Thanos appreciation - 2019

[CaptainMar-Vell92 of the Kree]

Is Jim Starlin hated by Marvel editors or something?

I've recently gone on a humongous cosmic reading binge, starting with Starlin's Captain Marvel run from the 1970's all the way to Hickman's Secret Wars. Infinity Gauntlet and Annihilation were so much fun to read despite it being my fourth or fifth time reading them lol.

But it seems like Marvel writers and editors in general kind of just ignore what Starlin writes regarding character development and continuity.

1) Bendis literally obliterated Drax and Gamora's character development. It was so bad Gerry Duggan had to put those two characters on hiatus at the end of Infinity Wars.


2) Thanos with a gun!? Thanos getting pwned by Carol Danvers!? What the Hel?

3) Starlin took Thanos on a roller coaster of character development through Infinity Gauntlet, Infinity War, Infinity Crusade, and the Infinity Watch tie-ins. I started liking the character a lot more because he seemed to be moving away from super edge-lord status and into actual complex and philosophical character territory. His interactions with Gamora in the Infinity War + Infinity Watch tie-in issues were especially good to read. And then I read Mark Waid's Ka-Zar and Thor by Dan Jurgens and Thanos was back to being all about killing everything and nihilism and edginess and it was just a mediocre read all around. It was so bad Starlin retconned it in Infinity Abyss with the Thanosi.

4) While I love Hickman's writing, he just shat on all the character development Thanos had gone through in the 12 issue series before Annihilation, all through the Thanos Imperative. It was the same thing Waid and Jurgens did, just with more epic writing. Same with Cates.

5) Thanos: The Infinity Finale showed us the creation of the ANAD Living Tribunal from an alternate reality Adam Warlock. Thanos ended up as Death's lover and avatar and it seemed like his story had basically reached its conclusion. Starlin specifically refers to the events of Hickman's run (the Beyonders killing the LT, etc) so I don't get why writers are completely ignoring basically all of Starlin's newer work. Annihilus was squashed in that story, but now he's back and it seems like his death will be completely ignored. In the same vein, apparently Thanos found a love for emptiness and Hela greater than his love for death in the Ultimates, which makes zero sense when put next to The Infinity Finale.

6) Adam Warlock never appears outside of Starlin stories.

Starlin's work seems to be largely ignored and mocked by most of Marvel, is there a specific reason for this? Is everyone angry at him or something? I hate seeing this because I really love the guy's work.

[BadTitan]

I’ve thought this for a long while about “people” at marvel disliking him and his Thanos work by shitting on his character in ways that devalue the character. Bendis use and treatment of Thanos is downright awful in every sense of the word. I like certain takes on Thanos by other writers , but imo the only writer who does a good as job as Starlin did is Kieth Griffen.

[CaptainMar-Vell92 of the Kree]

I’ve thought this for a long while about “people” at marvel disliking him and his Thanos work by shitting on his character in ways that devalue the character. Bendis use and treatment of Thanos is downright awful in every sense of the word. I like certain takes on Thanos by other writers , but imo the only writer who does a good as job as Starlin did is Kieth Griffen.

I think Ron Marz and Peter David did a good job on Thanos as well.

The real issue here is that Marvel's current editors have this habit of letting certain Writers to do whatever they want with the characters, unless they need to do some MCU sinergy, which leads to many frustrating inconsistencies.

[CaptainMar-Vell92 of the Kree]

What do you think of this artwork featuring Starlin's heroes?

Starlin heroes.jpg

[K7P5V]

What do you think of this artwork featuring Starlin's heroes?

Starlin heroes.jpg

Lovely artwork. Starlin is at his best when depicting these characters.

[BadTitan]

I

I think Ron Marz and Peter David did a good job on Thanos as well.

The real issue here is that Marvel's current editors have this habit of letting certain Writers to do whatever they want with the characters, unless they need to do some MCU sinergy, which leads to many frustrating inconsistencies.

I agree Marz did good work on Thanos, really loved cosmic powers and unlimited. Peter David’s take wasn’t all his all his own work iirc, Starlin co-wrote the Captain Marvel comics where they encountered Walker the death god.

I don’t honestly current marvel care about characters and story. The will just publish what rubbish sells the most.

[GreenScar1990]

[GreenScar1990]

[GreenScar1990]

[GreenScar1990]

[Witchfan]

The first figure showing Thanos standing on the Avengers A confirms that Thanos attacks the Avengers headquarters.

[Witchfan]

JIM STARLIN SAYS AVENGERS: ENDGAME IS 'WELL WORTH THE WAIT'
https://cosmicbook.news/jim-starlin-avengers-endgame

Starlin appears in the film.

[Witchfan]

In the week Avengers: Endgame was released, a new Thanos series debuted. Here is a review from the front page:

Thanos #1 Is A Bloody Horror Story Set in the Marvel Universe
https://www.cbr.com/thanos-1-review/

[strathcona]

I just read Thanos #1. I wasn't all that impressed, Thanks didn't seem at all himself, but at least there was an attempt made to explain that in the book.

I'm mostly curious about the retcon to Gamora's origin. She used to be from about 20 years in the future where her race had all been killed by the Universal Church of Truth. Thanos rescued her as a child and trained her to kill the Magus, which she would be able to do because he couldn't sense her, being that she was an anomaly in this timeline.

Now it appears similar, but the time travel aspect has been removed and Thanos had more of a role in the elimination of her race. I guess I can see why it would be simplified, but I am sure there will be no explanation forthcoming.

[Witchfan]

Thanos Creator Jim Starlin Responds to Avengers: Endgame
https://www.cbr.com/jim-starlin-avengers-endgame/

Starlin interview on Youtube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Ans...youtu.be&t=136