#35. "Thanos: The Infinity Revelation" by Jim Starlin

In the realm of Marvel Comics, there's nobody who's stronger than Thanos. He's a towering force over the entire galaxy in ways that cannot be matched. While "The Infinity Gauntlet" taught us what his motivations and personal struggles were, "The Infinity Revelation" tries to expand Thanos' story by creating one of the craziest hypothetical in history. What if he and longtime sidekick Adam Warlock had clones, whose damage to the universe was just as incredulous? What if there wasn't? To say the least, it was another ride into the exploration of one man's power, and how it can go horribly wrong. With Jim Starlin once again writing, it at least has enough cohesion behind it to be interesting, but it's a far cry from its more iconic predecessor.

While the story of a superhero is general exciting for how he fights his foes, a villain's story is arguably just as compelling. What does true evil look like, especially when that is a force that has destroyed the galaxy with no more than a finger snap? It's all hard to say, but Thanos is a man who isn't afraid to wield his power for personal gain. He is compelling in a sickly manner, and Starlin is one of the few writers who doesn't just make him caricature. He's someone who also happens to be a bit daunting and vulnerable at the same time. He may be larger than life, but he's almost too human to be flawless.

Compared to "The Infinity Gauntlet," it's not a particularly interesting read. There's no motive to destroy all of the world. It's more of a jealousy story between Thanos and Adam Warlock, who has once again joined his side. As they fight over Infinity Gems, they open up pages of fascinating artwork, where outer space has become a wasteland of second rate Marvel characters wondering how to deal with Thanos. It becomes surreal once that revelation is revealed, leaving a sense of vulnerability that can only be  beaten if Thanos grows a conscience and stops Adam Warlock from his own drunken energy of power. It's all interesting to look at and maybe more highbrow than a story like this deserves, but one has to wonder what the real point was beyond fun antagonism.

"The Infinity Revelation" can't help but feel small in comparison to the other story that has been the recent inspiration for The Avengers: Infinity War. Here it's merely a journey of two characters trying to find balance in a universe that they wish to ruin at every turn. It's got enough integrity to keep Thanos an interesting character, but it's all too short and doesn't have much beyond a complicated plot. It's the funnest part of the story for sure, but it shows the limitations of how interesting the galaxy is when superheroes aren't in it. Instead, it's a story of how villains can't get along. That's fine, but it's also kinda pointless at times.