Guardians of the Galaxy 27 was cover dated August 1992 and was on sale June 1992, sharing the spinner racks with Action Comics #679, Amazing Spider-Man #365, Demon Annual #1, Mighty Thor #450, Savage Dragon #1 and Giant Size Yogi Bear #1.
Back from the Future is written and pencilled by Jim Valentino and inked by Steve Montano and opens with Drydock travelling back through time and Vance (Major Victory) Astro finding out about it. He berates Starhawk, Nikki and Charlie-27 in order before seeing Talon collapse in front of them. Before he passes out, he mentions that he is an Inhuman, has Graal’s disease and needs to go to Atilan, the lunar home of the Inhumans.
They arrive in the present Marvel Universe, just at the beginning of the Infinity War. The Royal Family of the Inhumans are discussing the situation. The amphibious Triton, the hoof-footed Gorgan, the uncannily accurate Karnak, Madame Medusa with her living hair and the silent king Black Bolt. Being marvel characters, they don’t agree and leave the decision to BlackBolt, but before he can make any gesture, the family are called to Rynda Square by a flying Inhuman , who tells them of an orbiting space ship and aliens teleporting amongst them.
The Guardians of the Galaxy appear and seek medical help for Talon, again this is a Marvel title and there is a brief, unnecessary fight. Vance ends the fight and then cooler heads prevail. Just as things look like they’re all sorted out, distorted duplicates of the Inhuman Royals and the Guardians appear.
Once again a battle, once again it’s quick and easily resolved and serves only to tie this in to Infinity War, which had a lot of evil twin stuff in it, if I remember correctly. Gorgon and Nikki treat Talon and head back into the fight and when Talon recovers he is met with LockJaw, the Inhuman’s dog/transport system.
He then greets the Inhuman Royals with a degree of reverence and points out that the Inhumans live on a reservation almost slaves and this was due to a betrayal of an Inhuman Royal, but not actually an Inhuman. Medusa believes it to be her neice Luna (Daughter of Crystal and Quicksilver, but has neither mutant or Inhuman characteristics). The groups part as friends and the Guardians of the Galaxy teleport to Earth to the last grounded location they used, Avengers Mansion.
Notes:
This is bittersweet, although he is part of the writing team for the next two issues, this is the last pencils by Jim Valentino.
The idea of pre-emptive strike has become almost genocide and most of the team are okay with that, which is understandable seeing as half the team suffered under the Badoon, although Starhawk’s motives are unclear.
This is where we learn Talon was an Inhuman, which given his non human appearance, is quite understandable.
The idea of the Inhumans ending up in reservations was pointed out in Guardians of the Galaxy annual 1 as a side comment and remains consistent with published history.
None of the fights make sense either narratively or visually and look very forced and tacked on.
I loved seeing the Inhumans and will always have time for LockJaw, the bulldog the size of a pony.
The next few issues show a severe drop in art quality, which is a shame.
NEXT TIME: The Masters of Evil
Standing Guard 