Groot

Groot
Groot (left) with Rocket Raccoon. Art by Clint Langley.
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Tales to Astonish #13 (November 1960)
Created by	Stan Lee (writer) Jack Kirby (artist) Dick Ayers (artist)
In-story information
Alter ego	Groot
Species	Flora colossus
Team affiliations	Guardians of the Galaxy S.H.I.E.L.D. Paranormal Containment Unit
Notable aliases	Monarch of Planet X
Abilities	Ability to absorb wood to feed, rebuild self, enhance his strength and control trees Regeneration Resistance to fire

Groot is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Dick Ayers, the character first appeared in Tales to Astonish #13 (November 1960). An extraterrestrial, sentient tree-like creature, Groot originally appeared as an invader that intended to capture humans for experimentation.

The character was reintroduced as a heroic, noble being in 2006, and appeared in the crossover comic book storyline "Annihilation: Conquest". Groot went on to star in its spin-off series, Guardians of the Galaxy, joining the team of the same name. Groot has been featured in a variety of associated Marvel merchandise, including animated television series, toys, and trading cards. Vin Diesel voices Groot in the 2014 film Guardians of the Galaxy, and Krystian Godlewski plays the character via performance capture. Since his film premiere, Groot has become a pop culture icon, with his repeated line "I am Groot" becoming an internet meme.

Groot first appeared in Tales to Astonish #13 (November 1960), and was created by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Dick Ayers. Groot appeared again in The Incredible Hulk Annual #5 (Oct. 1976), alongside five other monsters from Marvel's anthology horror comics of the late 1950s and early 1960s. In The Sensational Spider-Man #−1 (July 1997), Groot was featured in a nightmare of the young Peter Parker.