World Famous Comics: Thanos: Epiphany (Marvel Heroes)
Thanos: Epiphany (Marvel Heroes)
By: Jim Starlin Publisher: Marvel Comics Average Rating: Binding: Paperback Label: Marvel Comics Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 144 Publication Date: 2004-06 Reading Level: Young Adult
Great Thanos Story by Starlin...Too Bad it was his last This was a GREAT start to what I hoped would have been a great on-going series! Heck if it wasn't for the creative difference that cause Jim Starlin to quiet it might have (then again we would have never gotten Keith Giffen to get back in comic book writing when he took over...but that's anotehr story)
I've called this book part three of a trilogy of Thanos stories that Jim Starlin did within a short time frame that followed one after the other. Starting with Thanos Infinity Abyss which led into Marvel: The End (Although Joe Q and even the series editor Tom Brevoort claim that particular title is non-canon like all The End titles, it's very clear here that it IS connected) which leads into this tale. Thanos had recently gained, quite litereally, the power of God (No there was no ACTUAL god...but I discuss that in my The End review) destroyed the universe and then put it back together at, what appears to be, the cost of his own life.
Well looks can be decieving and it's revealed he DID survive but was just somewhere far away in the universe. Only one person is able to find him...heck possibly the only one who, save for his enemies (and he has a lot), WANTS to find him is Adam Warlock. Thanos reveals to Adam what his new plans are...he plans on making up for all the horrible deeds either her or any of his creations (in this case his clones from Infinity Abyss) have done. What follows is a huge adventure this includes Thanos and Adam as well as Galactus and a new villian named Hunger!
Jim had created a promising start for Thanos and created a theme that really could have continued for a long time. Thanos has done many horrible deeds, most likely more than we would care to know about, and his wanted to make up for all of them was a perfect idea! But of course even though he is being a good guy he is anything BUT a real hero...he has a set limit as to how good he'll be and he proves he's still the wicked Thanos we all and love in my favorite scene. A drunken Pip the Troll teleports in offering to take Thanos to a wild party however he immediatly falls unconcious. Rather than let him sleep his hangover in a bed quarters, Thanos orders his robot minions to put the troll in a garbage scow and send him off. Heh heh what a great sense of humor!
Another thing, which goes back to my point earlier concerning the denials Marvel is making about the The End tale, is that Jim makes this title easy for someone who knows little or nothing about Thanos let alone recent events that would explain why he's doing what he's doing by recaping the right amount of info surrounding Thanos right off the bat and in the next issue he goes even further and explain a bit more about Thanos and even more about one of Jim's other best characters, Adam Warlock. Heck in Issue 3 he explains the origins of Galactus too! Not many people do that, most just let new commers squirm but not Jim.
Now the art. First of all there are only three people I've enjoyed drawing Thanos and only two have done him on a regular basis...Jim Starlin himself, Ron Lim, and George Perez (Did the Infinity Gaunlet) and that is also the order I rank them. Since Jim greated the character of course he'd be the best at handling Thanos. His Thanos is big but not TOO big (that's a problem perez had with his) and all of his characters have a great deal of emotion in their faces. Galactus looked menacing, Adam Warlock you KNEW when he was confused, Pip the troll LMAO...well he was just Pip. Heck even machine characters like the Recorder you almost feel sorry for just before the chatter box gets blown up. Note I said ALMOST.
Boy that was a mouthful. So overall this was a fun read that is easy for noobs to pick up and understand fairly easy. It has a great story with great art. Again it is a shame Starlin quit but, hey, it was his choice!
Great comic series, one of Starlins better works This is a great read. Using Galactus and another fiend as foils for Thanos was really a nice touch. Thanos isnt quite a good guy, but he is trying to get some retribution for his past ways and Starlin does a good job with both the story and the artwork. He has Al Milgrom inking, who also does a great job and the coloring is top notch too. Starlin is really doing some good work these days and this is one of his better Thanos stories.
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