Guardians of the Galaxy

We recently learned what fans had already suspected, that the character Pom Klementieff is playing in Guardians of the Galaxy 2 is none other than Mantis, a character who has been featured prominently in the Guardians comics. But who is Mantis? We still don't know much about what she'll be like in the movie, but she's existed in comics for 43 years, so we know that version of her pretty well. And looking back at her history may give us some insight about what to expect from this new version of the character.

Yesterday we reported on the leaking of Marvel Comics' Marvel Previews free magazine, unveiling their entire post-Civil War II line-up including comics such as The Unstoppable Wasp, Solo, Foolkiller and Prowler. Today, the magazine has officially been released via comic stores and online, confirming even more titles and creative teams, including a Kate Bishop Hawkeye book and the much awaited Gamora solo title from Guardians of the Galaxy screenwriter Nicole Perlman.

In honor of the caped crusaders of the convention scene, ComicsAlliance has created Best Cosplay Ever (This Week), an ongoing collection of some of the most impeccable, creative, and clever costumes that we’ve discovered and assembled into a super-showcase of pure fan-devoted talent.

Has there ever been a more rag-tag group of intergalactic outsiders than the Guardians of the Galaxy? We’ve brought together some of the best Guardians of the Galaxy cosplay; whether it’s the cool nature of Peter Quill, the deadly demeanor of Gamora, or the imposing force of Groot, these cosplayers bring out the best of the team's most high-profile line-up. Together or apart, these cosplayers bring the galaxy’s first line of defense to life in excellent fashion.

If there’s one thing we’ve learned from our years on the Internet, it’s that there’s no aspect of comics that can’t be broken down and quantified into a single definitive list, preferably in amounts of five or ten. And since there’s no more definitive authority than ComicsAlliance, we’re taking it upon ourselves to compile Top Five lists of everything you could ever want to know about comics and pop culture. Previously I told you about Marvel's five worst events, but this week, instead of laughing at their failures; I'm going to applaud their greatest storytelling successes! This week we're looking at some of the very best Marvel Comics events!

We already know that the soon-to-be-retitled Avengers: Infinity War will unite much of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, boasting the studio’s largest lineup to date. And while James Gunn has no plans to bring other MCU characters over for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, directors Joe and Anthony Russo have hinted that Chris Pratt’s Star-Lord will appear in Infinity War — but he might not be the only Guardian to make that jump.

Lots of news from the Marvel Cinematic Universe today as directors Joe and Anthony Russo make the rounds to promote Captain America: Civil War. As you might expect, the Russos are already looking ahead to Avengers: Infinity War, and they just basically confirmed a bit of casting news that’s pretty exciting — especially for all those fans who keep asking James Gunn when we’ll see the Guardians of the Galaxy crossover with the rest of the MCU.

James Gunn is currently filming massive superhero movie Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2, which is probably the worst possible time to ask a director if he wants to come back and start filming another massive superhero movie. While rewarding, making movies on this scale is an exhausting task. It’s like asking someone in the middle of running a marathon if they’re ready to run another marathon. Let’s just get through this marathon first. But, as Gunn was taking part in a Q&A with fans on Facebook, someone naturally asked if he’s going to return to direct Guardians of the Galaxy 3, and Gunn was honest that while Marvel wants him to return, he’s not so sure he wants to.

When Chris Pratt was cast as Peter Quill, AKA Star-Lord, in Guardians of the Galaxy, he was seen by many as an unconventional pick for a universe-saving superhero. However, Pratt proved that he’s got what it takes to save the world, and now he’s calling on you to step up and make the world a better place, and in return you get a chance to visit the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 set!

While there are many different qualities that a colorist brings to a comic book, one of the most beneficial and subtle effects is the effect a good colorist can have on the line art, shaping a good artist into a great artist and a great artist's work into something transcendent. Unless you're consistently comparing the black & white original pages to the finished color versions, it can occasionally be difficult to accurately assess what a colorist is really doing to change the work. Thankfully, Nathan Fairbairn is not only one of the best collaborators in the comics industry, he also dedicates time to showing the color theory and thinking that goes into his process on his Tumblr; an indispensible resource for anyone interested in learning more about colorists and comics coloring.