A couple weeks ago when the weather had just been to cold to do anything but sit around the house, I was browsing the shelves at my local comic shop, Acme Comics. As if fate led me there, I discovered right on the shelf, one copy of the single edition reprint of Thanos Quest. The tale of Thanos's acquisition of the Infinity Gems. I read the story years ago, but I did not have it in my own colleciton; I do now. I soaked up the ultimate power and cunning of Thanos as he gathered up the Infinity Gems. Now I have moved on to a re-reading of The Infinity Gauntlet. What a great story with great characters!
I had forgotten how much I liked Adam Warlock and what would become his Infinity Watch team. Warlock uses the Earth's mightiest heroes including the Avengers, Spiderman, Namor, Dr. Strange, a couple mutant heroes, Wolverine, Cyclops and Scarlet Witch and many other as pawns in this galactic myth. As the team musters at the Avengers mansion, the feelings of massive power give me the feeling that these guys can't be denied. Then the pages turn to Warlock's meeting with the Silver Surfer, Quasar (another of my favorite characters who has faded from the pages of Marvel's books lately) and his mentor Epoch. That isn't all though, a double-truck page reveals the true members of this alliance to be the Watcher, Lord Chaos and Master Order, Kronos the Titan God, the Stranger, Love and Hate, two Celestials, Galactus, Eternity, and the Living Tribunal. These powerful entities next to Earth's mighty heroes makes the heroes seem small and insignificant. In fact, Warlock tells surfer, "Our Allies' power is less than nothing against Thanos' might. They stand defeated before the battle has even begun. The true purpose of their attack is merely diversionary. They are sacrificial lambs." Earth's heroes enter a massive battle Thanos. Warlock's plan almost works, but Thanos slips away with a victory.
The story continues with more heroic team-ups which is what keeps me coming back to these stories with Thanos. He is not one who can be dealt with individually, but only with power and cunning from teams of heroes. In my eyes, he is arguably the most awesome villain in the Marvel Universe.
