Guardians of the Galaxy's New King of Space is a Ridiculous Twist
Warning: contains a preview of Guardians of the Galaxy #14!
In Marvel Comics' upcoming issue of Guardians of the Galaxy, the universe's newly sanctioned cosmic defenders are going to have to deal with a ridiculous change when it comes to Marvel's King of Space. In the most recent issue, Doctor Doom attempted to claim Emperor Hulkling's Star-Sword for himself, believing that he had a right to it purely due to his massively inflated ego. Since there is no way Hulkling and the rest of the Guardians are going to just take that lying down, Doom orchestrates an absolutely crazy way to get what he wants.
In Guardians of the Galaxy #13, the Guardians of the Galaxy debuted as the official heroes of space, serving as the cosmic equivalent of the Avengers at the behest of the Galactic Council, though they still get to call their own shots. After dealing with foes known as the Progenitors who were attacking the Kree/Skrull throneworld, it was revealed that they were sent by Doctor Doom himself, who made a grand entrance to the Guardians, who he clearly sees as beneath him. While teasers have suggested that Doom might become a surprisingly ally to the team of heroes, it seems as though he's thus far just being his typical villainous self.
Now, a Marvel Comics preview of Guardians of the Galaxy #14 from writer Al Ewing and artist Juan Frigeri sees Doctor Doom wielding Excelsior the Star-Sword, believing that he should be the new King of Space. However, the sword itself seems to know who its true wielder is, returning to Hulkling's hand. In response, Doctor Doom unleashes an incredibly weird attack. Enjoy the issue summary and preview pages below:
A WHOLE GALAXY OF TROUBLE! As half the team defends the Kree/Skrull Throneworld against a deadlier threat than they’ve ever faced before... the other half investigates a terrifying sacrificial cult on a mysterious planet... with the power to plunge the universe into war. Plus: A new space hero… joins… the team… No way.
As Teddy's face transforms to resemble the Latverian dictator's, it looks as though Doctor Doom has switched bodies with the true King of Space. However, Doom does claim that his intentions are noble, needing the Star-Sword to prevent some sort of imminent threat he believes only he alone can stop. Combined with the synopsis, it's pretty likely that after an initial brawl with Doom inhabiting Hulkling's body, the Guardians will be able to convince him that he'll have a better chance joining their team and working together.
However it all goes down when the issue releases May 12, seeing Hulkling's face transformed Doctor Doom-style is pretty wacky, though it makes some sense considering the fact that the alien emperor is half shape-shifting Skrull; a physical power Doom seems to have mastered instantly. It's a damning way for the ruler of Latveria to introduce himself to this new team of high-powered heroes, and it's possible that whether or not Doctor Doom joins the Guardians of the Galaxy will be as much down to whether the team are willing to accept him as whether he's prepared to share the burden of whatever terrible threat is on its way.