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Thanos

Thanos
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Creation & Design

Thanos was created by writer Jim Starlin and first appeared in 'The Invincible Iron Man #55'. He was designed as a powerful cosmic villain with a complex personality and motivations.

Early Years

Thanos made his debut as a villain in the early 1970s, primarily appearing in stories involving Iron Man and the Avengers. His character was developed further in the 1990s with the 'Infinity Gauntlet' storyline.

Character Development

Over the years, Thanos has evolved from a straightforward villain to a complex character with philosophical motivations, particularly regarding death and existence. His portrayal in the Marvel Cinematic Universe has further cemented his status as a cultural icon.

Cultural Reception

Thanos has been received as one of Marvel's most iconic villains, with a significant fanbase and critical acclaim for his depth and complexity.

Character Details

Real Name:
Thanos
Aliases:
The Mad Titan, The Destroyer of Worlds
Species:
Eternal
Gender:
Male
Affiliations:
The Black Order, Infinity Watch, The Avengers
Abilities:
Superhuman strength, Telepathy, Energy manipulation, Immortality
Equipment:
Infinity Gauntlet, Cosmic Cube, Various weapons
Weight:
985lbs
Height:
6' 8"
Eye Color:
purple
Hair Color:
none
Marvel Feb 1973

Iron Man #55

Iron Man #55
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1st appearance of Thanos, an Eternal from Titan born with the Deviants gene
1st cameo appearance of Eros aka Starfox, brother of Thanos
1st appearance of Kronos, Grandfather of Thanos
1st appearance of Mentor, father of Thanos
1st appearance of Drax the Destroyer, created by Kronus to kill Thanos
1st appearance of the Blood Brothers
Marvel Mar 1973

Captain Marvel #25

Captain Marvel #25
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Debut art on Captain Marvel title by Jim Starlin
Cameo of Thanos referring to himself as Masterlord
Begins story arc 'The Thanos War', Captain Marvel (1968) issues #25 thru #33
Marvel Jul 1973

Captain Marvel #27

Captain Marvel #27
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2nd appearance of Drax the Destroyer
3rd appearance of Thanos
1st full appearance of Eros, later named Starfox by Wasp in Avengers #232
[January 2022 - an unconfirmed Eros MCU spin-off project is rumored]
Marvel Nov 1973

Captain Marvel #29

Captain Marvel #29
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Captain Marvel chosen to be the protector of the universe
1st cameo appearance of Uranos, the uncle of Thanos
1st appearance of Sui-San, Thanos's mother
Origin of the Eternals and the Olympians
Marvel Oct 1975

Warlock #9

Warlock #9
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Origin of Magus, the future dark version of Warlock
1st cameo appearance of the In-Betweener
First meeting of Thanos and Adam Warlock
Marvel Dec 1975

Warlock #10

Warlock #10
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Origin of Thanos and Gamora
Battle of Thanos vs Magus
2nd cameo appearance of the In-Betweener
Introduction of Sanctuary, Thanos' Citadel
Recap of Thanos, an interlude hosted by Captain Marvel that explains the character
Marvel Nov 1976

Warlock #15

Warlock #15
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1st cover appearance of Gamora
Partial origin of Thanos
1st appearance of Marr Garr, Lamilm Gor, Constable Trueheart and the Ancient Traveler
1st team appearance of the R'Malk'i, an alien race
Marvel Aug 1977

Avengers Annual #7

Avengers Annual #7
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Death of Warlock
Death of Pip the Troll
Death of Gamora
1st appearance of all six Infinity Gems: Soul, Time, Space, Mind, Reality, Power
First battle of Thanos and Warlock
Marvel Mar 1979

Spidey Super Stories #39

Spidey Super Stories #39
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Classic story that introduces the 'Thanos-Copter', a helicopter piloted by Thanos with his name decaled on the tail
Cover appearance of Thanos with the Cosmic Cube
Published for younger readers outside of Marvel continuity
Marvel Aug 1990

Thanos Quest #1

Thanos Quest #1
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Thanos gathers the Infinity Gems from the Elders of the Universe
Gem 1: Soul Gem taken from The In-Betweener
Gem 2: Power Gem taken from The Champion of the Universe
Gem 3: Time Gem taken from The Gardener
Marvel Nov 1990

Thanos Quest #2

Thanos Quest #2
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Thanos gathers the Infinity Gems from the Elders of the Universe
Gem 4: Space Gem taken from The Runner
Gem 5: Reality Gem taken from The Collector
Gem 6: Mind Gem taken from The Grandmaster
Marvel Jul 1991

Infinity Gauntlet #1

Infinity Gauntlet #1
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"Infinity Gauntlet" Part 1
A popular six-issue limited series that effects the entire Marvel Universe
Thanos eliminates half of the world's population using the Infinity Gauntlet to impress the cosmic entity, Death
Marvel Sep 1991

Infinity Gauntlet #3

Infinity Gauntlet #3
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"Infinity Gauntlet" part 3
1st appearance of Terraxia whom Thanos creates in an attempt to make Death jealous
1st cameo appearance of Master Hate, a cosmic entity and antithesis to Mistress Love
Marvel Nov 2012

Thanos Quest #1

Reprint
Thanos Quest #1
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Reprint of Thanos Quest (1990) issues #1 and #2 , a two-part limited series by Jim Starlin where Thanos obtains the Infinity Gems one-by-one
Marvel May 2013

Free Comic Book Day 2013: Infinity #1

Free Comic Book Day 2013: Infinity #1
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1st appearance of Corvus Glaive of the Black Order aka Cull Obsidian, an elite mercenary squadron under the command of Thanos
1st team appearance of the Outriders, an army engineered to serve Thanos
Marvel Dec 2013

Infinity #4

Variant
Infinity #4
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Variant cover art by In-Hyuk Lee featuring Thanos
1 of 6 connecting variants each featuring a general in Thanos's Black Order
Marvel Nov 2017 Vol 2

Thanos #13

Thanos #13
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1st appearance of Cosmic Ghost Rider, who was once the Punisher until he became a Herald of Galactus
1st appearance of King Thanos
Marvel Mar 2018 Vol 2

Thanos #13

4th Print
Thanos #13
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Variant fourth printing cover art by Geoff Shaw
Copies ordered by retailers: 7,780

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