Ever since announcing the return of Guardians of the Galaxy under the tutelage of Marvel’s hottest up-and-coming writer, Donny Cates, and Marvel Knights artist Geoff Shaw, the House of Ideas has slowly teased the lineup for the new series debuting this January.
Thus far Cosmic Ghost Rider, Nova, Darkhawk, Gladiator, Phyla-Vell, Beta Ray Bill, and Moondragon have been confirmed as team members, while four characters remain a mystery. We have some guesses about who remains, and one may surprise you.
While it’s easy to guess that the two figures flanking the behemoth in the back are Adam Warlock (on the right) and Silver Surfer (on the left, with the clear board outline), the front figure is less conspicuous — until you look closer. Notice how the outline looks reminiscent of arms crossed over the chest with a gun in one hand. Doesn’t that look familiar?
Call it wild speculation (because it is), but it seems there’s a chance the final Guardian is Black Widow. Sure, the silhouette betrays a sense of the stance above, but even the context of Black Widow’s recent journey across the Marvel Universe leads to a spot on the Guardians’ roster a legitimate possibility.
She was a major player in Infinity Countdown and even possessed an Infinity Stone for some time, so maybe she’s heading to the stars for answers about the stone she possessed where she bumps into the new Guardians. Maybe in the wake of Infinity Wars she feels the need to explore space and protect not just Earth, but the galaxy as a whole. Either way, she’s been dipping her toes into the galactic side of Marvel stories lately.

Image via Marvel
Additionally, Donny Cates has said he has “insane” plans for his run on the series. Bringing Black Widow aboard to the lead the new team may not be “insane,” but it would definitely be unexpected — especially since it’d be easy to say that same gun-toting silhouette is Guardian mainstay Peter Quill. Bringing a character like Black Widow to the cosmic side of the Marvel Universe would be a great way to set Cates and Shaw’s run apart, right from the start.
Who do you think the final Guardians will be? We will all find out when Guardians of the Galaxy #1 hits stores in January 2019.

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