Summary
TheGuardians of the Galaxydebuted back in January 1969 inMarvel Super-Heroes#18, but the roster looked very different from the one that fans know today.The team was never a big name in the comics, with the Avengers, the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, and even the Inhumans being much more well known.
This changed in 2008 when the team was rebooted, featuring the gang of space misfits that people know and love now. Over its history, it has had some powerful members join its ranks, featuring characters from Earth, but also cosmic and otherworldly names.
10Groot
A Walking, Talking (Sort Of) Tree
When theGuardians of the Galaxywere rebooted in 2008, Groot was still not a team member. He joined as a fully-fledged member in 2009 and has become a mainstay in the gang of galactic misfits.
Groot has shown to be a powerful asset to the team, possessing immense strength and durability. He can also alter his size and grow his limbs thanks to his unique physiology. He is essentially a sentient tree, and one of his strongest powers is that he is basically immortal. Groot can regrow his full body from a single sprig, as shown in the 2014 movieGuardians of the Galaxy. Although other members have stronger powers, Groot’s role as a powerhouse in the core team deserves recognition.
9Captain Marvel/Martyr
Phyla-Vell, A Being From Another Timeline
Two characters have donned the names of Phyla-Vell and Captain Marvel, who have also been a member of theGuardians of the Galaxyin the Earth-616 continuity (the main Marvel Comics timeline). The first changed her name to Martyr, but Thanos killed her. The second to join the team, Phyla-Vell, was from Earth-18897 and journeyed to 616 to escape Requiem (a version of Gamora who sought to find all the Infinity Stones) along with her wife, Moondragon.
Both versions of this character have powers similar to the Carol Danvers version of Captain Marvel, including increased strength, speed and durability. Phyla-Vell also has access to the Quantum and Nega Bands, which gave her energy-based powers.
8Nova
Richard Rider, Outer Space Police
Richard Rider, also known as Nova, is a member of the intergalactic police force, the Nova Corps, and hosts the Nova Force. This gives him powers such as flight, energy generation, and superhuman advancements. He is strong enough to hold his own againstmostMarvel Comicspowerhouses, including the Silver Surfer.
A long-time ally of the Guardians, Nova wasn’t a fully-fledged member untilGuardians of the GalaxyVol. 6 #1. This included a refreshed roster inMarvel’s “Fresh Start” initiative. Nova is one of the most powerful space-based heroes in Marvel, but he has yet to make his cinematic debut.
7Beta Ray Bill
A Korbinite Associated With Thor
A character closely tied to Thor, Beta Ray Bill, hails from the planet Korbin and is chosen as the planet’s champion to fend off an attack by Surtur. Korbinites are already strong, but Bill has cybernetic enhancements as well.
He has proven himself worthy of lifting Thor’s hammer, Mijnoir, and wielding his similar hammer, Stormbreaker. Currently, he possesses the Twilight Sword, which allows him to transform into an even stronger form. As a Guardian, Beta Ray Bill joined the team to aid in the quest to prevent Thanos from being resurrected, which he did help to accomplish.
6Hercules
Hercules Panhellenios
Hercules is known to non-Marvel fans as the son of the Greek god Zeus, but he is a superhero in the comics. He has been a member of the Avengers, and joined the Guardians of the Galaxy to aid in a fight against the other Olympians.
As a God, he is immortal, and has gone toe-to-toe withthe likes of the Hulk and Thor. The character was introduced in theMCUin a post-credits scene inThor: Love & Thunderand is set to be a big player going forward, especially in the upcomingAvengersmovies.
5Moodragon
Heather Douglas Can Turn Into A Dragon
Moondragon has been a member of the Guardians of the Galaxy since its reboot, but she was originally a member of the Avengers and the Defenders. As a young girl, her parents were killed by Thanos' spaceship, and she was taken to Titan to be raised by the Shao-Lorn monks.
There, she developed her telekinetic and telepathic abilities, and the ability to take on a Dragon form. The Dragon of the Moon is an evil entity responsible for the destruction of countless civilizations, which originally corrupted her. However, she has since learned to control it and use its immense powers.
4Super-Skrull
Kl’rt Is An Enemy Turned Ally
Perhaps better known asan enemy of The Fantastic Four, the Super-Skrull was given the team’s powers and sent to Earth to defeat them as revenge for preventing their invasion attempt. Along with his innate Skrull shape-shifting, he has all the powers of The Fantastic Four and can even combine them.
Kl’rt joined the Guardians of the Galaxy in 2021 when the team was sanctioned by the Galactic Council to operate as a peacekeeping task force. Now reformed and a member of the galaxy’s government, he acts as part of operations command.
3Warlock
Adam Warlock
Adam Warlock appeared inGuardians of the Galaxy 3, but fans just got a taste of the power he possesses in the comics. The man who became Adam Warlock was created by the Enclave to be the perfect human, and the High Evolutionary bestowed upon him with the power of the Soul Gem, one of the Infinity Stones.
This gave him seemingly boundless powers. It was first shown in theAnnihilation: Conquestarc, where he unlocked his true potential and defeated a suped-up Ultron. It was then he joined up with the Guardians, and is now the strongest regular member of the squad.
2Doctor Doom
Victor von Doom Briefly Joined The Team
Even casual Marvel fans know how powerful this character is. He is a big bad for many heroes, thanks to his magical abilities, dictatorship, and super-genius intellect.
Doctor Doom came to be a member of the team for a short time. The extra and inter-dimensional demonic entity Dormammu had possessed Ego the Living Planet, and he allied himself with the team. However, this was not for heroic reasons, but to siphon some of Dormammu’s power for his own. He left the team and returned to Earth after completing his goal.
This Frank Castle Is A Fusion Of Two Powerful Characters
This character is actually an alternate version of Frank Castle, or the Punisher, who has both the Spirit of Vengeance (Ghost Rider) and Power Cosmic (Silver Surfer). Cosmic Ghost Rider can do what he wants, when he wants. He has even claimed to have killed his universe’s Watcher.
He came to be a member of the Earth-616 Guardians when Odin brought him to the main reality. He was saved from a black hole by Beta Ray Bill and recruited into the team. He quickly leaves to join the Dark Guardians, however, and aids in the quest to stop Thanos' resurrection.
