Synopsis / Summary / Plot
Gamora killed Thanos at the start of Infinity Wars. But last issue Eros convened a meeting of galactic players to reveal that Thanos had arranged for his mind to be uploaded to someone else, and they suspect it was Gamora. Hela sent the Black Order to steal Thanos' body from them. They were successful but the head is missing. Groot and Star-Lord arrived late in time to see the Black Order send the gathering into a black hole. Beta Ray Bill, the Cosmic Ghost Rider (Frank Castle), Captain Marvel (Phyla-Vell) and Moondragon (these last 2 from an alternate universe) were the only survivors. And these 6 formed the new Guardians Of The Galaxy.
Now drunk Peter Quill has rung up Kitty Pryde of the X-Men on Earth to bitch about it all. He tells her he still loves her and wants her back. She reminds him she's married to Colossus now. He apologises for missing the wedding. She asks why he isn't calling Gamora instead. Peter says she killed him (IW#1) and Kitty says that happens all the time in the X-Men, so get over it. He should sober up and go find her and defend her. And also he should do something about the Black Order and Thanos' body.
Hela and the Order are looking for Thanos' head. We last saw Gamora throw it in front of the assembled Infinity Watch to prove she had killed the Titan. Now the Order have come to demand that the Collector hand it over to them. He denies knowing anything about it, but then says he'll tell them where it is if they'll make a deal. Hela comments that Death made him (and the other Elders Of The Universe) immortal (in Avengers Annual #16), but as a Death Goddess herself she can break that pact. So the deal will be tell her where the head is and she'll let him continue living. Taneleer Tivan directs them to the Negative Zone. (It isn't clear whether *any* of his statements are true.)
In Quill's new ship the Ryder Phyla-Vell and Heather Douglas are trying to sleep in each other's arms when Peter comes in with some spare clothes (belonging to ex-GOTG Gamora and Drax). He's plagued by nightmares of Gamora killing him but then walks into an argument between the Rider and Groot with Bill trying to restore peace. Groot complains that Rider cut pieces off him which then grew into vicious baby Groots who go around stabbing everybody (and can only say "I am Stab"). Rider attacks Groot but Heather and Phyla, still trying to get some sleep, enter the room and Moondragon launches the Dragon Of The Moon from her tattoo and it smashes Rider against the wall.
The shock reverts him to Frank Castle and he gives Star-Lord a potted history of his conversion from Punisher to Cosmic GR in an alternate future (see Thanos (2017) #13-18). Then he reveals that the argument between him and Groot is because Groot (and Bill) want to save Gamora but Rider wants to kill her. Quill claims to be neutral, and the others can go pursue their own choices. Castle takes him up on it and leaves. Groot says they've got to stop him killing their friend, but Peter points out that only he and Groot know where Gamora is. And anyway she's already dead. (I don't (yet) understand this. Last *we* saw of her in IW#6 Warlock let the Infinity Stones send her where *they* wanted to, and she wound up looking after a newly-reborn Magus.)
Now we discover that some of the other chars were rescued from last issue's black hole. Gladiator and Eros (scarred and in the Shi'ar version of a wheelchair) are on a Shi'ar starship. Eros has reconvened the meeting. G-Type and Plutonia II (members of the Shi'ar Imperial Guard who weren't in the black hole disaster last issue) are there along with Cosmic Ghost Rider and a Kree soldier, and several other indistinct forms.
Then Wraith (who also fell in the hole) steps out of the shadows. He takes an instant dislike to Rider (because the flaming skull reminds him of the signet ring of the man who killed his parents - see Annihilation Conguest: Wraith #2). He thinks they should concentrate on finding the Black Order and Thanos' body. Gladiator says the Shi'ar are looking for them, and Eros says that frees them to hunt down and kill Gamora.
This is agreeable to a new member of the team, Gamora's sister Nebula (presumably finished with her villainy in Asgardians Of The Galaxy). She also suggests how they will find her, by 'questioning' her ex-lover - Richard Rider, Nova.