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Guardians of the Globe are a fictional superhero team in the Image Universe. They appear primarily in the comic book series Invincible and its television series adaptation, as well as the Image Universe comic book series Brit, Noble Causes, Dynamo 5, and Guarding the Globe. The original team was a parody of DC Comics' Justice League of America.^[1]

Fictional team history[edit]

Guardians of the Globe I[edit]

In Image Comics, the original Guardians of the Globe are a private organization funded by War Woman and Darkwing. This version of the Guardians was written as a pastiche of DC Comics' Justice League of America (JLA), with most of the Guardians having an obvious JLA analog. Robert Kirkman, in his author notes for Invincible: The Ultimate Collection, Volume 1, explains that he went with these archetypes because he had only 18 pages to get the reader to care for the characters before their brutal deaths.^{[citation needed]}

The team included Darkwing (based on Batman); the Immortal (based on Superman along with elements of Vandal Savage); War Woman (based on Wonder Woman, with elements of Thor); Red Rush (based on the Flash); Aquarus, the King of Atlantis (based on Aquaman); Martian Man (based on the Martian Manhunter); and the Green Ghost (based on Green Lantern). Omni-Man was a trusted associate of the Guardians, although he was never an official member of the team. Eventually, Omni-Man betrays and murders the Guardians after calling them to their headquarters on an emergency.^[2] The only member of the Guardians to survive the massacre was Black Samson, who was not an active member at that time.

The original Guardians of the Globe appear again later in the story when Invincible is temporarily sent back in time. In this alternate history, Invincible is able to warn the Guardians about Omni-Man's betrayal, allowing them to successfully subdue Omni-Man long enough for him to come to his senses and realise he doesn't actually want to kill his friends.^[3]

Guardians of the Globe II[edit]

After the massacre of the original team, the United States government re-established the Guardians of the Globe under the supervision of the fictional Global Defense Agency. This new team is initially led by former Teen Team leader Robot under the direct supervision of Donald, the government's superhuman liaison. In addition to Robot, the original roster for the new team includes Dupli-Kate, Rex Splode, Monster Girl, Shrinking Ray, and Black Samson.

Bulletproof is eventually added to the team's roster as is the newly resurrected Immortal, who eventually replaces Robot as team leader. Although not a member, Invincible often helps the team in dire circumstances.

Following the death of Shrinking Ray and supposed demise of Dupli-Kate at the hands of Komodo Dragon, the Immortal resigns from the Guardians.

Parody team and miniseries[edit]

In March 2010, Image began releasing teaser posters, announcing members of a new Guardians of the Globe team as a parody of Marvel's advertisements for the line-ups of their revamped Avengers, New Avengers, Secret Avengers and Avengers Academy books. In order of appearance, the released posters were:

• Invincible from Invincible^[4]
• Spawn from Spawn ^[5]
• Rick Grimes from The Walking Dead ^[6]
• U.S. President Barack Obama^[7]
• Gary Potter, a parody of Harry Potter^[8]

In an interview with Comic Book Resources, Kirkman explained that although the later images were deliberately farcical, the campaign was intended to announce a six-issue miniseries spinning out of Invincible. The miniseries, he said, would deal with the earthbound characters of the Invincible universe, while that title focused on "The Viltrumite War", an eight-issue storyline that would be set solely in space. The six-issue series, named Guarding the Globe, was launched on August 25, 2010. The Parody Team was featured in a one-page backup in all issues of the first issue.^[9][10]

Image released teaser images of the team's real members done in the same style as the parody images. In order appearance, This set of posters were:

• Brit from Brit ^[11]
• Outrun ^[12]
• Kaboomerang ^[13]
• Yeti ^[14]
• Bulletproof ^[15]

Outrun, Kaboomerang, and Yeti are all new characters created for the series. Issue three of the new bimonthly miniseries also introduced El Chupacabra from Mexico, a washed-up superhero who is an alcoholic with razor-sharp claws and other abilities. In issue four, seven additional new characters are added.

Japandroid

An android from Japan who resembles a young girl.

Cast Iron

A metal-skinned man from Yugoslavia.

Knockout

A boxing heroine from the United States of America. Formerly a Capes, Inc. character.

Best Tiger

A blindfolded gunman from the People's Republic of China.

Le Brusier

A French bulldog from France with super-strength.

Kid Thor

A mallet-wielding strongman from Canada, also formerly from Capes, Inc.

Pegasus

A winged woman from Russia.

This team was featured in the following set of series: Guarding the Globe Vol 1 #1-6: Under Siege, Guarding the Globe Vol 2 #1-6: Hard to Kill and Invincible Universe #1-12 : On Deadly Ground and Above The Law. All 3 series were later collected together with Invincible Presents: Atom Eve and Invincible Presents: Atom Eve & Rex Splode in Invincible Universe Compendium.

When Robot began establishing a secret world dictatorship under his control in the main Invincible series, he sought to eliminate the Guardians. In Robot's initial attack, Black Samson, Knockout, and her husband Kid Thor were killed. Brit, Outrun, Kaboomarang, Le Brusier, Pegasus and Yeti were all later captured by Robot's drones following Bulletproof's betrayal of the remaining Guardians in exchange for his freedom. Of the Guardians present, only Best Tiger escaped while The Immortal and Dupli-Kate went into hiding. By the end of Invincible's run, Monax and Kid Invincible joined the team.

In other media[edit]

Both incarnations of the Guardians of the Globe appear in the Invincible streaming television series adaptations, with the characters voiced by the following actors:

• Immortal, Aquarus, and Rudy voiced by Ross Marquand
• War Woman voiced by Lauren Cohan
• Alana / Green Ghost and her unnamed predecessor voiced by Sonequa Martin-Green and Chris Diamantopoulos respectively
• Martian Man voiced by Chad L. Coleman
• Red Rush voiced by Michael Cudlitz
• Darkwing voiced by Lennie James
• Robot voiced by Zachary Quinto
• Rex Splode voiced by Jason Mantzoukas
• Dupli-Kate voiced by Malese Jow
• Rachel / Shrinking Rae and Monster Girl's human form voiced by Grey DeLisle
• Monster Girl's ogre form voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson
• Black Samson voiced by Khary Payton
• Bulletproof voiced by Jay Pharoah
• Shapesmith voiced by Ben Schwartz

References[edit]