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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
First Appearance:
Iron Man #55
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:
7' 8"
Eye Color:
purple
Hair Color:
none
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Iron Man #55
Marvel ⋅ 1973
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Iron Man #55
 
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Key Facts

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

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1st appearance of Drax the Destroyer, created by Kronus to kill Thanos

1st appearance of the Blood Brothers

Captain Marvel #25
Marvel ⋅ 1973
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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

Captain Marvel #26
Marvel ⋅ 1973
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Captain Marvel #26
 
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1st cover and 2nd appearance of Thanos

Death appears alongside Thanos as an ally

Captain Marvel #27
Marvel ⋅ 1973
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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]

Captain Marvel #28
Marvel ⋅ 1973
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Captain Marvel #28
 
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3rd appearance of Drax

4th appearance of Thanos

1st appearance of Eon, the cosmic entity that created the Quantum Bands

Captain Marvel #29
Marvel ⋅ 1973
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Captain Marvel #29
 
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Key Facts

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

Daredevil #105
Marvel ⋅ 1973
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Daredevil #105
 
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Madame MacEvil becomes Moondragon

1st cover appearance and origin of Moondragon, daughter of Drax

Thanos appearance by Jim Starlin, one panel

Avengers, The #125
Marvel ⋅ 1974
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Avengers, The #125
 
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Key Facts

Cover appearance featuring Thanos

Captain Marvel #33
Marvel ⋅ 1974
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Captain Marvel #33
 
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Key Facts

Origin of Thanos

Warlock #9
Marvel ⋅ 1975
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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

Warlock #10
Marvel ⋅ 1975
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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

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Recap of Thanos, an interlude hosted by Captain Marvel that explains the character

Warlock #15
Marvel ⋅ 1976
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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 Two-In-One Annual #2
Marvel ⋅ 1977
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Marvel Two-In-One Annual #2
 
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Death of Thanos

1st appearance of Lord Order and Master Chaos

Logan's Run #6
Marvel ⋅ 1977
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Logan's Run #6
 
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Key Facts

First solo backup story featuring Thanos

Avengers Annual #7
Marvel ⋅ 1977
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Avengers Annual #7
 
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Key Facts

Death of Warlock

Death of Pip the Troll

Death of Gamora

1st appearance of all six Infinity Gems: Soul, Time, Space, Mind, Reality, Power

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First battle of Thanos and Warlock

Spidey Super Stories #39
Marvel ⋅ 1979
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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

Silver Surfer #34
Marvel ⋅ 1990
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Silver Surfer #34
 
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Resurrection of Thanos

Silver Surfer #35
Marvel ⋅ 1990
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Silver Surfer #35
 
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Reintroduction of Thanos and Drax the Destroyer

Thanos Quest #1
Marvel ⋅ 1990
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Thanos Quest #1
 
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Key Facts

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

Thanos Quest #2
Marvel ⋅ 1990
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Thanos Quest #2
 
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Key Facts

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

Silver Surfer #44
Marvel ⋅ 1990
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Silver Surfer #44
 
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Key Facts

Debut of the Infinity Gauntlet

Infinity Gauntlet #1
Marvel ⋅ 1991
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Infinity Gauntlet #1
 
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Key Facts

"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

Infinity Gauntlet #2
Marvel ⋅ 1991
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Infinity Gauntlet #2
 
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"Infinity Gauntlet" Part 2

1st appearance of Epoch, a cosmic entity who selects champions to wield the Quantum Bands

Infinity Gauntlet #3
Marvel ⋅ 1991
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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

Infinity Gauntlet #4
Marvel ⋅ 1991
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Infinity Gauntlet #4
 
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"Infinity Gauntlet" part 4

Death of Captain America, Cyclops, Iron Man, Namor, Quasar, Spider-Man and others

Infinity Gauntlet #5
Marvel ⋅ 1991
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Infinity Gauntlet #5
 
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"Infinity Gauntlet" part 5

Nebula wields the Infinity Gauntlet

1st full appearance of Master Hate aka Sire Hate

What The--?! #24
Marvel ⋅ 1992
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What The--?! #24
 
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Key Facts

Parody Marvel publication featuring "The Infinity Gauntlet"

Secret Defenders, The #12
Non-Key
Marvel ⋅ 1994
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Secret Defenders, The #12
 
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Cover art featuring prismatic foil

Green Lantern / Silver Surfer: Unholy Alliances #1
DC/Marvel ⋅ 1995
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Green Lantern / Silver Surfer: Unholy Alliances #1
 
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One-shot DC/Marvel crossover issue

Silver Surfer and Green Lantern vs Thanos and Parallax

Annihilation #4
Marvel ⋅ 2007
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Annihilation #4
 
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Death of Thanos

Lockjaw and the Pet Avengers #1
2nd Print ⋅ Marvel ⋅ 2009
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Lockjaw and the Pet Avengers #1
 
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Second printing cover art by Karl Kerschl

Guardians of the Galaxy #25
Marvel ⋅ 2010
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Guardians of the Galaxy #25
 
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Final issue with cover art by Alex Garner featuring Thanos

Thanos Imperative: Ignition #1
Non-Key
2nd Print ⋅ Marvel ⋅ 2010
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Thanos Imperative: Ignition #1
 
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Non-Key Issue. No additional information is available.

Thanos Quest
Reprint ⋅ Marvel ⋅ 2012
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Thanos Quest
 
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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

Free Comic Book Day 2013: Infinity #1
Marvel ⋅ 2013
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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

Thanos Rising #1
Marvel ⋅ 2013
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Thanos Rising #1
 
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Five-part limited series telling the origin of Thanos

Thanos Rising #2
Marvel ⋅ 2013
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Thanos Rising #2
 
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Origin of Thanos

Thanos Rising #3
Marvel ⋅ 2013
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Thanos Rising #3
 
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Origin of Thanos

Thanos Rising #3
Newsstand ⋅ Marvel ⋅ 2013
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Thanos Rising #3
 
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Thanos Rising #4
Marvel ⋅ 2013
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Thanos Rising #4
 
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Key Facts

Origin of Thanos

New Avengers #9
Marvel ⋅ 2013
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New Avengers #9
 
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1st full appearance of the Black Order

1st appearance of Supergiant

Thanos Rising #5
Marvel ⋅ 2013
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Thanos Rising #5
 
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Key Facts

Origin of Thanos

New Avengers #10
Marvel ⋅ 2013
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New Avengers #10
 
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1st appearance of Thane, a healer and the son of Thanos

Infinity #4
Marvel ⋅ 2013
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Infinity #4
 
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Thane transformed by Terrigen Mists from a healer into his current form

Infinity #4
Variant ⋅ Marvel ⋅ 2013
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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

Infinity Gauntlet #1
Variant ⋅ Marvel ⋅ 2015
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Infinity Gauntlet #1
 
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Variant cover art by Skottie Young

Cover art inspired by The Infinity Gauntlet #4 (1991)

Thanos #1
Marvel ⋅ 2017
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Thanos #1
 
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Premiere issue of the second Thanos titled series

Thanos #13
Marvel ⋅ 2017
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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

Thanos #13
1:10 ⋅ Marvel ⋅ 2017
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Thanos #13
 
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Variant cover art by Mike McKone

Thanos #13
1:25 ⋅ Marvel ⋅ 2017
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Thanos #13
 
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Variant cover art by Rafael Albuquerque

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