Compilations | 1st Appearance | Origin Story | Main Publication History | Secondary Publication History | Key Storylines | Media Source Material | Key Issues
by snowbi-wan, updated Jul 2019
Thanos is the Marvel super-villain best known for his unending quest to collect the Infinity Stones in order to rule all of creation. His first comic book appearance was in 1973 in IRON MAN [1963] #55, but he has gone on to star in several mini-series, his own ongoing series, and is perhaps now best known for being the top-level villain in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Thanos is a mutant member of the race of superhumans known as the Titanian Eternals. The Eternals are the descendants of humans taken from prehistoric Earth (by an advanced race called the Celestials), genetically enhanced, and established in colonies throughout the galaxy. Thanos is from the colony on Titan, the moon of Saturn, and often referred to as the 'Mad Titan,' not for anger--but for his nihilistic tendencies and outrageous metaphysical schemes. He has a supergenius level intellect, has numerous advanced technologies, and the physical prowess to go toe-to-toe with Odin and Galactus, but his distinctive looks come from a disease called the Deviant Syndrome. Having achieved and lost domination of all creation and having died and been resurrected a couple times throughout Marvel's publishing history, Thanos possibly enjoys the quest for domination more than the actual achievement of it.
In modern comic publishing, it's common (and expected) for individual comic book issues to be collected into compilations of trade paperbacks and/or hardcovers, as well as other special compilations. Unlike the individual source issues, the collected editions typically stay in print for long periods and are less 'collectible.' If individual issues are out of reach or are not of interest to you or if you just need reading copies, the following collected editions of Thanos comic books are the most recent in-print editions and are the perfect alternative to get started right away with Thanos. The following compilations are presented in a chronologically-based suggested reading order with softcover editions before any hardcover editions (unless the only in-print editions are hardcover--these are integrated into the softcover list).
Not all of Thanos' various appearances throughout the Marvel Universe have been collected or are currently in print. To be sure, there is a great amount of Thanos material to keep you busy. The following suggested reading order is presented in their chronological order of the original issues that make up the compilations. See the Key Storylines section to identify and start with only the most popular Thanos stories.
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Cover | Release Month | Series / Number / Storyline | |||
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Quick View | Feb 2013 | AVENGERS VS. THANOS [2013-TPB] CURRENT PRINTING (collects his 1st and earliest appearances) | Go to Amazon | ||
Quick View | Sep 2019 | MARVEL-VERSE: THANOS [2019-TPB] (collects his first and a few other key appearances) | UNAVAILABLE | $6.49 | |
Quick View | Jun 2012 | SILVER SURFER: REBIRTH OF THANOS [2012-TPB] CURRENT PRINTING (prelude to the prelude to Infinity Guantlet) | Go to Amazon | ||
Quick View | May 2018 | SILVER SURFER EPIC COLLECTION [2018-TPB] VOL 06: THANOS QUEST CURRENT PRINTING (prelude to Infinity Guantlet) | Go to Amazon | ||
Quick View | Feb 2019 | INFINITY GAUNTLET DELUXE EDITION [2019-TPB] CURRENT PRINTING | Go to Amazon | ||
Quick View | Nov 2015 | THANOS: COSMIC POWERS [2015-TPB] CURRENT PRINTING | Go to Amazon | ||
Quick View | Oct 2013 | THOR VS. THANOS [2013-TPB] CURRENT PRINTING | Go to Amazon | ||
Quick View | Dec 2013 | THANOS: INFINITY ABYSS [2013-TPB] CURRENT PRINTING | Go to Amazon | ||
Quick View | Apr 2019 | MARVEL UNIVERSE: THE END [2013-TPB] 2ND EDITION, CURRENT PRINTING | Go to Amazon | ||
Quick View | Sep 2011 | THANOS IMPERATIVE [2011-TPB] CURRENT PRINTING | Go to Amazon | ||
Quick View | Oct 2013 | THANOS RISING [2013-TPB] CURRENT PRINTING | Go to Amazon | ||
Quick View | Sep 2014 | INFINITY [2013-TPB] CURRENT PRINTING | Go to Amazon | ||
Quick View | Dec 2014 | THANOS: A GOD UP THERE LISTENING [2014-HC] CURRENT PRINTING | Go to Amazon | ||
Quick View | May 2015 | THANOS VS. HULK [2015-TPB] CURRENT PRINTING | Go to Amazon | ||
Quick View | Aug 2014 | THANOS: THE INFINITY REVELATION [2014-HC] CURRENT PRINTING (original story; 1st in a hardcover trilogy) | Go to Amazon | ||
