The Avengers might be capable of avenging the Earth, but it takes a special brew of talent to guard the entire galaxy. That's the task that befalls the ragtag group of new Marvel heroes in upcoming sci-fi adventure Guardians of the Galaxy, and it's a task that only an outlaw, an assassin, a maniac, a tree and a raccoon can accomplish.

Guardians of the Galaxy launches off of our home planet and into space with young Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), a child of the '80s who becomes a (sort of) legendary space outlaw called Star-Lord. After being sent to prison, Star-Lord plans a daring escape with his fellow inmates Drax (Dave Bautista) Gamora (Zoe Saldana), Groot (Vin Diesel) and Rocket (Bradley Cooper), and the ex-convicts decide to team up and help to save the galaxy from the fanatical Ronan the Accuser (Lee Pace) and his allies.

It's a worthy mission with a rather sordid start. To help bring out the heroic sides of the Guardians, Marvel has released a new set of character posters that showcase the nobility of the tree, the majesty of the raccoon and the... stabbiness of the assassin. Groot is really the only character who manages to look friendly, but Rocket's poster looks like it would be effective recruitment material for the space raccoon army. That gun appears to be the same size as him, but that doesn't stop Rocket from wielding it.

CLICK FOR LARGER VERSION

Guardians of the Galaxy Gamora character poster

Guardians of the Galaxy Rocket character poster

Guardians of the Galaxy Groot character poster

With the release of Guardians of the Galaxy now only a month away we've been enjoying a plethora of marketing lately, include an invitation to Marvel fans to see a 17-minute preview of the movie in IMAX 3D for free at 150 locations across North America. If you haven't already requested a ticket then we recommend doing so right now. The screenings that haven't already filled up are running out of seats fast and tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Head HERE if you want a sneak peek at the movie (plus a free poster).

Guardians of the Galaxy boasts a very diverse cast that includes not only plant and animal life, but also many people of color, including green people and blue people. One of these blue people, Yondu, is played by The Walking Dead star Michael Rooker and has only been seen in candid set photos so far. Director James Gunn has now shared a new image of Yondu, showing him silhouetted with his drastically shortened fin. Gunn said that he decided to make the change from the "flamboyant and flowing three foot fin" shown in the comics to something more modest because "I like it better and believe it."

Guardians of thr Galaxy Yondu image

 

Guardians of the Galaxy will be Marvel's second release of the year and has a tough act to follow after Captain America: The Winter Soldier, which won widespread acclaim from critics and grossed over $700 million at the worldwide box office. Guardians of the Galaxy represents a much bigger risk for Marvel and Disney, since it features characters that audiences won't already be familiar with and has a (literally) very far out premise. With its promised mix of heart and humor, however, Guardians of the Galaxy might just have what it takes to rival even Marvel's heaviest hitters.

Assuming that Guardians of the Galaxy doesn't disappoint, which of the above character posters would you most like to have on your wall to celebrate it? Or would you rather just frame that photo of Yondu?

__________________________________________________

Guardians of the Galaxy lands in theaters on August 1st, 2014.

Source: Marvel, James Gunn