Infinity: Free Comic Book Day Special

I think this might have been my least favorite of the Free Comic Book Day offerings. Infinite helps to set up the latest big Marvel crossover which involves Thanos. It’s not writer Jonathan Hickman’s fault–I’ve just never really gotten into the super cosmic event stories.

After reading it a few times, I’m still not sure what exactly happened. It was intentionally vague, with Thanos’s forces scouring the galaxy for various tribute and this will lead him to Earth for some sort of cataclysmic encounter with the Avengers (I guess tying into that next movie, at least in theme). As someone who is up on their comics, I had trouble following what was going on. So I can only imagine what someone making their first trip to a comic book store would think after reading this.

On the bright side, Jim Cheung’s art was stellar. But that’s usually a given.

The book also reprinted a back up story from Logan’s Run #6, which had Thanos and Drax the Destroyer battling on an alien planet. The mad Titan winds up destroying the last living plant on the planet in a symbolic gesture that one day he will be back to kill them all. There’s also a super brief excerpt from Warren Ellis’ new Avengers graphic novel, but it was really too short to get any feel for. I’m extremely interested that and have added it to my mental pull list.

Infinity Gauntlet #3

With all the talk of Thanos the last couple of months, let’s jump right into the middle of his previous most notable appearance: I’m talking about the Infinity Gauntlet mini-series. Thanos is still planning on destroying the universe in an effort to impress Death.

Back on Earth, Nick Fury, SHIELD and the rest of the Avengers are trying to save people from the looming apocalypse. There’s a one page long sequence of Black Widow failing to save an elderly lady from falling to her demise that is kind of awkward. It doesn’t necessarily do anything to advance the story.

Anyway, Adam Warlock is building a coalition of Earth’s mightiest heroes (and Doctor Doom) to combat Thanos, alongside some cosmic types like Drax the Destroyer, Firelord and Nova. But then there are some odd choices. Don’t get me wrong, Namor and Cloak of Cloak and Dagger fame are along for the ride. But at the same time, why them? And this is coming from someone who really likes the characters.

Getting back to the story, Adam Warlock makes an appeal to the most cosmic deities in the Marvel Universe to help him save everything. So after begrudgingly getting them on board, it’s off to save the day.

This issue, and the whole series in general, works thanks to the creative team. Jim Starlin’s writing works so well with this, as he either created or revamped most of these characters at some point. On the art side, George Perez does a heck of a job. He really does an amazing job at handling all these characters.

Infinity Gauntlet is a really fun super crossover that I kind of forgot about. It makes me feel really old remembering it came out twenty-one years ago. Time flies when you’re having fun.

I Would Be Smiling If I Was Thanos

Thanks to the Avengers movie this summer, a lot of characters are doing pretty well for themselves. Hulk has been rejuvenated as a film franchise; Black Widow has generated enough attention to warrant getting her own movie. But the biggest star to come out of the Avengers had under a minute of screen time: I’m talking about Thanos.

Marvel Films head honcho Kevin Feige has said that the purple death worshiper from Jupiter’s moon of Titan will not only be in Avengers 2 but in the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy movie as well.

The last time I remember Thanos being this popular was during the whole Infinity Gauntlet era of the early 1990s. It may have been almost twenty years since he’s been relevant, but a film series will do that for you.