Quick View | Jun 2015 | THANOS: THE INFINITY RELATIVITY [2015-HC] CURRENT PRINTING (original story; 2nd in a hardcover trilogy) | Go to Amazon | ||
Quick View | Apr 2016 | THANOS: THE INFINITY FINALE [2016-HC] CURRENT PRINTING (original story; 3rd in a hardcover trilogy) | Go to Amazon | ||
Quick View | Jun 2017 | THANOS [2017-TPB] VOL 01: THANOS RETURNS CURRENT PRINTING | Go to Amazon | ||
Quick View | Dec 2017 | THANOS [2017-TPB] VOL 02: THE GOD QUARRY CURRENT PRINTING | Go to Amazon | ||
Quick View | Jun 2018 | THANOS WINS BY DONNY CATES [2018-TPB] CURRENT PRINTING | Go to Amazon | ||
Quick View | Apr 2018 | THANOS: THE INFINITY SIBLINGS [2018-HC] CURRENT PRINTING (original story: 1st in a 2nd hardcover trilogy) | Go to Amazon | ||
Quick View | Nov 2018 | THANOS: THE INFINITY CONFLICT [2019-HC] CURRENT PRINTING (original story: 2nd in a 2nd hardcover trilogy) | Go to Amazon | ||
Quick View | Apr 2019 | BLACK ORDER: THE WARMASTERS OF THANOS [2019-TPB] CURRENT PRINTING | Go to Amazon | ||
Quick View | Nov 2019 | THANOS: ZERO SANCTUARY [2020-TPB] | UNAVAILABLE | $12.99 | |
Quick View | Aug 2019 | THANOS: THE INFINITY ENDING [2019-HC] (original story: 3rd in a 2nd hardcover trilogy) | UNAVAILABLE | $16.24 |
The first appearance of a character in comic book form is often the most valuable issue featuring that character. It's a nice place to get started in Thanos, if it's within your budget. Thanos first appeared in IRON MAN [1968] #55, and is probably the most valuable issue of that entire series now. Another version of Thanos appeared in the Ultimate Universe, but that Universe ended with the major Marvel story event SECRET WARS [2015], with some elements integrated into the main Marvel Universe proper (i.e. Miles Morales). Thanos has actually encountered different versions of himself in the Marvel Universe proper, as well, but we leave them off the list as mere curiosities.
The original presentation of an origin story or a retelling/recounting of it can be a good place to get started with a character or subject. The 'origin' of a superhero/villain is typically the event or circumstances surrounding how they gained their powers and/or began fighting/committing crime. Thanos was introduced in IRON MAN [1968] #55, and we only get a general sense of who he is from a couple panels of backstory. Only bits and pieces of his history were told in that issue and his follow-on appearances in CAPTAIN MARVEL [1968] #25-33 before his initial defeat. CAPTAIN MARVEL [1968] #33 probably has the best first summary of Thanos' origin with another appearing in SILVER SURFER [1987] #37. However, Jason Aaron's mini-series, THANOS RISING [2013] #1-5, published 40+ years after the character's introduction would become Thanos' modern, expanded and redefining origin. The following list contains the most interesting points in Thanos' publishing history related to his origin. It continues to evolve in the modern era with the 2019 addition of a mini-series dedicated to Gamora's origin, of which Thanos is an inseparable part.
Series beginnings are always great places to get started in comic books. Here is the Main Publication History for Thanos comic books. Thanos first appeared in 1973 in IRON MAN [1968] #55 and had early follow-on appearances in CAPTAIN MARVEL [1968] and other miscellaneous Marvel titles. This was his first run at cosmic domination (sometimes loosely regarded as THE FINAL THREAT storyline) and ended in 1977 (with a 2-part story actually titled THE FINAL THREAT). Thanos disappeared from publication for many years until his 'rebirth' in SILVER SURFER SURFER [1987] #34 in 1990. This began his second run at cosmic domination via his famous pursuit and acquisition of the Infinity Gauntlet. Since then, he keeps resurfacing in a rich and intricate publishing history, especially as part of any of Marvel's cosmic-related storylines.
This section contains a curated list of some of the best storylines for Thanos, any one of which can be a good place to get started. Thanos is most often a super-villain involved in some intricate scheme to rule the universe, but can also be cast as an anti-hero with the power to assist heroes against cosmic evils which threaten Thanos' ultimate plans. Thanos has had a long history as a pivotal character in Marvel's cosmic milieu. Each defeat is an apparent death from which he is later resurrected. For this reason, nearly all of this tales are somewhat self-contained. The list below includes some of Thanos' most popular storylines, but the cyclical nature of his quests keeps generating new starting points for fans interested in getting started in this fascinating character.
