2. Marvel NOW!
Brian Michael Bendis' 2013 run with Rocket and the Guardians is an essential read for anyone wishing to immerse themselves in the rich Guardians of the Galaxy mythology before the movie gets its big release. In Marvel NOW! none other than Tony Stark is recruited into the elite group after a group of marauding Badoon's violate the Spartax Earth Directive (Earth is off limits) and attack London. With the help of Iron Man the Guardians are able to fend off the attack and thus a mutually beneficial relationship between Stark and the Guardians of the Galaxy is born. Check out the scenes from issue 5 in which Rocket and Stark modify the Iron Man armour while drunk. The dialogue - complete with profanity, albeit asterisked - and interaction between these two iconic hot heads is hilarious and would not be out of place in a future Marvel movie, even Iron Man 4, but if there was any moment in this series that screamed Avengers/Guardians crossover movie then this is it.