She was crafted by Peter David and Paul Azaceta in 2004. She’s taken on the mantles of Quasar, Captain Marvel and Martyr across her career, but Phyla-Vell is a second generation hero, and daughter of Mar-Vell. With Hercules needing to get attuned to the cosmos away from his father, perhaps a group is the best way for the character to find his feet.

The kind-hearted but naïve Hercules would certainly be an organic replacement for characters like Drax, as the team dynamic shifts.

Hercules brings with him a dynasty of antagonists for the Guardians to face, with some of their most intriguing stories in recent years pitting the team against the Greek Gods of ancient times. Of course, the MCU has already seen Thor join the team, so they will be needing an equally brutish and fantastical figure to take his place. While comparisons could be made between Thor and the Olympian, Hercules’ continued refusal to take on any kind of responsibility is certainly at odds with the Asgardians’ eventual rise through the monarchy. While not much is known about the portrayal of the character on the screen, the comics have pitched the demi-god as a bumbling but heroic figure, who has travelled the cosmos looking for adventure. Hercules has only just debuted in the MCU as a post-credits stinger for Thor: Love and Thunder but was originally created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in 1965. Taking on the mantle of Moondragon after a victory against a cosmic dragon, the character would eventually join the Guardians. Brought up on the planet Titan, Douglas would learn incredible martial arts and telekinetic skills, boosting her power through sheer determination. After Douglas’ family witnessed the landing of Thanos’ spaceship, the Mad Titan eviscerated them, with Douglas narrowly escaping. Her backstory is as tragic as many other members of the team. MoondragonĬreated by Bill Everett, Mike Friedrich, and George Tuska in 1973, Heather Douglas is a fascinating figure and it’s an absolute crime that she is yet to be introduced to the MCU. Their inclusion into a future team would make narrative sense, provide plenty of intriguing conflicts and would help to define the Guardians outside of their original roster. As Marvel looks to its next eras and continues to map out what might happen with the squad, these characters are fantastic figures to draw inspiration from. The comics have seen a vast range of heroes join the Guardians, many of which have not been featured in the MCU, or have not been affiliated with the team on screen. The value of the Guardians, from the perspective of the Marvel brand and within the MCU itself, is just too big to move away from.

While it appears that the third instalment will mark the end of this current iteration of the team in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, there is every possibility that the roster of heroes will evolve and change for a new era. The Guardians of the Galaxy are heading to the big screen one last time for Vol.

Venom donny cates vol 2