Monday, September 7, 2009

Infinity Gauntlet by Jim Starlin


Carrying over from yesterday’s Silver Surfer: Rebirth of Thanos (review), we see the beginning of what is sometimes called the Infinity Trilogy (Infinity Gauntlet, Infinity War, and Infinity Crusade). Following directly from the events in Rebirth, Thanos is now omnipotent, and taking on the entire universe in a show of dominance, as part of his bid to win the cold heart of Mistress Death (death personified). Standing against him are the heroes of the universe, lead by a mysterious man who goes by the name of Warlock, of whom little is known, other than he used to run with the villain. Warlock leads the offensive against impossible odds, with the embodiment of Eternity itself in reserve in case he fails.

What follows is all out war on a universal scale. From heroic but futile attempts by the humans of Earth, to full scale battle between the man who wishes to be god and the gods of the universe (Chaos and Order, Love and Hate, Death, Eternity, etc.), the action is near constant, yet that is far from all that is portrayed in this epic onslaught. Ideas of religion and the meaning of being a god are weaved into the text, along with ideas on what it would mean to hold such power. The ecological and social disasters that humans perpetrate upon the Earth are also a part (as well as in Rebirth), and even the necessity of death makes an appearance. Far more than a tale of heroic beings stopping a nihilistic tyrant from taking the role of god, this tale is an in-depth look at the deeper meaning of controlling fate, and living life without the constant need for more.

A solid beginning to what looks to be a wonderful trilogy.

9/10

2 comments:

  1. This is my favorite comic of all-time. It's one of those series that I pull out over and over to re-read.

    Thanos is such an interesting character. He's evil, but I find myself pulling for the guy. His relationship with Death is fascinating, and I love his clever tactics for winning each gem from its owner.

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  2. Thanos is the ultimate villian with redeemable qualitites. Especially in the prologue to this, Rebirth of Thanos, you see this, with Thanos spouting off ecological concerns, his need for universal balance, and even his professed deep love. He is an incredibly well-rounded character.

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