Thanos creator Jim Starlin has parted ways with Marvel Comics just a few months ahead of the character’s big moment in the cinematic spotlight in the upcoming Avengers: Infinity War.
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Starlin took to Facebook to clarify his status with Marvel Comics after a report surfaced claiming that Marvel had pulled him from writing any future Thanos stories. According to Starlin, the real story behind his departure as a few more facets to it.
“Just to set the record straight, Marvel Comics didn’t pull me off any books, they just made it clear they weren’t interested in using me on any of the tie-in series to the movies or regular series,” Starlin wrote. “Even though I lobbied heavily to write the Thanos on-going that task was twice given to other writers, which is Marvel Editorial’s right to do.”
Starlin went on to say, though, that the real issue that lead him to step away came down to a specific plot for the on-going Thanos series. Starlin was careful not to spoil the details of the plot, but indicated that it was almost the same as what he was working on for the Thanos graphic novel trilogy he had been working on with Alan Davis.
“What I objected to and what will keep me from doing any further work for Marvel Editorial was Tom Brevoort approving a plot for the current on-going series, which was pretty much the same as the Thanos story arc in the graphic novel trilogy Alan Davis and I have been working on for Tom for close to the past year,” Starlin explained. “He had 200 pages of script and 100 pages of pencils on this project when he gave the green light to a strikingly similar plot. The on-going will be in print before the graphic novel trilogy. TO avoid spoiling anyone’s enjoyment of these two stories I will not be summarizing the striking similarities.”
In addition to the too-similar plot, Starlin called out Brevoort for not addressing the situation well. According to Starlin, the issue took a month to get a straight answer about and by then it was too late.
“At first Tom denied giving his approval to the plot,” Starlin wrote. “When that turned out to be false, he switched to claiming there was nothing similar about the two plots. When that didn’t fly he changed his story to it was all an accident. These changes of excuse and other bits of procrastination ate up a month, by which time the current Thanos on-going art team was too far along for anything to be done about the situation. Too bad for me. So, I am moving on.”
This isn’t the first time Starlin has expressed some level of frustration with Marvel. Earlier this year, the prolific creator expressed that he had received more money from the KGBeast’s appearance in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice than he had from all of his Marvel characters’ cinematic appearances combined — a significant complaint considering that in addition to Thanos, Starlin has created a number of beloved additions to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, including Guardians of the Galaxy characters Gamora and Drax. And while his beef with Marvel Comics may not be resolved any time soon, Starlin was clear that he is on good terms with Marvel Entertainment.
“And yes, Marvel Entertainment has treated me very well and generously,” Starlin wrote. “Them I like.”
Thanos gets his time to shine in Avengers: Infinity War, opening in theaters on May 4, 2018.
