The Infinity Gauntlet (Greatest Stories Ever Told)

The comic book landscape was forever changed in 1991. In that year, Jim Starlin wrote his masterpiece, The Infinity Gauntlet. To achieve the success he had, he enlisted the help of George Perez to pencil the book and Rom Lim to ink it.

The Infinity Gauntlet…a token of love

Growing tired of life and death, Mistress Death strikes a deal with Thanos. As a part of the deal, she requests that he eradicate half of the beings on Earth. To achieve such a colossal task, he sets his sights on a power unlike anything in the universe.The storyline takes place as Mistress Death was growing tiresome of life and death.  strikes a deal with her main squeeze,

And that power?

The Infinity Gauntlet.

Thanos discovers that the Infinity Gauntlet is in the possession of the Elders of the Universe. This doesn’t dissuade the Mad Titan and he begins to showcase just how intelligent he is. For each of the gems is in the possession of a protector and to acquire each, he must demonstrate a different level of cunning, smarts, and craftiness.

Once in possession of the Gauntlet and the Gems (Time, Space, Mind, Soul, Reality, and Power) he is bestowed with absolute power. Suddenly he is omnipresence, omniscience, and omnipotence.

Now in possession of ultimate power, he returns to Mistress Death to finally be granted her love. To get it, he must do as he promised and exterminate half of the life forms on Earth. In one of the most iconic frames in comics, he snaps his fingers and does just that.

Along comes Adam Warlock

Sensing the end, Adam Warlock goes on a mission to recruit the most important heroes that Earth has to offer.

• Captain America

• Thor
• Doctor Strange
• The Incredible Hulk
• And so many more

The carnage that ensued laid waste to each of the heroes. Spider-Man was slain, Wolverine’s Adamantium skeleton was turned to nothing more than an elastic, Nova was turned into a cube, and Quasar’s bands exploded causing him to crumble.

Even The Avengers (Check out our Avengers Video here) didn’t fare any better.

Thor was turned to glass and Captain America lost his shield. Sadly, the Silver Surfer and his Power Cosmic were no match for the all-powerful Thanos. In short, he killed nearly every hero who opposed him.

Thanos goes on to conquer and incarcerate the most powerful beings in Marvel. This included the Cosmic Entities Galactus, Stranger, Love and Hate, and Kronos. More impressively, Master Order and Lord Chaos were taken as well. Also the Mater Order and Lord Chaos. And in an act to prove his superiority, he lays waste to Eternity.

Betrayal by his own family

Things become peril when Thanos leaves his body to become the Living Personification of the Cosmos. All seems lost as he looks to achieve galaxy-wide control. Fortunately, when he left his body, he left it defenseless. Thanos leaves his body form and becomes the living personification of the cosmos. His uncontrolled body left defenseless to Nebula. Adopted daughter takes the matter into her own hands.

Seeing an opportunity, his daughter, Nebula begins to take matters into her own hands. She seizes the unprotected Gauntlet and reverses all that Thanos had done. Another battle breaks out, this time leaving Adam Warlock in control of the glove. Thanos leaves his body form and becomes the living personification of the cosmos. His uncontrolled body left defenseless to Nebula. Adopted daughter takes the matter into her own hands.

Now weakened, Thanos’s quest is finally lost.

From this point and despite the opposition of the Living Tribunal, Warlock keeps the Gauntlet for himself. He then proceeds to form what is known as the Infinity Watch and they are responsible for the safekeeping of the Infinity Gems.

Are the Galaxy and Cosmos safe for now?

Warlock and the rest of the heroes learn that Thanos is now a shell of himself. He has now found solace and resides on a farm. He spends his time contemplating his loss and choices. The way he approached the Gauntlet, the way it played out, the way he fell…were they all the smartest choices he could have made?

Time will tell.He found solace while working at a farm on earth. While contemplating his loss and choices. Was it the smartest choice only time will tell? For now,

For now, Thanos is no threat to humanity or the universe.

Everything about the Infinity Gauntlet makes it deserving to be one of the Greatest Stories Ever Told. If you haven’t read it, I suggest you do.

Cheers,

Jeff

Title Image © Marvel

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