5 Obscure Marvel Movie Characters You Need to Know

Meet “The Guardians of the Galaxy”

A space opera centering on misfits who band together, “Guardians” is in some ways Marvel’s answer to “Star Wars.”

● Created by writer Arnold Drake and artist Gene Colan for the January 1969 issue of Marvel Super-Heroes.

● Reimagined in 2008 by British writing team Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning.

● Current series (cover on the left) written by Brian Michael Bendis.

● Movie directed by James Gunn opens in Aug. 2014. Story will be distinct from the comics, but moviegoers who’ve read the new series will recognize the film’s five primary characters, beginning with ...

Source: Marvel Entertainment

Star-Lord

Role: Team Leader

Created by: Steve Englehart and Steve Gan, Marvel Premiere #4.

Abilities: Expert in close combat and both human and alien weapons. Psychic link with sentient space vessel.

Played by: Chris Pratt

Known for: Parks & Recreation, Zero Dark Thirty

Biggest box office win:Moneyball ($110.2 million worldwide)

Source: InvestComics.

Gamora

Source: G4 Television.

Nickname: The Most Dangerous Woman in the Universe

Created by: Jim Starlin, Strange Tales #180.

Abilities: Unmatched assassin who possesses enhanced speed, strength, agility.

Played by: Zoe Saldana

Known for: Avatar, Star Trek

Biggest box office win:Avatar ($2.78 billion worldwide)

Drax the Destroyer

Source: Empire Magazine.

Purpose: Avenge murder of his family.

Created by: Mike Friedrich and Jim Starlin, Iron Man #55.

Abilities: Superhuman strength, imperviousness to injury, among other enhancements.

Played by: Dave Bautista

Known for: Former pro wrestler

Biggest box office win:The Man with the Iron Fists ($19.7 million worldwide)

Groot

Sources: Marvel, Comic Vine, AskMen.com.

Nickname: The Monarch of Planet X.

Created by: Jack Kirby, Stan Lee, and Dick Ayers, Tales to Astonish #13.

Abilities: Regeneration, resistant to fire, able to control trees.

Voiced by: Vin Diesel

Known for: Fast & Furious franchise

Biggest box office win:Fast & Furious 6 ($786.7 million worldwide)

Rocket Raccoon

Sources: Marvel, thenerdpocalypse.com.

Nickname: Rocket, or Guardian of the Keystone Quadrant

Created by: Bill Mantlo and Keith Giffen, Marvel Preview #7.

Abilities: Those of an intelligent but otherwise normal Earth raccoon. Expert pilot and marksman with a knack for handling heavy weaponry.

Trivia: Once teamed with the Hulk, believed to suffer from obsessive compulsive disorder.

Voiced by: Bradley Cooper (rumored)

3 Reasons This Film Looks Like a Winner

Marvel seeding ground to turn “Guardians” into a mass-market franchise:

● The Avengers: Joss Whedon introduced the villain Thanos at the end of the film. “Guardians” will further flesh out his story and role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

● Infinity: Six-issue miniseries elevates Thanos further and expands the influence of the Guardians in the comics, which may draw readers to the theater.

● James Gunn: Like Joe and Anthony Russo, who are directing Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Gunn is a comic book fan. Passion for the universe and form, historically, has led to box office success.

Average worldwide gross for Marvel films: $402.8 million.

Source: Marvel Entertainment.

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