‘Guardians of the Galaxy,’ ‘S.W.O.R.D.’ will cross over for ‘The Last Annihilation’

Two of Al Ewing’s space-based titles will cross over later this year for an event Marvel is billing as “The Last Annihilation.”

Guardians of the Galaxy, which launched a new team and new mission with last week’s issue #13, will cross over with S.W.O.R.D., the X-title featuring Magneto, Cable and other mutants tasked with protecting the Earth. You might also remember that late last year, following the Empyre event, the Empyre Aftermath: Avengers special teased a confrontation between S.W.O.R.D. and the new Kree/Skrull Alliance. With both Hulkling and Wiccan playing a major roll in Guardians now, this could be what that teaser was alluding to.

“Guardians and S.W.O.R.D. have been building their own unique gravity for a while now, and in space, when two objects have gravity, there’s a pretty good chance they’ll crash into each other – or get sucked into the orbit of something even bigger,” Ewing told Marvel.com. “Marvel Space these days is a fragile coalition of worlds that chose peace over war, a little bubble of hope in a cruel void – but there’s an enemy nobody ever suspected readying an attack that’ll either cement all those frail alliances or tear them to pieces.”

According to Marvel.com, the crossover kicks off in Guardians #16, by Ewing and Juan Frigeri, which finds the entire galaxy under attack, “the likes of which haven’t been seen since Annihilus first waged war.” Hence the reference to 2006’s “Annihilation” event, which served as a precursor to the formation of the Guardians of the Galaxy as we know them today.

But it isn’t Annihilus attacking this time; it’s someone else: Someone out there has awakened with a new vision for the universe and they have the army to make it a reality. When five different planets fall under siege, will it be too much even for the new Guardians of the Galaxy to handle?

The event continues in S.W.O.R.D. #7, by Ewing and Valerio Schiti, which features Doctor Doom catching up with an old friend just as “The Last Annihilation” begins.

Both of these issues arrive in July. Marvel did not indicate how long the crossover would last or if any other titles or characters would be involved.