Marvel Studios: The Infinity Saga – The Art of Guardians of the Galaxy is the ninth release in the 24-book Marvel Studios: The Infinity Saga series, which is republishing previously released art books as a resized matching set. The Guardians of the Galaxy are Star-Lord (a.k.a. Peter Quill), Groot, Rocket Raccoon, Gamora and Drax. Author Marie Javins describes them in her introduction as “a brash thief, a walking tree, a talking raccoon, a lethal assassin, and a deadly maniac.” Over the course of the movie, which I described in my review as “a highly entertaining blockbuster filled with action and humor,” the noble sides of these outlaws are revealed to each other and the audience and they become a family.
Buy The Art of Guardians of the Galaxy bookIn his Foreword, director James Gunn reveals that in response to past science fiction films that “rel[ied] on darkness and grittiness,” such as Alien and Blade Runner or “descendants of Logan’s Run, where the future and alternate realities are composed of almost all white buildings…Guardians of the Galaxy would be about color, and life. In-your-face, over-the-top, unrepentant COLOR.” He also wanted to “rescue the aesthetics of pulpy science fiction films from the fifties and sixties…like Forbidden Planet, Fantastic Voyage, Barbarella.”
“This was the first time we’ve had to create a world entirely from whole cloth,” according to co-producer Jeremy Latcham, “aside from the two minutes the film takes place in Missouri.” This book demonstrates what went into creating that world under the guidance of many people, such as Gunn, Head of Visual Development Charlie Wen, Production Designer Charlie Wood, and Costume Designer Alexandra Byrne.
“The Legendary Star-Lord” chapter begins with various drawings of costumes, including the character’s helmet which was dealt with by concept artist Rodney Fuentebella, and of props, such as his pistols and his tools, both by concept artist Chris Rosewarne. Also in this chapter is artwork for the planet Morag where Peter seeks the Orb; characters Korath and the Sakaaran soldiers; and exteriors and interiors, including the cassette-tape deck, of Peter’s ship, the Milano, worked on by concept artist Roberto Fernandez Castro and others.
“Dark Alliances” highlights Ronan the Accuser and his ship, the menacing Dark Aster, Thanos, and Thanos’s adopted daughter Nebula. The rest of the Guardians except for Drax appear in “Galaxy’s Most Wanted” as do the evolution of their designs. “Corps Values” showcases the Nova Corps. For someone who was reading comics when Nova debuted back in the late ’70s, it’s surprising they had so many iterations of the helmet because the original look is iconic.
The Guardians meet Drax in prison. “Prison Break” is where we get to see development art for the character and the Kyln where they and others creatures are jailed. Concept artist Pete Thompson says, “I think everyone in the production crew would agree with me that the Kyln was the most impressive set of the whole movie.” What’s presented in the book certainly helps make that case. Storyboards by David Krentz detail the “Kyln Escape” sequence.
The Collector resides in Knowhere, the disembodied head of a Celestial, a giant race of beings. In “Knowhere to Run,” readers get to see designs of Knowhere’s many alien inhabitants; items stored in the collection, including things familiar to viewers of previous MCU movies; and various looks of the Collector by concept artist Jackson Sze.
Chapter Seven is “Family Reunion,” even though my copy of the book has mislabeled the pages with the previous chapter heading. The chapter focuses on Yondu and the Ravagers, including the Guardians sans Groot who “suit up in contemporary Ravager gear [and] begin to resemble a team for the first time.”
“Somebody’s Gotta Do It” deals with the climactic battle in Xander’s atmosphere. Sze explains, “the aerial battle…configuration was supposed to mimic a neuroimaging scan of Peter Quill’s mom.” Artwork also shows Groot saving his new friends, and his friends uniting to defeat Ronan. As with other books in the series, marketing materials serve as a prologue.
The Art of Guardians of the Galaxy sees how the artists approached the MCU franchise taking its boldest swing up to that point with a space-faring adventure featuring little-known characters who weren’t superheroes. In the Afterword, Wen says, they were designing items “on a scope Marvel had never seen in its previous films.” The work proved successful and is on display here for fans to enjoy.
