Jim Starlin created Thanos, and in 2016 he's ending him.
Marvel Comics has announced Thanos: The Infinity Finale, a new OGN by Starlin and Ron Lim that continues in the writer's string of "Infinity"-dubbed miniseries and graphic novels. Starlin marks this new work as his "definitive statement" on the Mad Titan, and the "swan song" for his time with the character.
"Thanos was the first character I ever created professionally," Starlin said. "He's always been the baby I return to whenever I work with Marvel. But Infinity Finale just might be my swan song with these characters."
This new 2016 graphic novel follows up on the recent Thanos: The Infinity Relativity OGN, where the Mad Titan ended up trapped in limbo by Annihilus and commited suicide. But, as some comic book readers will tell you, Thanos has a complicated relationship with death.
"Yeah, basically I left everyone jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire at the end of Infinity Relativity. Sorry about that."
While Thanos is presumed dead, his colleague Adam Warlock remains a captive of Annihilus and Pip the Troll is marooned in the Negative Zone.
"Quite a few of Marvel’s more cosmic characters will be quite unwillingly showing up in this story, including but by no means limited to the Silver Surfer, Galactus, Gladiator, Thor, the Hulk, Black Bolt, Doctor Doom, etc.," Starlin revealed. "There’s also a very special and unexpected guest star stepping onto the stage near the end of our tale."
CREDIT: Marvel Comics
And although Starlin's time with Thanos might be coming to a close, the writer/artist has big plans for co-star Adam Warlock
"Even before Infinity Finale, there will be Infinity Entity, a four-part series I’m doing with Alan Davis," Starlin announced. "In this we explore what it is like for Warlock suddenly finding himself the wielder of omnipotent might. Naturally it doesn’t go as well as one would expect. Holding off the end of all time and space is no easy task."
In the past, Starlin has had a strained relationship with Marvel Comics. With that in the past however, Starlin says working at the House of Ideas on books like Thanos: The Infinity Finale and Infinity Entity "like visiting old friends."
"As I’ve said before, returning to writing and drawing Thanos and the rest of the Marvel Universe has been like visiting old friends," said Starlin. "It’s been great fun catching up with them and what they’ve been up to. Even more fun extending out some of their personal stories."
Starlin calls working with Thanos: The Infinity Finale artist Ron Lim, who illustrated much of the original The Infinity Gauntlet, special -- even dubbing the duo "cosmic twins."
"Ron and I have always been on the same page when it comes to storytelling. We don’t see each other all that often but that aspect of our relationship has remained strong through both time and space. Maybe we’re cosmic twins? Besides, Ron started off with me on this tale, way back in the Thanos Annual. It’s only fitting we leave the dance together."
Log in to comment