Guardians of the Galaxy: Bane of Blastaar pits the team against a classic Fantastic Four villain this April

Guardians of the Galaxy: Bane of Blastaar #1 cover art (Image credit: Marvel Comics)

Just as the Guardians of the Galaxy are about to get a brand new relaunched ongoing title ahead of the theatrical release of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, the team is also getting a one-shot set in the "classic" Guardians era when the team that we now know as the Guardians first formed which pits them against Negative Zone villain Blastaar.

Written by the former long-time Marvel editor Ralph Macchio with art from Davide Tinto, the one-shot, appropriately titled Guardians of the Galaxy: Bane of Blastaar #1, brings Blastaar out of the Negative Zone and into the larger Marvel Universe as he sets out on a campaign to conquer the entire galaxy.

"Blastaar is back and has launched a new inquisition to take over the galaxy! The Guardians must act fast if they hope to stop him!" reads the solicitation for Guardians of the Galaxy: Bane of Blastaar #1, first announced on AiPT!. "But it looks like this found family is having problems of their own. Can the Guardians get it together before it’s too late? Don’t miss out on this classic Guardians of the Galaxy tale!"

Blastaar was first introduced in 1967's Fantastic Four #62 as the would-be conqueror of the Negative Zone, a twisted alternate dimension existing alongside the Marvel Universe which was discovered by the Fantastic Four.

As for the Guardians themselves, they're about to relaunch with a new team consisting of Star-Lord, Mantis, Nebula, Gamora, and Drax for a story titled 'Grootfall' that seems to be foreshadowing either the death or the heel turn of Groot.

Guardians of the Galaxy: Bane of Blastaar goes on sale April 26 with a cover by Todd Nauck, seen here.

Even though he's a classic character, Blastaar doesn't quite make the list of the best Fantastic Four villains ever.

I've been Newsarama's resident Marvel Comics expert and general comic book historian since 2011. I've also been the on-site reporter at most major comic conventions such as Comic-Con International: San Diego, New York Comic Con, and C2E2. Outside of comic journalism, I am the artist of many weird pictures, and the guitarist of many heavy riffs. (They/Them)