Guardians of the Galaxy #17

Trumpeted as "1st Issue of a Brand New Era!" and timed to Marvel's celebration of Captain America's 50th anniversary (1941–1991), this October 1991 issue of Guardians of the Galaxy kicks off a bold new chapter with the cover-blaring promise: "It Begins Here… Homecoming!" Jim Valentino's pencils and Al Williamson's inks present a striking lineup of four figures — a blue-skinned armored Guardian at the left, a fierce woman with flaming hair in a green costume wielding a pistol and blade, a heavily armed soldier in dark tactical gear at the center, and another blue-skinned Guardian at the lower right — all posed with serious, determined energy against a yellow brick wall. With Valentino also handling interior art and writing duties, this issue looks like a confident, cohesive statement of purpose for the team's future.