42: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 – Show Notes

First Segment

  • Comic Book Origins of the Film’s Core Team
    • Star-Lord AKA Peter Quill
      • Played by Chris Pratt
      • Created by Steve Englehart and Steve Gann in Marvel Preview #4 – 1976
      • Englehart’s original plans for this “unpleasant, introverted jerk”
      • Comparing his origins
    • Drax the Destroyer
      • Played by Dave Bautista
      • Created by Jim Starlin (creator of Thanos) in Iron Man #55 – 1973
      • Was just “space-Hulk” until 2005 to 2006
        • Abilities and origins
    • Gamora
      • Played by Zoe Saldana
      • Created by Jim Starlin in Strange Tales #180 – 1975
      • A daughter of Thanos – “The deadliest woman in the whole galaxy”
        • Abilities and origins
    • Rocket Racoon
      • Played by Bradley Cooper
      • Created by Bill Mantlo and Keith Giffin in Marvel Preview #7 – 1976
      • All the powers of a Racoon!  And he’s a genius.
        • Abilities and origins
    • Groot
      • Played by Vin Diesel
      • Created by Jack Kirby in Tales to Astonish #13 – 1960
      • A “Floral Colossus” of the Planet X, but really…a space ent!
        • Origins
  • New Vol. 2 Character from the Comics
    • Mantis
      • Played by Pom Klementieff
      • Created by Steve Engleheart and Don Heck in The Avengers #112 – 1973
      • Space Alien Monasteries in Vietnam – A “Celestial Madonna”
        • Abilities and Origins
  • Guardians of the Galaxy (2008-2010)
    • Comic book inspiration for the team you see in the films
    • Writers, Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning (DnA) with Penciller, Paul Pelletier
      • Formed the team in Annihilation: Conquest and it became their favorite part

Second Segment

  • Marvel’s Phases
    • Phase 1
      • Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 2, Thor, Captain America: The First Avenger, Avengers
    • Phase 2
      • Iron Man 3, Thor: The Dark World, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Guardians of the Galaxy, Avengers Age of Ultron, Ant Man
    • Phase 3
      • Happening right now
      • Captain America: Civil War, Doctor Strange
      • Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 2, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Thor: Ragnarok, Black Panther, Avengers: Infinity War, Ant-Man and the Wasp, Captain Marvel, Avengers 4
    • What happens after Phase 3?
      • Thanos and the Infinity Gauntlet
      • Guardians Volume 3, Spider-Man sequel
    • Copied by every studio in Hollywood
  • The Success of Phase 1
  • Guardians and Marvel Banking on the Marvel Universe
    • Kevin Feige: It’s a compelling story
  • Marvel Young Writers Program
    • Nicole Perlman
  • James Gunn
    • Troma Entertainment
      • Tromeo and Juliet
    • Scooby Doo
    • Dawn of the Dead
    • Slither
    • Super
  • Why Gunn was the Right Choice for Guardians
  • Wanted to Reinvigorate the Space Opera
  • Guardians: Volume 1 Success
    • 91% on Rotten Tomatoes
    • One of the Biggest Films of 2014
    • Justified the Marvel Product
  • Gunn’s Work on the Second Guardians
  • Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 3

Third Segment

  • Critics on the First Guardians v. the Second Guardians
  • A More Impressive Sequel
    • Writers writing for actors
  • Marvel Franchise Building Characters
    • Robert Downey Jr v. Chris Pratt
    • Peter Quill in the comics
    • Big Names in Movies v. Charisma
  • Dirty Dozen Inspired Comics
  • Other Studios and the “Phases”
  • Gritty Superhero Movies Compared to Marvel
  • Great Time in the Movie Theater
  • Cosmic Comics
    • The possibilities for new storytelling