REVIEW: Thanos: The Infinity Revelation

[CBR News]

Jim Starlin stages an epic homecoming in "Thanos: The Infinity Revelation," an opus whose strength lies in the vast journey that takes readers through every cosmic corner of the Marvel Universe.


Full review here.

[xcoijoi]

Pre-ordered it on Kindle.

[DantonR]

I thought this was pretty bad.

Indeed, the book is much ado about very little. By the time I was finished, I was wondering what it was that I had read.

Okay so I didn't like the story (this coming from a Starlin fan) but what about the characterization? The dialogue in several places is very awkward including Thanos talking about inflicting punishment as being orgasmic. Odd. Beyond that, there are other instances where some of the characters sound very much the same -- mostly because of a tendency toward stilted dialogue.

The book, however, looks great. Beautiful artwork from beginning to end.

I don't know, it's too bad because I was really looking forward to this. Maybe I'll give it another chance later but, yeah, for now, big letdown.

[bandoogiemanz]

I thought this was pretty bad.

Indeed, the book is much ado about very little. By the time I was finished, I was wondering what it was that I had read.

Okay so I didn't like the story (this coming from a Starlin fan) but what about the characterization? The dialogue in several places is very awkward including Thanos talking about inflicting punishment as being orgasmic. Odd. Beyond that, there are other instances where some of the characters sound very much the same -- mostly because of a tendency toward stilted dialogue.

The book, however, looks great. Beautiful artwork from beginning to end.

I don't know, it's too bad because I was really looking forward to this. Maybe I'll give it another chance later but, yeah, for now, big letdown.

I'm sorry to hear this. Between your review and the op's review which states only subtle changes were made, my enthusiasm for this has waned considerably. I'm not even sure I want to buy it anymore. Personally, I liked the annual, I thought it was a pretty good story. Oh, well. Hopefully the Mad Titan fares better with his upcoming role in New Avengers.

[xcoijoi]

Notes for Windows Kindle users - You can't read it, on Windows 7 Kindle. But you can log into your Amazon account, and read it there.

No problem with the others - Android Kindle, the one for the iPad/iTouch/etc, and of course the Kindle hardware devices.


This was one of those reflective Starlin stories. There was action, but the point was the mystery, the Thanos-centric musings, and how it relates to the rest of the Marvel verse.

We already knew that the Infinity Gauntlet and subsequent series were intended to be canon. But apparently, so is The End, and this story. But who knows? Maybe they are all self-consistent together, but the 616 universe includes only the pre-End story lines. Whatever.



Some miscellaneous not-really-spoiler thoughts, while reading:

What's the point of her attacking Thanos with that beast, if she was willing to show him the Infinity Well anyway?


Thanos, with a cup of coffee?


"I am in no need of psychoanalysis"
"That's debatable."


Yes! A reference to The End, my favorite Thanos story.


Gladiator is the most dangerous of the lot? Really?

When you read the final page, some of what you experienced and interpreted during your reading, is questioned. Something definitely happened, but there are mysteries that requires a sequel to solve.

[Superkreep]

I enjoyed it.
It was indeed the typical trippy Starlin fair (literally, that one alien at the dig sight "sparked one up", lol).
Like the CBR reviewer states this was all a VERY meta-message to all creative teams that have touched Starlin's babies in recent years...Daddy's home.
Starlin definitely is up on his Marvel continuity and spends most of the book explaining it away without outright trashing the work others have done with these characters. He makes a point to state that with each new "resurrection" (aka creative team) Thanos (and his pal A.W.) come back different or slightly off.
Starlin even has Thanos question his own recent nonsensical motives and his recurring "interests in Earth, as of late"....that made me LOL.
There are quite a few lines that had me chuckling to myself, like the one where Thanos refers to Adam's constant costume changes throughout the years;
"He was quite the, dandy" LOLZ. As ominous as things feel he does stick in a few laughs.

Starlin has alluded to this "greater being" that even the great Living Tribunal is a servant to.
Normally you figure this would be some other unseen greater cosmic abstract or it could literally be Starlin referring to himself, but I think the greater being he refers to this time around is "us" the readers.
The conversation between the 3 supreme beings (Infinity, Eternity, and Living Tribunal) lamenting "Why?" felt like something out of "The Never Ending Story".
I was half expecting those three to turn around in-book and address their questions to "me" directly, lol.
Really heady stuff!

