Grand Guardians Giveaway

Over the past few months, we here at Guard the Galaxy have been holding weekly giveaways. Every week (or most weeks) we ask a question on Monday, and then our visitors post an answer in the comment section below. On the following Friday, we randomly choose a winner. Since all of the prizes were bought and shipped on our dime (and it can be a little costly), we are unfortunately only going to be doing the giveaways a few times a year from now on.

Early on, we decided that on August 1st, 2013 (which marks the one year countdown to the film), we would do something called a Grand Guardians Giveaway, in which we would take all of our giveaway winners from the past and put their names in a drawing for a larger prize. To keep things interesting, we decided we would ask all of them to write a short summary of why they love Guardians of the Galaxy. Check out the answers we got, the prize, and the winner after the jump!

Ben Wright:

"I love the Guardians of the Galaxy because they're so different and unique from other characters in the Marvel universe. With Spider-man, Captain America, or some of the other, more conventional superheroes, you know that they are going to protect others, do what's right, and that they'll rarely stray from the stereotypical hero archetype. With the Guardians, you're given a team of very unique characters who all have different beliefs and motives but who come together to do what's right in their own way. You wouldn't think that you would be able to take a ragtag group composed of assassins, an introverted jerk, a tree, and a raccoon with an obsession with guns seriously, but their adventures are very compelling and interesting. They are all so different, but that makes them all the more interesting, and you start to genuinely care about what happens to each of them.

This is why I'm so excited for the GotG movie. It's going to be unlike anything that we've seen before inside or outside of the Marvel universe. But more than that, I really think that the superb cast is going to showcase each character and their interactions together. The Avengers was an awesome movie, and it's easily one of the best superhero movies ever made, but it wasn't great because it had a unique story or cutting edge special effects. It was great because of the way that each Avenger interacted with the others. The dialogue was perfect and you started to form real emotional attachments to characters that you know aren't real or even realistic. I think that GotG is going to take that formula one step further with more unique characters with larger than life personalities in a one of a kind setting. I really think that this will be one of the best Marvel movies made, and I'm beyond optimistic that this movie will capture everything that makes the Guardians comics great."

John Sanford:

"I'll admit, I'm still new to Guardians of the Galaxy. I'm still relatively new to comics in general. I'm having to go back and read all of the Cosmic Marvel stories, and only recently sunk my teeth into the Guardians with the new Marvel Now run. Oh, but what a satisfying bite it was, and has been!

I know that some people have problems with the new run, but jumping in on issue one was one of the best decisions I've ever made for the hobby. It was the first time I started following characters that I didn't really know anything about before. It's been and will continue to be a genuinely new adventure in comics, unlike reading a new X-Men, Avengers, Batman, etc. book.

The Guardians of the Galaxy use different characterizations to perfectly blend drama, progression, and fun. Each character, to me, represents why comics and superhero teams work so well. They feel like classical archetypes, and I feel that other superhero teams have lost that classic characterization.

A lot of comic book characters I love have been going through some confusing and strange times, and sometimes buying a new issue can feel risky because I don't feel like I like where the story is going, but I can rely on the Guardians for providing good old comic book fun. It may be simple, but that's why it works. So thanks to the Guardians for opening a huge door for me into what has become my favorite artistic medium! Thanks for giving me a team to rely on!"

Jorge Ortiz:

"Why I love Guardians of the Galaxy?

Easy, the guardians are the most unique, diverse group of crazy heroes I've seen in the Marvel U and I love how even though each of them is messed up, they all come together to save the Universe from it's greatest threats and do it as a team and as friends. When things go wrong in the galaxy you call the Guardians to come save your a**."

Ed208:

"I love Guardians of the Galaxy because it is a return to the days when Marvel Comics were as enjoyable as they were epic in scope. When I pick up an issue of this series, I know I'll be getting unique, unmistakable characters and grand adventure with cosmic stakes. Put it all together with top level talent behind the scenes, and Guardians of the Galaxy is making comics fun again."

THE PRIZE:

Click for Larger View

Click for Larger View

The winner of the giveaway will be receiving a hardcover copy of Avengers Assemble by Brian Michael Bendis, a paperback copy of Annihilation Book 3, and a Guardians of the Galaxy action figure set, which features Drax, Star-Lord, and Rocket Raccoon.

THE WINNER:

JOHN SANFORD

Our winner was chosen at random. Congratulations to John, and thanks to everyone who has supported this site since it's conception.