The Annihilators are a fictional team in the Marvel Universe

Marvel Universe

The Marvel Universe is the shared fictional universe where most comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Entertainment take place, including those featuring Marvel's most familiar characters, such as Spider-Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, and the Avengers.The Marvel Universe is further...

 and appear in publications from Marvel Comics

Marvel Comics

Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...

. They are a collection of powerful space-based characters from various alien races. They act as a deterrence to galactic war.

Publication history

The team first assembled in The Thanos Imperative

The Thanos Imperative

The Thanos Imperative is a 6-issue comic book limited series published in 2010 by Marvel Comics. It was written by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning, and was bookended by two one-shot comics, Ignition and Devastation...

: Devastation one-shot (March 2011). They starred in a four-issue eponym

Eponym

An eponym is the name of a person or thing, whether real or fictitious, after which a particular place, tribe, era, discovery, or other item is named or thought to be named...

ous limited series

Limited series

A limited series is a comic book series with a set number of installments. A limited series differs from an ongoing series in that the number of issues is determined before production and it differs from a one shot in that it is composed of multiple issues....

, along with a Groot

Groot

Groot is a fictional character, an extraterrestrial in the and member of the Guardians of the Galaxy.-Publication history:Groot first appeared in Tales to Astonish vol...

/Rocket Raccoon

Rocket Raccoon

Rocket Raccoon is a fictional character, a superhero in the . He first appeared in Marvel Preview #7 . Rocket Raccoon is an intelligent, anthropomorphic raccoon.-Publication history:...

 co-feature that was previously announced as a separate limited series.

A second limited series, Annihilators: Earthfall, will began in September 2011 and will conclude in December 2011.

Fictional team history

After a string of galactic-level threats (The Annihilation Wave, the Phalanx's

Phalanx (comics)

The Phalanx are a fictional cybernetic species in the Marvel Comics universe. They have come in conflict with the X-Men and related groups on several occasions. They form a hive mind, linking each member by a telepathy-like system....

 Conquest

Annihilation: Conquest

Annihilation: Conquest is a 2007-2008 Marvel Comics crossover storyline and the sequel to 2006's Annihilation. The series again focuses on Marvel's cosmic heroes defending the universe against the Phalanx, now led by Ultron...

 of the Kree

Kree

The Kree, also known as the Ruul, are a scientifically and technologically advanced militaristic alien race in the fictional Marvel Universe. They are native to the planet Hala in the Large Magellanic Cloud...

, the War of Kings

War of Kings

"War of Kings" is a comic book crossover storyline written by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning, published by Marvel Comics, and set in Marvel's main shared universe. The six issue limited series was published between March and August, 2009....

, and the Cancerverse invasion

The Thanos Imperative

The Thanos Imperative is a 6-issue comic book limited series published in 2010 by Marvel Comics. It was written by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning, and was bookended by two one-shot comics, Ignition and Devastation...

), Cosmo tries to fulfill the dream of his deceased friend and former Guardian of the Galaxy, Star-Lord

Star-Lord

Star-Lord is the name of three fictional characters that appear in publications from by Marvel Comics.The first Star-Lord was Peter Quill, who first appeared in Marvel Preview #4 , and was created by Steve Englehart and Steve Gan...

, and assmebles a proactive team that will stop threats before the universe is in danger. He recruits the most powerful individuals he knows: the human Quasar, the Kree

Kree

The Kree, also known as the Ruul, are a scientifically and technologically advanced militaristic alien race in the fictional Marvel Universe. They are native to the planet Hala in the Large Magellanic Cloud...

 Ronan the Accuser

Ronan the Accuser

Ronan the Accuser is a fictional character that has appeared in numerous comic book series published by Marvel Comics. A member of the alien race the Kree, he exists in Marvel's main shared universe, known as the Marvel Universe. Ronan first appeared in Fantastic Four #65 , and was created by Stan...

, the Shi'ar

Shi'ar

The Shi'ar are a fictional species of aliens in the Marvel Comics universe. The Shi'ar Empire also called the Aerie, is a vast collection of alien species, cultures and worlds situated close to the Skrull and Kree Empires, and alongside them, is one of the three main alien empires...

 Gladiator, the Korbinite Beta Ray Bill

Beta Ray Bill

Beta Ray Bill is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in Thor #337 and was created by writer-artist Walt Simonson....

, and Herald of Galactus Silver Surfer

Silver Surfer

The Silver Surfer is a Marvel Comics superhero created by Jack Kirby. The character first appears in Fantastic Four #48 , the first of a three-issue arc that fans call "The Galactus Trilogy"....

 Each of them is initially resistant to the idea, but agree to join after they work together to defend Kree territory from Blastaar

Blastaar

Blastaar, sometimes called the Living Bomb-Burst and Blasstaar, is a Marvel Comics supervillain. Blastaar is an opponent of the Fantastic Four and lives in the Negative Zone...

.

They are joined by the Galadorian Spaceknight

Spaceknights

Spaceknights is a name used by at least three distinct groups of characters in the fictional . The better known group is a core concept of the 1980s comic book Rom Spaceknight, while the other two are far more recent creations and not much is yet known about them.-Galador's Spaceknights:The...

 Ikon, who needs their assistance protecting her planet from Doctor Dredd. After fending off Dire Wraith

Dire Wraith

The Dire Wraiths are a fictional extraterrestrial species published by Marvel Comics. The Dire Wraiths first appeared in Rom #1 , and were created by Bill Mantlo and Al Milgrom. The Dire Wraiths are the main opponents of Rom the Spaceknight....

s and Immortus

Immortus

Immortus is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe. He is the future self of Kang the Conqueror, and first appeared in Avengers #10, and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby....

, they ultimately reveal Doctor Dredd to be a skrull

Skrull

The Skrulls are a fictional race of extraterrestrial shapeshifters that appear in publications by Marvel Comics.-Publication history:The Skrulls first appeared in Fantastic Four #2 and were created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby....

 imposter.

Later, while trying to end a conflict between two factions of the Universal Church of Truth

Universal Church of Truth

The Universal Church of Truth is a star-spanning religious empire in Marvel Comics' fictional shared universe, known as the Marvel Universe. Composed of diverse alien species, it first appeared in Strange Tales vol 1 #178 , written by Jim Starlin.In the original stories, its seat of government was...

, the Annihilators learn of a plot to revive the evil Magus

Magus (comics)

The Magus is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics supervillain. He is an evil version of the hero Adam Warlock.-Publication history:The Magus was created by Jim Starlin, and appears as an image in Strange Tales vol...

. They travel to Earth where the resurrection is happening, but are unable to prevent it due to a conflict with the Avengers

Avengers (comics)

The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers...

, who mistake the Annihilators for an invasion force. Quasar, Ikon, and Spider-Man

Spider-Man

Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...

 discover the Magus has taken the form of a young boy.

Collected editions

The series was collected into a hardcover

Trade paperback (comics)

In comics, a trade paperback is a collection of stories originally published in comic books, reprinted in book format, usually capturing one story arc from a single title or a series of stories with a connected story arc or common theme from one or more titles...

(August 2011, 184 pages, ISBN 9780785160403).

External links

• Annihilators at the Marvel Universe
• Annihilators at the Marvel Comics Database