Marvel has announced details on the next title spinning out of Imperial, the miniseries/event that restructured and relaunched Marvel’s cosmic line-up.
Imperial Guardians is a spiritual successor to Guardians of the Galaxy, as Gamora leads a team that includes Captain Marvel, Darkhawk, Amadeus Cho and Cosmic Ghost Rider. They’ve been recruited by Black Bolt’s evil brother, Maximus, to “protect the delicate balance of new Galactic Union by ANY means necessary.”
The best part? The title features the return of Dan Abnett to Marvel’s cosmic line, who teamed up with Andy Lanning on titles like Guardians of the Galaxy, Nova and various Annihilation era titles in the early 2000s. But as Abnett points out, it’s a whole new galaxy now …
“The Marvel Cosmic landscape after Imperial has got a very different feel, and it’s rewarding to play around with the aftermath of an event where ‘the good guys won.’ Or did they?” Abnett said. “No victory comes without back-room compromise, and nowhere is that more apparent than in the new Guardians remit.”
Marvel shared more about that remit:
Gamora, Captain Marvel, Amadeus Cho, Darkhawk, Cosmic Ghost Rider! Five unlikely operatives recruited by Maximus of the Inhumans. Their mission? Protect the delicate balance of new Galactic Union by ANY means necessary… and failure is NOT an option.
Expendable, deniable and disavowed, they are the Imperial Guardians. But can they do Maximus’ dirty work and keep their consciences clean? Why has a Kree Grand Admiral gone rogue and attacked Hala? What’s going on with Darkhawk’s mind? What deluded fool thought Cosmic Ghost Rider was a team player? And, most importantly… what kind of game is Maximus REALLY playing?
“I chose the roster to reflect that – the clashing, mismatched spirit of Star-Lord’s original team mixed with a professional hard focus,” Abnett said. “An iconic hero in Captain Marvel, an anti-hero in the troubled Darkhawk, brains and brawn in the mercurial Amadeus Cho (yes, that’s a Hulk in Hulkbuster armor!), and the downright psychopathic Cosmic Ghost Rider as enigmatic ramrod and drill sergeant. Only Gamora, the Deadliest Woman in the Galaxy, has a chance of keeping them in line as team leader.”
Abnett is joined by artist Marcelo Ferreira on the project.
“Imperial Guardians is both a team AND a cosmic book, which for me is a double challenge, but also double the fun!” Ferreira said. “Cosmic books carry these stories full of great energetic scenes, which I love, because they allow me to flex this other artistic muscle. Plus, Dan Abnett has put together this cool lineup, giving me the chance to draw characters such as Cosmic Ghost Rider, Darkhawk and Gamora! I truly hope that all the fun I’m having translates into the pages and to the readers!”
Imperial Guardians follows Planet She-Hulk, Nova: Centurion and Black Panther: Intergalactic, which all launched in the wake of Imperial. They’ll soon be joined by the Professor X/Shi’ar-centered Exiles.
Look for the first issue of Imperial Guardians on March 11.