Has Thanos surpassed Darkseid?

[daBronzeBomma]

They are both the ultimate in the reusable cosmic overlord trope for their respective publishers.

Thanos was created after Darkseid, and was initially a clear homage/ ripoff/ pastiche of the earlier character.

But I wonder (being woefully unfamiliar with Marvel compared to DC), has the copycat now surpassed the original in every way that matters?

This is not a Rumbles question, btw.

- mission statement
- comic book storylines
- feats of might
- consistency
- video games
- movies
- animation
- popularity IRL

I would guess, with INFINITY WAR on the horizon, WrinkleJaw beats GraniteBrow for the title of Best Reusable Cosmic Bad Guy between the two. Or maybe, Thanos had held the overall belt for a while now in pop culture? I don't know.

What do you think?

[Abe]

Imho it's gonna be very hard to do better than a Superman foe created by Jack Kirby... A Disney movie shouldn't change that - at least if there is still a little bit of reason in this world .

On the other hand I was surprised to read in a Starlin interview than the main inspiration for Thanos wasn't Darkseid but Metron. Interesting!

[KOSLOX]

I think Thanos is a much easier character to do an elevator pitch for and is a more interesting character.

[RLAAMJR.]

Thanos is the more popular character.

[Kevinroc]

Thanos is probably more well known with general audiences by this point. And this should prove especially true after Infinity War.

[Iron Maiden]

I wonder why the DCU been dragging their feet getting Darkseid in their movies. Or has his presence been teased and I missed it? For Superman foes, they keep going back to Lex Luthor and General Zod. I hope he doesn't appear as some big unnamed menace like Doomsday that just goes on a rampage before being defeated.

[ed2962]

Imho it's gonna be very hard to do better than a Superman foe created by Jack Kirby... A Disney movie shouldn't change that - at least if there is still a little bit of reason in this world .

On the other hand I was surprised to read in a Starlin interview than the main inspiration for Thanos wasn't Darkseid but Metron. Interesting!

Supposedly Roy Thomas who was EiC at the time told Starlin to bulk Thanos up and said something to the effect of "If you're going to rip off a Kirby character, rip off the good one."

[Surf]

In terms of what, being a movie star? It will always be Darkseid>Thanos and a couple of Disney movie appearances isn't going to change that.
I was cognizant of Darkseid starting with the Super Powers show in the 80s and Thanos was off the books. Thanos is half Skrull and there have many a cool Skrull. Ain't but one ruler of Apokolips and actually Darkseid's familial ties have always been interesting and even his underlings have their own 'lives' which made Steppenwolf's JL appearance that much more disappointing. Thanos is a final boss in a video game. Darseid is a Rolex, Thanos is a Folex. Thanos is a bootleg DVD. Only reason Thanos's 'star' is rising is Darkseids earth bound corporate overlords haven't figured him out yet and he's yet to even get started.

[daBronzeBomma]

I think Thanos is a much easier character to do an elevator pitch for and is a more interesting character.

This strikes me as true.

If you had to sell each character based on up to 5 bullet points, which would you use for each?..

Darkseid:

- god of tyranny
- wants to eradicate all free will
- has omega beams that can do almost anything
- seeks Anti-Life Equation
- can whup Superman by himself

Thanos:

- servant of Death
- wants to terminate all life
- has ridiculous array of physical and mental powers
- seeks Infinity Gauntlet
- can whup Hulk, Thor, and Silver Surfer at the same time

Yeah, Thanos does seem more accomplished ...

[SuperiorIronman]

Thanos will pretty much be top dog unless DC can make Darkseid a popular villain. He has the movie appearances, he has the build up, his comics have been largely good, and kids are familiar with him due to the TV shows. Darkseid has this but considerably less. In the public eye Thanos is king since this generation has less exposure to him. Following Infinity War I doubt Darkseid is going to amount to much unless DC quits fumbling the ball when it comes to media beyond comics.

