jd Jordan

As the November release of The Theory of Everything draws nearer, and we wait to be dazzled by Eddie Redmayne’s portrayal of the world’s most famous living scientist, it’s worth remembering that we don’t have to look far to see Hawking’s ideas and influence writ large on the popular culture (and not just because he’s a member of the Vice Presidential Action Rangers).

This August, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy will present us with the latest in a favorite subgenre of science fiction—the motley crew. These aren’t the professional space-faring crews of the Enterprise or Galactica. Or even the very semi-professional teams helming the Nostromo, Voyager or Andromeda Ascendant.