Thanos is about to become one of the biggest villains to ever light up the big screen. However, comics fans have known for decade just how potent this character really is. Ever since his inception by Jim Starlin and Mike Friedrich in the pages of Iron Man, he has cast an increasingly large shadow over Marvel Comics and risen to be one of the publisher’s greatest villains ever.
In honor of his appearance in Avengers: Infinity War, and to help new fans discover his roots, we have assembled a list of the greatest comics to ever feature Thanos. These stories range from single issues to massive events, some focused on the Mad Titan himself and others featuring him as a key supporting character. Together they help dissect the many forms the villain has taken over 45 years and reveal how much potential rests within his frame, with or without a gauntlet.
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10. Infinity War
Infinity War #1-6
Written by Jim Starlin
Art by Ron Lim and Al Milgrom
This miniseries is not recommended for beginners, even if it shares the title of the new Avengers film. This is a sequel to the first Infinity Gauntlet event, and it builds heavily both on that and the many other cosmic comics co-created by Jim Starlin. If you’ve done your research or don’t mind using Wikipedia as you read, this is an excellent examination of the trippy and complicated world that is the Marvel universe, stacked with duplicates and ideas made into reality.
9. The Thanos War
Captain Marvel (vol. 1) #25-33
Written by Jim Starlin and Mike Friedrich
Art by Jim Starlin, Dan Green, Al Milgrom, and others
This is the best possible starting point for a chronological understanding of Thanos. It does away with much of the early silliness and starts to realize the true ambitions and power of the Mad Titan. In this instance he is seeking the Cosmic Cube and must battle Captain Marvel, who recognizes how great a threat this rising villain would become.
8. Rebirth of Thanos
Silver Surfer (vol. 3) #34-38 and Thanos Quest #1-2
Written by Jim Starlin
Art by Ron Lim, Tom Christopher, John Beatty
This is the story that led to the classic Infinity Gauntlet miniseries, beginning with Thanos’ resurrection to correct an imbalance of life and death in the universe. It’s a great starting point to introduce and frame the many characters involved with the Infinity Stones. In the complicated scheme of Marvel Comics, this series uses Thanos’ quest for power and Silver Surfer’s immense knowledge to show off everything you might need to know about the story to come.
7. Annihilation
Annihilation: Prologue #1 and Annihilation #1-6
Written by Keith Giffen
Art by Andrea Di Vito, Scott Kolins, and Ariel Olivetti
Thanos plays a key supporting role in one of Marvel Comics’ best modern events. He acts as an advisor to Annihilus, leading a wave of drones to destroy every planet in their path. In this role he is recast as a philosopher-king, the thoughtful and well-spoken counterpart to Annihilus’ hunger for violence. Giffen offers a new voice to Thanos, allowing him to more clearly articulate his philosophy and enter moral gray areas during a battle that is primarily defined in black-and-white terms.
6. The Magus Saga
Strange Tales (vol. 1) #178-181 and Warlock (vol. 1) #9-11
Written by Jim Starlin
Art by Jim Starlin, Al Milgrom, and others
Thanos again enters the role of an anti-hero when he must team up with Adam Warlock to combat Warlock’s future self, The Magus. This is both a great entry point into Starlin’s take on cosmic adventure, filled with strange twists and turns, as well as his complex view of Thanos. While Thanos remains a villainous figure, he is also shown to be logical and capable of working alongside others. This story adds a lot of depth to one of Marvel’s most complex villains.
5. The End
Marvel: The End #1-6
Written by Jim Starlin
Art by Jim Starlin and Al Milgrom
This story helped cement Thanos’ role as an opposite to the entire Marvel universe, not just Adam Warlock and the Silver Surfer. The comic was originally titled Marvel: The End, but rebranded as Thanos: The End due to his central role. When examining death, endings, and entropy at Marvel, there is not better character to utilize than Thanos as revealed in this stellar miniseries.
4. The Death of Captain Marvel
Marvel Graphic Novel #1
Created by Jim Starlin
Thanos’ was first revealed to possess some form of empathy, if not compassion, in Marvel Comics’ very first original graphic novel. His connection with Death is utilized to explore the end of life as Captain Marvel succumbs to cancer. Death, as a concept and literal figure, is shown to be the great equalizer and brings about a poignant moment between lifelong enemies as one of them faces the unknown.
3. Thanos Wins
Thanos (vol. 2) #13-18
Written by Donny Cates
Art by Geoff Shaw
If “The Death of Captain Marvel” shows Thanos’ softest possible side, then “Thanos Wins” reveals the character’s most brutal elements. This flash-forward to a future where Thanos has achieved all of his goals reveals the deep flaws that ruin Thanos’ plans. It is the villain at his absolute most human, confronting the irreconcilable disparity between what he wants and what he needs.
2. Thanos Vs. Mephisto
Silver Surfer (vol. 3) #45
Written by Jim Starlin
Art by Ron Lim and Tom Christopher
In addition to being the most significant tie-in to The Infinity Gauntlet, this issue serves as an important investigation of the character’s key inner conflicts by his co-creator. Matters of creativity and hubris are explored between the contrasting personalities in the title, two of Marvel’s most powerful villains. Together they contrast different perspectives on the power they possess and the integral flaws that doom almost all of Thanos’ quests.
1. The Infinity Gauntlet
The Infinity Gauntlet #1-6
Written by Jim Starlin
Art by George Perez, Ron Lim, and Joe Rubinstein
There could be no other comic fit for the top spot on this list. The Infinity Gauntlet is the ur-text of Thanos and Marvel events. It casts a scope so wide that not even Avengers: Infinity War can hope to match it, drawing in almost every character of note in the Marvel universe along with a seemingly impossible collection of cosmic beings. Thanos’ key ambitions, flaws, and motives are all laid out in this story, collecting everything that led to it and influencing everything to follow. There is not and never will be a more significant Thanos story than The Infinity Gauntlet.