It does have it's faults though. Those awkward lines like that "orgasmic" line coming from Thanos of all people may just be a sign of the times and Starlin being able to get away with more these days and all, but it certainly didn't sound like the usual more poetically violent Thanos...and it sure as hell didn't paint a pretty picture in my mind, so if that was the point then mission accomplished! Also, it was GREAT seeing so many familiar cosmic mainstays again (w00t! QUASAR), but as many predicted there was just NO WAY they were not going to get a good old fashioned curb-stomping from Thanos in a book HE is the star of. I guess after years of getting his heart torn out (Drax), taking a cosmic cube to the groin (Star-Lord, that was awesome btw!), getting atomized (Drax again), getting smacked around by Cancerverse goons (Evil Mar-Vell aka "E-Vell") and getting frozen in Amber (Thane). Thanos had to remind everyone that despite ALL those recent losses he is STILL to be feared more than any other being in the galaxy.

However you feel about this book in general I think it's still worth a purchase/read because besides the amazing visuals (nobody does trippy cosmic mindscapes like Starlin) there are a few major things that affect continuity going forward and will likely set the tone for Starlin's future novels if not the entire Marvel U;
1. The nature of Thanos' powers have again changed, he can absorb energies now, he's been thinking up some creative uses for these new abilities.
2. Adam Warlock is BACK baby...and it would seem he is now FAR stronger then he's ever been before. Adam also possess new abilities in addition to his old power set, he's on the loose and he's pretty pissed off...this doesn't sit well with Thanos.

Good stuff and VERY different from the rest of the Marvel mainstream cosmic books on the stands now, and as mentioned by the reviewer and in some of the other posts here, this is clearly just the start of something much larger.

[FangsFirst]

We already knew that the Infinity Gauntlet and subsequent series were intended to be canon. But apparently, so is The End, and this story. But who knows? Maybe they are all self-consistent together, but the 616 universe includes only the pre-End story lines. Whatever.

616 has Thanos, which (as thanos notes here) immediately precedes his attempt at redemption (slash inspires it). I'm pretty sure Starlin didn't write it like everyone else's The End, particularly because he doesn't actually "END" anything at all (permanently, even within the story itself).

What's the point of her attacking Thanos with that beast, if she was willing to show him the Infinity Well anyway?

I'd suggest a sort of "test"--to see if he would stand up to it.

[smoothrunes]

It was great to see the Annihilators in action again, even if they were just canon fodder for Thanos and Warlock. Apparently, Thanos thinks highly of Gladiator, considering he didn't want to meet him in combat.

[xcoijoi]

Yeah, the reason I brought up the canon issue, is because other readers have stated flatly that The End was not canon, as I recall partly because the resurrection prohibition was not followed. I've always assumed that it was intended to be official 616 business.

Long run, it doesn't really matter, as long as Starlin can give us more.

[Chainsaw Vigilante]

As expected another way for Starlin to retcon things he didn't touch and keep his babies as the Marty Stu's he's made them. I much prefer J.M. DeMatteis' meta-fiction in that Thor annual a couple years back.

[stingnewell]

I bought the book not bad not great. I'm impressed Starlin actually wrote Thanos appearing in other titles without resorting to clones. Hey someone remembers Eternity has sister, Infinity. Great to see Warlock back hope he's used again. Overall better off borrowing the book from a friend.

[JokersNuts]

I passed on this today but now I wish I hadn't. I will definitely have to pick this up, it sounds great

[ShaokhaN]

I thought this was pretty bad.

Indeed, the book is much ado about very little. By the time I was finished, I was wondering what it was that I had read.

Okay so I didn't like the story (this coming from a Starlin fan) but what about the characterization? The dialogue in several places is very awkward including Thanos talking about inflicting punishment as being orgasmic. Odd. Beyond that, there are other instances where some of the characters sound very much the same -- mostly because of a tendency toward stilted dialogue.

The book, however, looks great. Beautiful artwork from beginning to end.

I don't know, it's too bad because I was really looking forward to this. Maybe I'll give it another chance later but, yeah, for now, big letdown.

This is basically how I felt. Also, jobbing the Annihilators (they were frankly ridiculous) was pretty low.

[TresDias]

My review: http://theidisagree.blogspot.com/201...evelation.html

----
At long last, it is here -- my most anticipated comic release of the year. So, how is it?

This is easily the trippiest Starlin's ever been, and that's saying something. I see now why the reviews have said so little about the story. Not only is picking a good place to start difficult, but, paradoxically, there's very little to be said about what turns out to be a minimalist plot, despite one truly amazing battle sequence.

It echoes several plot beats of "Marvel: The End," written by Starlin ten years ago, and seems to also have a little flavor of the current happenings in Jonathan Hickman's "New Avengers." Whether either of those are actually related to the plot here is left ambiguous, as, again, there isn't much plot to discuss.

Fans of Starlin's past "Infinity" works looking for a star-spanning tale in the same vein may find that "The Infinity Revelation" comes up short for them. As a character study of Adam Warlock and Thanos in particular, however, it's a gold mine. An Infinity Well, if you'll pardon the bad pun.

