Thanos Appreciation

[roni190]

I have to admit that this series is losing me fast. Not because of the future story or anything, but just because of the incredible plot armour Thanos is wearing to the point of it just being character breaking.

Thanos is powerful, but just not this powerful. It's over the top and I dont find it enjoyable.

Plus, where do you go from here? If he's that powerful, what threat comes next that's going to make for a compelling story?

As one of the biggest Thanos fans around I'm in 100% agreement with you on this one. It's like a Starlin wet dream in print.

[LordUltimus]

In fairness, isn't the point that King Thanos is much, much more powerful than Thanos Prime?

[davew128]

It has nothing to do with the process of ageing per se, but presumably the fact that he continues to hone his Eternal-based cosmic powerset over time. It should also be noted that Thanos introduced the physical augmentations precisely because they increased his physical traits vs. standard base. That implies that he has -- or at least had -- a physical cap -- a point where he had maxxed out his physical abilities and could not exceed them without external augmentation.

What we know about Thanos will always change in order for him to be the biggest, baddest whatever in the panel...until he absolutely has to be defeated. I think fans tend to greatly overestimate the power of a writer's narrative when it comes to that. He was once turned into stone. Had we not seen that documented, I'm willing to bet that there isn't a single Thanos fan that would have thought that was even possible. They'd certainly argue tooth and nail that something like that could never happen to him again, right?

Well lets be clear about a couple things here. That was his old body turned to stone, and it was actually used as a weapon by the resurrected Thanos against Surfer as a prelude to Infinity Gauntlet. Thanos wasn't resurrected by his own means, but by Death, and given more power than he previously had. Even before the IG he tanked Surfer's best shots with a smile. That wouldn't have happened in his previous incarnation. Now, truth is he can't die. He has been banned from Death, much like the Elders (though for different reasons). Back in Thanos Imperative by way of comparison, Drax blew him to bits with some sort of anti-matter weapon but he reconstituted quickly simply because he can't die.

[JudicatorPrime]

I have to admit that this series is losing me fast. Not because of the future story or anything, but just because of the incredible plot armour Thanos is wearing to the point of it just being character breaking.

Thanos is powerful, but just not this powerful. It's over the top and I dont find it enjoyable.

Plus, where do you go from here? If he's that powerful, what threat comes next that's going to make for a compelling story?

I share the same view of Thanos. I love OP characters, but this is, what, the 4th or 5th time that he's been the most supremely powerful person in the universe? Where is this all going?

I keep hoping that one day a writer borrows a page from the Matrix movies and has Death turn into an Architect-type character who reveals to Thanos that he exists as a rogue program that has been quarantined in an endless loop within an existential null state by the TOAA. None of what he perceives to be reality actually exists within his sphere of interaction. It is also why he craves Death, because being quarantined he cannot die or know eternal peace. Ever. She goes on to tell him that no matter how many times he reaches for ultimate power, he'll eventually squander it and return to this same tragic epiphany. When Death finally speaks: "This is the 665,999,833,498,238,935,539,843,985,362,653,554 time that you've crossed that threshold to ultimate power, and yet here you are again, powerless, witless and meek. You were/are/will be born into this state by your actions. But you can never die. Do. Or do nothing. It matters not. Such is the will of the One Above All."

I almost think that I'd enjoy Thanos more if he was less cosmic. Perhaps a supernatural mass killer. He did fear the vampyric aspects of the Soul gem. Has anyone ever established why?

[JudicatorPrime]

Well lets be clear about a couple things here. That was his old body turned to stone, and it was actually used as a weapon by the resurrected Thanos against Surfer as a prelude to Infinity Gauntlet. Thanos wasn't resurrected by his own means, but by Death, and given more power than he previously had. Even before the IG he tanked Surfer's best shots with a smile. That wouldn't have happened in his previous incarnation. Now, truth is he can't die. He has been banned from Death, much like the Elders (though for different reasons). Back in Thanos Imperative by way of comparison, Drax blew him to bits with some sort of anti-matter weapon but he reconstituted quickly simply because he can't die.

Oh, I know that this Thanos is not that Thanos. But the same concept applies. After all, there are some metaphysical schools of thought that hold that Death is not a Universal Constant/Construct. Marvel writers haven't picked up on it yet, but I would imagine it would take no more than a stroke of the pen to establish that Death's domain is itself a self-contained finite bailiwick. In doing so, they could establish that Thanos can die, albeit outside of the current structure. I'm also quite confident that if TOAA wanted Thanos dead, he'd die. Death isn't absolute in her whims.

[tribalfusion]

I have to admit that this series is losing me fast. Not because of the future story or anything, but just because of the incredible plot armour Thanos is wearing to the point of it just being character breaking.

Thanos is powerful, but just not this powerful. It's over the top and I dont find it enjoyable.

Plus, where do you go from here? If he's that powerful, what threat comes next that's going to make for a compelling story?

I am a huge fan of Thanos and always have been but I find this run amateurish. It reads the way battleboards might in a forum and not like a well crafted story.

And how can Thanos do all this damage to celestials or Galactus etc and be given even a moment's pause by the Surfer? Very poorly written and paced and no explanation given for any of what we see.

[davew128]

I am a huge fan of Thanos and always have been but I find this run amateurish. It reads the way battleboards might in a forum and not like a well crafted story.

And how can Thanos do all this damage to celestials or Galactus etc and be given even a moment's pause by the Surfer? Very poorly written and paced and no explanation given for any of what we see.