1973 | CAPTAIN MARVEL [1968] #25-33 ('THE THANOS WAR'; Captain Marvel (Mar-vell) battles the Cosmic Cube-seeking Mad Titan) |
1990 | SILVER SURFER [1987] #34-38 ('THE REBIRTH OF THANOS'; Thanos reappears in the Marvel Universe after 30+ publishing years, and he's after all the stones) |
1990 | THANOS QUEST [1990] #1-2 (Infinity Gauntlet prelude; Thanos wrestles gems from their cosmic caretakers) |
1990 | SILVER SURFER [1987] #44-50 (Infinity Gauntlet prelude storyline) |
1991 | INFINITY GAUNTLET [1991] #1-6 (arguably the most defining Thanos story in Marvel history) |
2003 | THANOS [2003] #1-6 (EPIPHANY; Jim Starlin pits Thanos vs. Galactus!) |
2013 | THANOS RISING [2013] #1-5 (Jason Aaron's expanded origin of Thanos) |
2014 | THANOS: THE INFINITY REVELATION [2014-HC] (Jim Starlin crafts an awesome new beginning for Thanos in this first of a series of original hardcovers) |
2015 | DEADPOOL VS. THANOS [2015] #1-4 (a match for the ages) |
2018 | THANOS [2017] #13-18 (THANOS WINS; Donny Cates' modern story gem of its own introduces the Cosmic Ghost Rider and King Thanos) |
If you've enjoyed non-comic media for Thanos, this section describes the comic book source material for some of the most popular non-comic media. WARNING: This section may contain spoilers!
Thanos has made numerous appearances throughout the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films and emmerges definitively as a top-level villain in AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR (2018).
Although unnamed, Thanos made his first cameo appearance in the MCU in the mid-credits scene of AVENGERS (2012). Immediately recognizable to long-time Marvel comic fans, this brief glimpse of the unmistakable Thanos sent uninitiated movie fans into a tailspin clambering for information on this somewhat unknown Marvel villain. Thanos' first comic book appearance is IRON MAN [1968] #55, but he quickly moved into the CAPTAIN MARVEL [1968] series and would go on to become a key cosmic character in the Marvel Universe.
Thanos makes his first, minor story appearances in film in GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY (2014). Other key characters surrounding Thanos are also introduced in this film. The first appearance of Gamora, Thanos' adoptive daughter, in comics is STRANGE TALES [1973] #18. The first comic book appearance of Nebula is AVENGERS [1963] #257, but she claimed to be his granddaughter in comics, not his daughter. The first appearance of Ronan the Accuser is FANTASTIC FOUR [1961] #65. Although Ronan is the main villain in the movie, it appears he is ultimately working for Thanos in acquiring the orb (which contains an Infinity Stone). In comics, Thanos gathered the Infinity Gems in the 2-issue prestige mini-series, THANOS QUEST [1990] #1-2. This and two stretches of the SILVER SURFER [1987] series, #33-38 and #44-50, are all preludes to the INFINITY GAUNTLET [1991] mini-series.
Although fans were maybe expecting Thanos to graduate to the main villain slot in the next Avengers movie, he only made another cameo appearance in the mid-credits scene of AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON (2015)...but it was a doozy. Thanos dons a gauntlet and vows to collect the Infinity Stones himself. In comics, the first appearance of the Infinity Gauntlet is SILVER SURFER [1987] #44. All six gems/stones had already made comic book appearances (see the Key Issues section for those first appearances).
Thanos finally graduates to the spotlight villain in AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR (2018). The first part of the movie, Thanos is collecting the stones himself, as vowed. The comic book source material for this is again the prelude material in THANOS QUEST [1990] #1-2 and SILVER SURFER [1987] #33-38 and #44-50. Thanos wipes out half of all life in comics in INFINITY GAUNTLET [1991] #1, but the rest of the series is the resolution, which is not shown in AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR. This film does introduce the Black Order, a powerful group of Thanos' henchmen. The first comic book cameo appearance of the Black Order is NEW AVENGERS [2013] #8. They make their first full comic book appearance in INFINITY [2013] #1, a major Marvel event storyline--20+ publishing years after INFINITY GAUNTLET--where Thanos attacks Earth while the Avengers are off defending the cosmos. At the very end of the movie, Thanos is alone on a green planet. This is most likely a flash-forward to the final panel of INFINITY GAUNTLET [1991] #6, where a secluded Thanos retires to a life of farming.
A key issue can be an acceptable place to get started with Thanos, but they are more of a collector's checklist, as they can carry high price tags. The issues listed in this section are predominantly non-variants (i.e. main covers).
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