Annihilation Modern Era Epic Collection: Desperate Measures (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781302963262)

The Marvel Preview series "The Sword and The Star" was not only Rocket Raccoon's first appearance, but Keith Giffen's first published work. He moved into more mainstream titles with Defenders, penciling the adventures of the infamous non-team during some of its most nontraditional storylines. It was at DC, however, that he achieved his greatest recognition with creations Ambush Bug, an irreverent wannabe hero who tackled the comics industry itself, and alien mercenary Lobo, who was meant as an indictment of the violent vigilante genre, but became its most extreme success story. In addition to famed stints on Legion of Super-Heroes and Justice League, he also wrote X-O Manowar and Magnus, Robot Fighter for Valiant Comics, and adapted mangas Battle Royale and Ikki Tousen into English. He has played a vital role in cosmic crossovers at both Marvel and DC, writing Annihilation tie-ins for the former, and penciling 52 and Countdown to Final Crisis for the latter.

Christos Gage sold his first screenplay in 1997 and has been working steadily ever since; he started writing comics in 2004 with DC's Deadshot miniseries, featuring the sharpshooting antihero from Suicide Squad. He then began co-writing Avengers: The Initiative with Dan Slott, which led to him becoming the sole writer on the book and its successor, Avengers Academy. His additional Marvel credits include Civil War: Casualties of War, House of M: Avengers, Iron Man, Union Jack and World War Hulk: X-Men, as well as a prominent run on X-Men: Legacy.

Born in Uruguay and raised from the age of 10 in Argentina, artist Jorge Lucas found fame in the United States with Marvel credits including Black Panther, Incredible Hulk, Mystique, Starjammers, Wolverine: X-Isle, X-Force and X-Men: Colossus -- Bloodline. He also paid homage to Jack Kirby himself in the Fantastic Four: The World's Greatest Comics Magazine limited series. In Argentina, he is known for creating the 1990s humor/action comic Cazador.

Italian-born artist Andrea Di Vito's work for Marvel Comics includes the limited series Annihilation and Stormbreaker: The Saga of Beta Ray Bill; the one-shot What If Aunt May Had Died Instead of Uncle Ben?; and stints on series such as Captain America and the Falcon, Thing, Thor and Young Avengers. His first published work in the United States was a pinup in Marvel Shadows and Light.

Artist Giuseppe Camuncoli made his Marvel Comics debut in 2002 on Spider-Man's Tangled Web. His subsequent Marvel credits include the limited series X-Infernus, which re-established Illyana Rasputin as a central character in the X-Universe. He later helped launch Wolverine's son into his own title with Daken: Dark Wolverine, and teamed with writer Dan Slott on Amazing Spider-Man and Superior Spider-Man. Camuncoli illustrated the entire 25-issue run of writer Charles Soule's Star Wars: Darth Vader.