[CaptCleghorn]

Thanos is more of a solo act; Darkseid is a major part of the New Gods. Thanos can be separated from Titan easily and that actually increases his usability. Darkseid, on the other hand, becomes a one-note character when used on his own without the mythology of the New Gods. Darkseid with the New Genesis/Apokalips trappings reaches a sense of legend Thanos hasn't come close to approaching.

[KOSLOX]

Thanos is more of a solo act; Darkseid is a major part of the New Gods. Thanos can be separated from Titan easily and that actually increases his usability. Darkseid, on the other hand, becomes a one-note character when used on his own without the mythology of the New Gods. Darkseid with the New Genesis/Apokalips trappings reaches a sense of legend Thanos hasn't come close to approaching.

That's what I mean by elevator pitch. Or in my case it's the "Can I explain this to my wife before she says, 'Oh. my. god. I don't care' test".

With Thanos it's pretty easy. With Darksied her eyes roll back and she starts drooling when I get into the dynamics of Genesis and Apokalips.

On a personal level though, I've just enjoyed Thanos more than I've enjoyed Darkseid over the years, but YMMV.

[Adam Allen]

Darkseid is kind of made a more unwieldy character to use, by being tied to the whole Apokolips/New Gods mythology. Thanos is the "Mad God of Titan" and made the Infinity Gauntlet, but he can be used for a story without ever referencing either. I think the greater flexibility has led to him being used more, and thus ending up more popular.

[Mister Mets]

I think so.

He's had the bigger comic book story (Infinity Gauntlet) and has been the big bad of the MCU for years, finally taking on the Avengers in what is likely to be the first of two massive films.

[WhichDrWhowins]

Thanos wasn't just based on Kirby's Darkseid he was also partly inspired by Despero, Ming the Merciless, Brainiac, Dr Doom, Pluto, and that dude in the chair Metron from DC in New 52 timeline this guy he's just called 'Chair'? Yup Thanos was inspired by other characters! However his story with the ancient Titans, amplifying himself on dark magic and technology and Mistress Death is unique,. He's a weird and flexible character, a Platonic Necrophiliac who destroyed his own home and worships death? The whole cosmic Celestial Infinity War story is unique and maybe even more complex than Kirby's but then again Thanos story line had a longer time to develop with more writers than just one single creator.

He is Mistress Death's Champion fighter

- servant of Death
- wants to terminate all life

Maybe a servant now of Hela or gone indie?
Mistress Death supports his son Thane?

It will always be Darkseid>Thanos and a couple of Disney movie appearances isn't going to change that.

https://media.tenor.co/images/838475...c46b576366/raw

http://mrwgifs.com/wp-content/upload...action-Gif.gif

https://media.giphy.com/media/QE6OnjXj6ypCU/giphy.gif


https://m.popkey.co/1107e1/X035o.gif

http://media.giphy.com/media/TlK63EE...pf20/giphy.gif

http://www.reactiongifs.us/wp-conten...2/facepalm.gif

Thanos:

- wants to terminate all life

A soldier of Death or the Entity Mistress Death's top champion warrior

Has a cosmic mystical purpose and provides a role and balance to the Universe much like the stars planets, Galactus, Spectre or Phantom Stranger ... much like the WildDogs and the Lion pride eat the weaker animals in Africa stopping the over population of the herd, take out the weak and stopping the spread of disease

https://comicvine.gamespot.com/the-m...es/4060-57340/

Imho it's gonna be very hard to do better than a Superman foe created by Jack Kirby...

This is the very problem, Darkseid is NOT a Superman foe... he is a cosmic foe, an enemy of Earth and space and alien civilizations, he is a Justice League Foe

They were all wrote to replace Zeus, Odin, Thor, Hercules, Atlas, Shu, Hera, Ares etc once you put him in a random Superman gallery you take a dump on everything Kirby made with these comicbooks

a single kryptonian who is fatser than a bullet more powerful than a locomotive should still be NOTHING to the New Gods