Guardians of the Galaxy Issue #08 Pg. 03 (ft. Babel Spire)

This page from Guardians of the Galaxy (Vol. 2) #8, released October 2008, features the final Babel Spire, a recurring element woven throughout the preceding cosmic storylines that shaped the path to the Guardians of the Galaxy formation. As the last spire in this collection, it represents the intersection of earlier arcs with the new narrative direction of the series.

Serving as the title page for issue #8, it sets the stage for Star-Lord’s shocking discovery of the Kree empire’s silence during the Secret Invasion event. That silence is born from the Kree’s need to recover after successive apocalyptic crises, including the Annihilation Wave, the Phalanx subjugation, and the Skrulls’ infiltration during Secret Invasion. The spire, repurposed by the Kree, is powered by masses of Skrull bodies. This grim construction provides their civilization with a protective barrier as it struggles to rebuild.

Star-Lord is deeply unsettled by the Kree’s reliance on a structure created by a race that had nearly destroyed the galaxy, as well as by the genocide being carried out to power the barrier. These revelations set him on a collision course with Ronan, a relationship destined to erupt into new conflict because of Star-Lord’s earlier failure to protect the Kree from the Phalanx invasion.

This issue also marks Brad Walker’s debut as penciler on the series. His dynamic artwork would go on to define many subsequent issues, complementing some of the most epic and enduring moments written in this run.

11x17 Marvel comic art board.