AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR Graphic Novel Reading Guide

[Splatterpunk]

Hey comic fans, Splatterpunk here! I work for a comic book shop and I put together a reading guide for Avengers: Infinity War for our customers and I figured I'd repost it here. The following books are what I consider to be absolutely essential for a comprehensive appreciation of Thanos’ villainy (along with one superfluous but fun item).



First up is Captain Marvel by Jim Starlin: The Complete Collection. Starlin’s name seems to be mostly unknown outside of the hardcore comic collector and that’s a shame. He’s the co-creator of Thanos and it’s his work over decades that came to define both the Mad Titan and Adam Warlock. Some of his earliest work is collected here, and it’s admittedly a little rough around the edges at the beginning, but its culmination in The Death of Captain Marvel is as powerful, beautiful, and emotionally resonant a superhero story that you’re likely to find. In addition to Thanos’ first appearance and early machinations, you’ll also be treated to the first appearance of Drax. Though not just concerned with Thanos, it does detail his entire first arc and sets up the character and Starlin’s work for the next couple decades.



Next up is Warlock by Jim Starlin: The Complete Collection. This is my favorite entry in Starlin’s overall Thanos storyline. It features Starlin at the peak of his writing and penciling powers. More ambitious and philosophical than his Captain Marvel work, the existential and psychedelic Warlock features Adam Warlock journeying through outer space as well as into the corridors of the mind. Featuring the first appearances of the Magus, Gamora, and Pip the Troll, this collection is the apex of Marvel’s cosmic Bronze Age funkiness. Thanos’ battle against Warlock, the Avengers, Spider-Man, Captain Marvel, and the ever lovin’ blue eyed Thing that ends this book is one of my all time favorite stories.



Thanos would lay dormant for over a decade before Starlin would return to him in the early ‘90s. The essential prologue to the Infinity Gauntlet storyline is collected in Silver Surfer: Rebirth of Thanos. Detailing Thanos’ reanimation in the pages of The Silver Surfer as well as his pursuit of the Infinity Gems from Thanos Quest, Starlin warms up before the big show but delivers an absolutely entertaining read. Additionally, for my money, Ron Lim is the consummate Silver Surfer artist.



Finally, we arrive at the climax to decades of epic storytelling with The Infinity Gauntlet. Starlin, in conjunction with the legendary George Perez and the afore-mentioned Lim, delivers what is arguably the best superhero romp of the ‘90s. It doesn’t get much bigger in scope than this, as the story begins with Thanos literally killing off half of the universe. Most of Marvel’s biggest heroes (and a few villains) face off against Thanos in what seems to be a hopeless situation as the Mad Titan uses his new godhood in an attempt to court Death, herself. If you’ve read all the above-mentioned volumes, this tale is about as satisfying as it gets. It’s no wonder that Marvel chose this as the basis for the resolution of the last decade of its cinematic stories.



The one sidetrack that you may want to check out is Silver Surfer Epic Collection: The Infinity Gauntlet. It doesn’t feature any work by Starlin, but it nevertheless contains some Thanos goodness that takes place around the time The Infinity Gauntlet was being published. If you really enjoyed Silver Surfer: Rebirth of Thanos, this hefty tome will make you smile. Though not essential, it provides some additional background details.

All of these books are currently in print and highly recommended. Anybody that reads these can consider himself or herself a Thanos expert and will be well primed for Avengers: Infinity War! See you at the shop!

[yeslek]

Personally i’d Say the Thanos Rising run was a good look into the Psyche of The Mad Titan.....especially that conversation with his father where

[Show spoiler] Thanos is talking to death bunt his,father confirms there are no other entities in the room with them...was the whole ‘Death thing’ in Thanos head all along?

is he that unhinged?

[Splatterpunk]

I love Jason Aaron’s stuff. SCALPED is one my all time favorite series. I just always feel like there’s something missing whenever anybody besides Starlin writes Thanos. That being said, the THANOS RISING mini isn’t bad at all, from what I remember!

[TheBluRayBandito]

If you just want to read about the gems/stones only, read these in this order:

-Warlock collection
-Silver Surfer Vol. 3, issues 9, 10, 15, 16, 17, 18
-Silver Surfer: Rebirth of Thanos
-Silver Surfer Vol. 3, issues 40, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48 49, 50
-Infinity Gauntlet/tie-ins

The IG omni doesn't include the early SS issues or Warlock collection. The early SS issues deal with the gems only, no Thanos.

[Splatterpunk]

Donny Cates' and Geoff Shaw's recently completed run on the Thanos ongoing series was really fun. Very reminiscent of the classic Hulk story, FUTURE IMPERFECT.