Potential spoilers for Hyperion and the Imperial Guard #1 ahead!
The world of Heroes Reborn has turned the Marvel Universe on its ear, giving readers a glimpse of a world without the Avengers, and in a preview for Hyperion and the Imperial Guard #1, readers meet this new reality’s version of the Guardians of the Galaxy: The Imperial Guard.
Despite the absence of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, this new world has its own heroes, the Squadron Supreme primary amongst them. Created by writer Roy Thomas and artist John Buscema as a pastiche of the Justice League, the Squadron Supreme is led by Hyperion, a riff on Superman. When he was younger, Hyperion was part of another team: The Imperial Guard—a Heroes Reborn equivalent of the Guardians of the Galaxy, and readers get to see the team in action in a special preview for Hyperion and the Imperial Guard #1.
The preview opens with a text page, filling readers in on the Imperial Guard’s backstory: as a teen, Hyperion went to live with the Shi’Ar Empire as a sign of good faith between Earth and the Empire. Hyperion has thrived in this environment, and readers meet him at the end of his tenure with the Guard, before he returns to Earth. He is reflecting on his time with the Guard and is hesitant to leave. Readers get to see the team’s lineup and it is a mixture of mutants, such as Scott and Alex Summers, and humans, such as their father. There are also representatives of the Shi’Ar Empire, such as Gladiator. Finally, regular Guardians stalwarts Rocket and Groot round out the Imperial Guard’s membership.
The preview ends there, so fans must wait until Wednesday to hopefully see the team in action, but in many ways this team is this universe’s Guardians of the Galaxy. The Guardians’ membership hails from diverse worlds all over the Marvel Universe, and this team is no different. There are humans as well, along with multiple races from across the Shi’Ar Empire; even Rocket and Groot are there too. Unlike the 616 Guardians, this team leans heavily into X-Men lore as well—famous X-Men creators Chris Claremont and Dave Cockrum even get a shout out in the credits.
Heroes Reborn is a fresh look at the Marvel Universe, and in Hyperion and the Imperial Guard #1, fans can see this new world’s Guardians of the Galaxy. The issue is written by Ryan Cady, with art by Michele Bandini, inks by Elisabetta D’Amico and Bandini, colors by Erick Arcinigega and letters by Cory Petit. It will go on sale in print and digital on May 12.