TheAvengersmay be known as Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, but Marvel’s newGuardians of the Galaxyjust made it clear they’re not even in the running. Not only are these heroes - who hail from the distant future - more powerful than the Avengers, but they have such unique superpowers that Hank Pym is forced to admit he doesn’t even know the terms for what they can do.
InThe Ultimates #8(Deniz Camp, Juan Frigeri, Federico Blee and Travis Lanham), Captain America’s team meet the new Guardians of the Galaxy, made up ofa new Captain Marvel, Star-Lord, Ultimate Nullifier and Cosmo. Thanks to an initial misunderstanding, the Guardians and Ultimates throw down, leading the cosmic heroes to showcase a huge range of abilities. As the Guardians take down multiple heroes at once,Ant-Man bellows,“these guys have powers we don’t even have names for.”

The Ultimate Guardians of the Galaxy Are Basically Gods
By the 61st Century, Superheroes Are Unimaginably Powerful
The issue showcases a handful of powers for these new heroes, including:
The team share their credentials, which include killing Mephisto, out-thinking the Celestials, and defeating ‘the Ultron Dominion.’ Fans of recent X-Men comics will recognize ‘Dominion’ as the term for a godlike AI which has transcended time and space. It took every mutant from the past, present and future unifying their powers to defeatthe Dominion known as Enigma, but the Guardians reveal they achieved the same result bysplitting themselves across time and space to fight in every moment simultaneously. What’s more, the Guardians who fans meet this issue are just four of a 250,000-strong army.

Thanos' Replacement Arrives - Marvel Begins 2025 by Introducing the Infinity Gauntlet’s New Owner
In the first big reveal of 2025, Marvel debuts the new wielder of the Infinity Gauntlet - a character who couldn’t be more different to Thanos.
The Ultimate Guardians of the Galaxy Are Unbelievably Powerful
Their Heavy Hitters Make Thor Look Like an Insect
The new Guardians of the Galaxy are residents of Earth-6160 - a world whose timeline has been mangled and warped by the villainous Maker. The Maker’s time travel didn’t just rewrite the present of this reality - it also destroyed the utopian future of the Guardians of the Galaxy. Thankfully,the Guardians were so powerful that they sensed their timeline being rewritten, creating an impossible ship to escape. Sadly, the ship was eventually destroyed, scattering the Guardians across time and space.
However, fans do get to see the Guardians at the height of their power, and the team’s true form is staggering. Not only are the Guardians part of a group who protect 400 millions worlds, but their heavy hitters include the Starbrand, Captain Universe, a younger version of the Molecule Man, a Phoenix-Force empowered Giraud and a new Infinity Gauntlet wielder named Gary. To put those names in context, Molecule Man is so powerful that he coulddestroy Galactus with a single thought.

Giraud is a classicGuardians of the Galaxycharacter - a telekinetic freedom fighter from the planet Haven who becomes the latest host of the Phoenix Force.
While the 61st Century has been destroyed by the Maker, the Guardians are so powerful that Star-Lord says they should be able to restore it, while also allowing the new version of the timeline to survive too. However, that will depend on Captain Marvel, Star-Lord, Ultimate Nullifier and Cosmo finding and rescuing the other members of their godlike superteam. The team end the issue on good terms with the Ultimates, agreeing to work together against the Maker in future. Hopefully, that time comes sooner rather than later, as fans need to see theseAvengers-beatingGuardians of the Galaxyagain as soon as possible.
The Ultimates #8is available now from Marvel Comics.
Ultimate Marvel
Created in 2000, the Ultimate Marvel imprint redesigned the entire Marvel Comics universe with a new set of origin stories and relationships. The reboot reinterpreted Marvel continuity from scratch in an attempt to simplify and update the company’s 60-year history for modern audiences. With famous comic book writers such as Brian Michael Bendis, Warren Ellis, and Mark Millar at the helm, the Ultimate universe (named Earth-1610 within the Marvel multiverse) lasted 15 years and provided plenty of inspiration for the MCU.
Guardians of the Galaxy
The Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, rooted in Marvel Comics, has expanded into a prominent series within the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), blending action, humor, and a distinctive 1970s and 1980s soundtrack.