The original GoG first appeared back in 1969 in a one-shot story in the short-lived Marvel Super-Heroes title. Each member of the team was a sole survivor of a different race or era, and included Vance Astro, an astronaut who wakes from suspended animation to a very different Earth in the 31st Century.
He teams with Charlie-27, a powerful resident from Jupiter's moons, Martinex, a crystal creature from Pluto, Star-Hawk, a mysterious and powerful cosmic humanoid, and Yondu, an alien savage who controls his arrow by whistling. (Honest!)
Together they fight the invasion of the bestial aliens, the Badoon.
The original series led to guest-star appearances and eventually to a regular series, which had a long and respectable run.
Then in 2008 the team was revived in a modern-day version with the lineup from the movie (and a few others along the way).
Given the success of the new version, it should come as no surprise that they'd revive the original, and it's interesting to note that the new series is being written by Dan Abnett, one of the writers of the '08 series.
The story finds the team (with a new addition) fighting for their lives against the Badoon - and the outcome might surprise you.
The art is by Gerardo Sandoval, and while it has a lot of kinetic power going for it, it's also over the top in violence and teeth-gritting emotion.
The issue mostly suffers from the usual first issue woes - the burden of having to introduce the members of the team, the opponents, the setting - it doesn't leave much room for the time-bending story - but it's a solid start to the series and a clever story.
Long-time fans will probably enjoy it, and new fans should check it out to get in touch with the previous version of Marvel's newest sensation.
Sounds like a "win-win" situation to me!
Grade: B+
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