Guardians of the Galaxy by Abnett & Lanning: The Complete Collection Vol. 1

After a war that nearly wrecked Kree space, Peter Quill, Star-Lord, decides to form a team that acts before crises hit. He gathers Rocket, Groot, Gamora, Drax, Adam Warlock, Quasar and Mantis, based on Knowhere, a station inside a Celestial's severed head, guarded by Cosmo the telepathic dog. Their job is to seal cracks in the fabric of space. When the group learns Mantis used telepathy to talk them into joining, the team falls apart. Rocket keeps the mission alive with new allies and rescues Quill from the Negative Zone. The volume ends with the Guardians back together and a war between empires on the horizon.

1. ReferencePerlman's pick

   Writer Nicole Perlman chose Abnett and Lanning's version because she found its characters "the most fun" of any Guardians lineup.

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2. Behind the scenesBorn out of a war

   The team forms right after the cosmic Annihilation sagas, when Peter Quill decides to put together a group that acts before crises hit. Their base is Knowhere.

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3. ReferenceMantis and Cosmo are here too

   Besides the film's five, the lineup includes Mantis, Adam Warlock and Cosmo, Knowhere's telepathic dog, all of whom later turn up on screen.

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