With Guardians of the Galaxy hitting theaters this Friday, never has the spotlight on Marvel’s cosmic characters been stronger. Characters like Rocket Raccoon and Star-Lord are becoming household names, and causal Marvel fans are realizing that the Marvel Universe has more to offer than just straight-up superhero stories.

If Guardians of the Galaxy is piquing your interest in all things cosmic, we’re here to help. We’ve put together a list of comics that any fan of epic space fantasy should read.

Released: 1981-present

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