Few are the beings in the Marvel Universe that can match the power, cunning, and evil of Thanos. Throughout his history, this cosmic overlord has executed countless schemes and atrocities – all to win the affections of Death herself. However, time and again, Thanos has been beaten back by the Avengers… but that’s not always the case.
After a long absence from the cosmos, Thanos at last returns to conquer! Carving a swath of destruction across the universe, Thanos begins his new quest for dominance by destroying the usurper of his kingdom – his once-faithful servant, Corvus Glaive!
At the end of time lies Thanos! The Titan’s complete universal conquest reveals his greatest glory – and ultimate shame. Read through #18 for the full, critically praised arc!
Before the Stones, before the Gauntlet…Thanos sought the Cosmic Cube! Coveting the Cube’s power of omnipotence, Thanos faces off against the Avengers for the very first time – and succeeds in claiming its godly might! The entire chronicle of Thanos’ first battle with Earth’s Mightiest Heroes can be witnessed in Captain Marvel (1968) #28-33.
Even gods fall before Thanos! In his very first ongoing solo series, the Mad Titan squares off against not one, but TWO godlike beings – and WINS! First, he faces off against the enigmatic Maker, who holds the power of the omnipotent Beyonder! Then, Thanos sets his sights on the Fallen One – the first herald of Galactus! Read Thanos (2003) #8-12 to witness victories that defy the imagination!
Thanos’ might is terrible to behold, but what truly makes him the ultimate evil is the tactical genius of his mind! In Jonathan Hickman’s blockbuster event, many conflicts intertwine, but looming over them all are the machinations of Thanos! Sending his Black Order and Outrider beasts through the cosmos, Thanos conquers worlds without even setting foot on them, shown starting page 6 of issue #1.
Thanos begins his famous quest to destroy half of all life here – and the Silver Surfer is his first target! Thanos’ victory over the former herald is total – not only does he stand up to the Power Cosmic, he outwits and manipulates Silver Surfer, using him to destroy an entire world! And even when the Surfer seems to overpower Thanos, it’s all according to the Mad Titan’s dark plan!
In the prequel to the now-legendary Infinity Gauntlet, Thanos desires the power of the Infinity Stones – and nothing will stand in his way! Thanos racks up quite an impressive winning streak, systematically taking down all the cosmic entities that hold a Stone, all gods in their own rights! The Collector, Grandmaster, In-Betweener, and more all fall to Thanos, as he at last assembles the Stones!
The Infinity Gauntlet begins…and Thanos starts with the Infinity Stones all in hand! The most famous Thanos story of all kicks off with him claiming his victory – and erasing half of the universe with a snap of his fingers! That one moment on page 27 has since become one of the most iconic in Marvel’s history.