Thanos

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY NOV 10, 2014

Mortals don't register much in Starlin's latest account of supervillain Thanos' Infinity series; they wouldn't last long anyway amidst all the universe reshuffling and deity melodrama. Featuring a villain getting wider notoriety thanks to his use in Marvel's cinematic universe, this adventure finds the tetchy, ever-resurrected, and well-nigh indestructible Thanos ("some refer to me as the Mad Titan, but not to my face") faced with unraveling another cosmic puzzle that could have reality-smashing consequences. It's a busy quest, packed with cameos ranging from the Silver Surfer and a few of the Guardians of the Galaxy to Thanos' old paramour, Mistress Death, and sidekick-enemy Adam Warlock. Like much of Marvel's non-Earthbound series, the writing is strictly pop-mythological, less dialogue than pronouncement-driven exclamations ("I am now universal, and all that is is Thanos!") and windy interior monologues ("This dawning moment is built on infinite, instantly created yesterdays"). But an old pro like Starlin still understands the need to weave Thanos into some kind of narrative, resulting in an energetic and occasional humorous storyline that manages not to get lost in the weeds, no matter how many realities Thanos creates and destroys.