BETWEEN THE PANELS: THANOS - THE INFINITY REVELATION

If Stan Lee is the foundation for all facets of the Marvel Universe than Jim Starlin is the father of all Marvel cosmic. Starlin turned a mediocre dying super hero named Captain Marvel into a legend. He expanded the limits of what comic books could do with stories like Warlock. And he redefined the epic and created the first ever comic book event and crossover, the first Thanos story. Jim Starlin also wrote one of the most defining chapters in Batman's life: Death In The Family. What this man has done for comics is as legendary as the characters he wrote.

I just finished reading THANOS - THE INFINITY REVELATION, an all new original Marvel graphic novel. Written and penciled by Thanos's own creator, the man who knows Thanos better than anyone, Jim Starlin. Just so you know, I am a huge Starlin fan. I love his stories with Captain Marvel, Adam Warlock, and Thanos. So needless to say I am really excited about this new Thanos story. I will do my best to try and stay objective or as objective as I can be.

Thanos senses a change in cosmic consonance. A subtlety few would and can detect but something that could possibly jeopardize known reality. Adam Warlock is resurrected and requested to accompany Thanos in unraveling this new mystery. But something's off. Characters change appearances without warning, locations shift without the characters leaving. These changes go undetected by either Thanos or Warlock. Through a sacred Badoon talisman they are drawn into a cosmic convergence. Multiple realities meet at this one point including multiple versions of Thanos and Warlock from other realities. At the center of it all: the focal point of all realities. The multiple versions of Warlock and Thanos fall into the reality convergence, remaking reality in their own likeness. In one reality it is Thanos's psyche who has remade existence. In another it is Warlock leaving their respective counterparts to combat them, reverse the change before these new realities cement themselves in the cosmic firmament. What results is a melding of multiple realities, changing the universe forever.

This story showed me something I had never seen in a comic book before, a storytelling approach that kept me guessing and wondering what was really happening. Once again Starlin utilizes the comic book medium to its fullest telling a story uniquely his own, one that could only involve Thanos. In the same way the story was a little hard to get into. I'd also say it's not nearly as accessible a story. But then Jim Starlin never wrote his stories for everyone. It's a strength and weakness. One thing I will say is that it fits in with the universe that Starlin dwells in. If you like Thanos you will like this story. If you don't know Thanos this might not be the one to start with. And if you don't care for Thanos then why are you reading this review?

Jim Starlin does what he does best here, crafting a beautifully esoteric tale with a scope far beyond mere mortal understanding. What makes Thanos and Warlock such intriguing characters is their scope of vision, so much beyond any other character in the comic book world. That makes them great but also difficult to grasp. But once you grasp who they are and what they can do it opens doors to stories you have never dreamed of. This is another of those stories.

In short, it's not the best Thanos story or comic story out there. But it is done very well and respecting continuity. It pushes the story forward in new and interesting ways and furthers the characters created more than forty years ago. Not everyone will like this story but it isn't for everyone.

Overall ranking: 6 out of 10

Other Thanos stories in chronological order:

Avengers Vs Thanos
The Infinity Gauntlet
The Infinity Gauntlet Aftermath
The Infinity War
The Infinity Crusade vol. 1
The Infinity Crusade vol 2
Thanos: The Infinity Abyss
Marvel Universe: The End
Thanos: Redemption
Annihilation
Thanos Imperative
Thanos Rising
Infinity
Thanos: The Infinity Revelation