Talon alone. The 'cat' explains that he's an Inhuman from the 31st Century but he has to give them the bad news that in his time they are confined to living beneath the city, slaves to the humans above. They were betrayed by someone who's name has been forgotten but was reputed to be a member of the royal family but not Inhuman. Medusa immediately thinks of Luna (daughter of Crystal and the human Quicksilver).

The GOTG take their leave and teleport to Avengers Mansion (which they used as their base in their previous visit during the Korvac Saga) to find out what's going on.


 

Review / Commentaries


Guardians Of The Galaxy #27 Review by (October 2, 2021)
This is an official tie-in to the Infinity War mini-series connected to #3.

In the 1st app of the Guardians Of The Galaxy in Marvel Super-Heroes #18 the Solar System and Alpha Centauri had been conquered by the Badoon. 4 rebels banded together to oppose them as the GOTG:- Major Vance Astro who was born in our time and travelled the slow way in suspended animation to Alpha Centauri where he met Centaurian Yondu, the last survivor a Badoon massacre. The Badoon took them (the fast way) to Earth where they escaped and teamed up with Charlie-27 and Martinex, the last survivors of the gene-modded human settlements on Jupiter and Pluto.

Starhawk joined them in Defenders #27. Nikki of Mercury joined in Marvel Presents #4. The whole lot came back to the present following their foe Korvac to take part in the Korvac Saga during Avengers #167-181. Before returning to the future Vance Astro contacted his teen self Vance Astrovik but thereby changed the course of the main Marvel timeline, relegating his own future to an alternate timeline. In our history Vance Astrovik becomes Marvel Boy and then Justice.

Vance Astro found Captain America's shield in the future in GOTG#6.

The team has seen a recent shake-up back in their alternate future. Martinex left in #18 to head the spin-off Galactic Guardians, and our team met Talon at the same time. Yondu returned to Alpha Centauri in #25 because he learned that some of his people were still alive.

Attilan was moved to the Blue Area Of The Moon in Fantastic Four #240 because the Inhumans were susceptible to modern day pollution.

Since the GOTG are from an alternate future then Talon's warning to the Inhumans is probably irrelevant, and I don't think it's mentioned again. I'm not sure why Medusa immediately thinks her niece Luna will be the future betrayer. If I was her I'd have thought of Quicksilver whose marriage to Crystal presumably made him a member of the royal family and whose past is definitely a mixture of good and evil.

This whole alternate future business hasn't been fully thought out. For instance why have they wound up back in time in the main Marvel timeline rather than the equivalent time in their own. (Which they know is true because they mention that the Infinity War didn't happen in their timeline.) And since they're in the main timeline then if they succeed in destroying the Badoon it won't affect *their* future because their timeline has already split off.

There's a deeper reason why Marvel made the GOTG future an alternate. That Earth-691 future also includes the original Deathlok series (in Astonishing Tales) and War Of The Worlds (Amazing Adventures). This had been presented as the future Marvel timeline but time was rapidly catching up on the Deathlok story and War Of The Worlds would eventually follow. So the whole lot was shunted sideways.



> Guardians Of The Galaxy comic book info and issue index

Elektra

Excelsioring your collection:
statue
Holy smokes, Batman!
(The Boy Wonder)

Jim Valentino
Steve Montano
Evelyn Stein
Jim Valentino (Cover Penciler)
Mike Bair (Cover Inker)
? (Cover Colorist)
Additional Credits
Letterer: Ken Lopez.
Editor: Craig Anderson. Editor-in-chief: Tom DeFalco.

Characters

Listed in Alphabetical Order.

Medusa
Medusa

(Medusa Amaquelin Boltagon)

Plus: Charlie-27, Nikki (Nicholette Gold), Starhawk (Stakar Ogord), Talon, Vance Astro (Vance Astrovik).