Agreed. Why even bother to keep Hulk alive for millions of years after all this? Then Surfer with Mjolnir shouldn't be any more dangerous than without it after all we've seen. Made no sense to me. As powerful as it is, it doesn't change much for Surfer and certainly not to the point where he's a universal threat to Thanos's life.

[PhoenixThanos]

From Donny Cates, noooooo :'(

Yeah so hey, THANOS #18 will be Geoff Shaw and I’s last issue on the book, and the final issue in the Thanos series as a whole. I want to stress that this was OUR call to end the book, and it’s due to some DOPE story-related reasons for a big Thanos thing coming this summer. I want to say thank you to everyone who supported our crazy cosmic murder book and to everyone that told a friend or recommended the series.

I’m not going anywhere. Everything is cool. Much MUCH more to come from yours truly at the House of Ideas and beyond. And Geoff and I have a new thing that we’ll announce this summer!

For more Thanos stuff, check out the THANOS ANNUAL and the new COSMIC GHOST RIDER series launching this summer. Both written by me, and both critical stories for these two characters!

Also there’s this movie coming out with Thanos in it I guess.

Thanks everyone! More to come!

[comicscollector]

I got recently the Thanos vs Avengers TPB that have the first Thanos apearences.
Have read it way back,so i have just started re-Reading it and all though it´s classic stories they are a great read for sure.

[comicscollector]

Anyone have a strong opinion on where "The Final Flower" (Logan's Run #6) happens in Thanos chronology (assuming you had to included it and place it somewhere)?

Marvel Cont Project places it early on right after Iron Man #55. Others wonder if it happens after Warlock #15 and before Thanos vs Avengers in Av Ann #7 (where he dies for a bit).

Some point out that Drax is just referred to as The Destroyer in L.Run #6, not as Drax.

I'm doing a custom bind of Thanos stories, so...struggling with the order to use.

I would say that the Final Flower happens after Iron Man#55,because Iron Man#55 have the Drax first apearence and his origin and that Logans Run story is a story that is about Drax,so it would made sense that chronologicaly that story happens after Iron Man#55.

All though in the Avengers vs Thanos TPB,the Logan´s Run#6 story is between Warlock#15 and Avengers Anuual#7.

[comicscollector]

From Donny Cates, noooooo :'(

Yeah so hey, THANOS #18 will be Geoff Shaw and I’s last issue on the book, and the final issue in the Thanos series as a whole. I want to stress that this was OUR call to end the book, and it’s due to some DOPE story-related reasons for a big Thanos thing coming this summer. I want to say thank you to everyone who supported our crazy cosmic murder book and to everyone that told a friend or recommended the series.

I’m not going anywhere. Everything is cool. Much MUCH more to come from yours truly at the House of Ideas and beyond. And Geoff and I have a new thing that we’ll announce this summer!

For more Thanos stuff, check out the THANOS ANNUAL and the new COSMIC GHOST RIDER series launching this summer. Both written by me, and both critical stories for these two characters!

Also there’s this movie coming out with Thanos in it I guess.

Thanks everyone! More to come!

At least there will be a new Thanos Graphic Novel by Jim Starlin and Alan Davis (The second part of the new Thanos trilogy by Jim Starlin)

[BadTitan]

It has nothing to do with the process of ageing per se, but presumably the fact that he continues to hone his Eternal-based cosmic powerset over time. It should also be noted that Thanos introduced the physical augmentations precisely because they increased his physical traits vs. standard base. That implies that he has -- or at least had -- a physical cap -- a point where he had maxxed out his physical abilities and could not exceed them without external augmentation.

What we know about Thanos will always change in order for him to be the biggest, baddest whatever in the panel...until he absolutely has to be defeated. I think fans tend to greatly overestimate the power of a writer's narrative when it comes to that. He was once turned into stone. Had we not seen that documented, I'm willing to bet that there isn't a single Thanos fan that would have thought that was even possible. They'd certainly argue tooth and nail that something like that could never happen to him again, right?

The comic flat out states his power has increased the with the older he has become

[JBatmanFan05]

I would say that the Final Flower happens after Iron Man#55,because Iron Man#55 have the Drax first apearence and his origin and that Logans Run story is a story that is about Drax,so it would made sense that chronologicaly that story happens after Iron Man#55.

All though in the Avengers vs Thanos TPB,the Logan´s Run#6 story is between Warlock#15 and Avengers Anuual#7.

Thanks for weighing in. Yea, Iron Man #55 does seem to make the most sense for various reasons...the art style (Thanos looks like how he first apps in Capt Marvel), the way Drax is presented, Thanos vs Drax focus (Warlock era used Drax vs Thanos less), etc.

Between Warlock #15 and Avengers #7 is just not feeling correct for me, seems odd and random and off.

[legion_quest]

The comic flat out states his power has increased the with the older he has become

For absolutely zero reason, plus, it isnt just the old one killing Surfer, but 'our' one who also beats the crap out of him and rips his arm off, with no 'aged up' plot armour.

I'm glad you are enjoying it, and others too, as it's always cool when you're reading something you enjoy, and sure, annoying when others seems not to 'get it' the way you do - but I am glad Cates is off this book/character this fast.

[PhoenixThanos]

At least there will be a new Thanos Graphic Novel by Jim Starlin and Alan Davis (The second part of the new Thanos trilogy by Jim Starlin)

Yes the first part is out on April 4 with the 2nd in November, the 3rd could be in doubt due to Marvel and Jim Starlins problems.
Hopefully the Thanos title won't be on to long of an hiatus.
It has no doubt been cast aside for the same reason that the Guardians of the Galaxy title was.
Only time will tell.
Looking forward to the Infinity War movie.