This is Thanos at his most introspective -- undoubtedly, the most introspective he has ever been. If Thanos's musings are taken, as they should be, as an outlet for Starlin himself, then there is a lot being pondered here, going a touch beyond just these two characters, though there is much said about them.

I agree with other reviewers' appraisals that there is meta-commentary at work here, but I don't think it's much in the way of Starlin marking his territory. At most he may be saying, "If you're going to try ruining my hallmark character, at least have your story make some attempt at carrying an internal consistency and logic with regard to the past."

I do think he felt it necessary to explain some of the inconsistencies in Thanos's personality and behavior that the choices of other writers and editors have introduced -- which both the impetus for and the resolution to this story should serve to address in their entirety -- but I don't think he was being territorial. Much in the same way that comic book universes tend to gradually be restored to a comfortable equilibrium following promotions, promises and warnings that Things Will Never Be the Same, so too did Thanos's characterization find its way back to Starlin's vision here before he himself created an excuse for other writers -- and editorial mandate -- to have their way with him.

The majority of Starlin's commentary, it seems, is for the comics industry at the Big Two (Marvel and DC) and their fandoms.

Near the story's end, the Marvel Universe's embodiments of time and space, Infinity and Eternity, serve as voices for the reader as they question what all this sound and fury has been about -- they question its very necessity, as the plot and details filling the universe come almost precisely back to where they began.

The question Starlin is asking here is obvious: Is there any point in the big Earth-shaking, world-shattering events we see recycled at Marvel and DC? There is a status quo that is inevitably restored, and even when universal reboots are emplaced across a publisher's whole line (e.g. DC's "New 52"), those sensibilities remain and it becomes questionable how much a reboot really matters.

Starlin isn't necessarily passing judgment, as he unavoidably implicates himself here as well, but he is asking readers to think about the question.

He also seems to ask those readers who are in favor of a Marvel reboot whether they really want it. The few changes implemented during "The Infinity Revelation" qualify as a soft reboot of sorts -- applying to its main characters only -- calling to mind the changes wrought in years past by DC's "Flashpoint" and "Crisis On Infinite Earths."

We are being asked "Are you okay with this?" Again, the question is posed without judgment, but it is certainly being asked.

While on that subject, though it seems the "universal transmutation" foretold by the Living Tribunal in Starlin's recent "Thanos Annual" is addressed here, there remain dangling threads from that story of foreshadowing with regard to the universe's health -- such as the notion of time running out in just a few months, which obviously ties into the upcoming "Time Runs Out" event in the pages of the Avengers comics. In fact, it is very much implied in "The Infinity Revelation" that the few changes seen here are but the first in a series of greater changes to come, the nature and ramifications of which are beyond even the Living Tribunal's ability to anticipate.

All of which dovetails nicely into events in Hickman's "New Avengers," where the multiverse is breaking down and the lifeless form of the Living Tribunal has been found on Earth's moon. This story seems to take place prior to that development, set sometime between "Avengers Assemble," which began in early 2012, and "Infinity" from late 2013.

More universal transmutation yet awaits. Bet on that.

This latest metatextual tale from Jim Starlin is going to have its fair share of those who hate it for its deliberate lack of blatant importance (or those few changes it does leave behind), those who think it is brilliant commentary on the comics industry, and those who find it rather ineffectual all around yet nothing egregious.

Truly, whether you love it will come down to two things:

A) How much you appreciate the art. It is beautiful, by the way -- top props to Starlin's penciling, Andy Smith's inks, Joe Carmagna's lettering, and the colors of Frank D'Armata and Rachelle Rosenberg. Those colors in particular justify the book's existence, and this is possibly Starlin's greatest work with a pencil.

B) How much you appreciate the meta-commentaries Starlin is making. Love for the characters alone won't make you love this story. It is undeniably Thanos being Thanos and Adam Warlock being Adam Warlock, as true to both as any story has ever been, but it may not be a story you actually wanted.

For those of you in this camp, Thanos's own words on the penultimate page of the story may be intended: "I refuse to insanely question that which is. I accept what I am."

I find myself with mixed feelings about it, but very much in appreciation of its commentary and ironing out of the inconsistencies in Thanos's characterization. But then Thanos is my favorite Marvel character and recent poor portrayals of him have greatly frustrated me.

Much as I wish I could, I am unable to say that I recommend "Thanos: The Infinity Revelation" to every comic book fan, nor even every Starlin, Thanos or Adam Warlock fan. You yourself know best whether the words up to now provoke interest or displeasure for you. Some of those on the fence about giving this graphic novel a try may be better off remaining on the fence.
----

[KurtW95]

So, what's this about two Adam Warlocks?