Infinity Gauntlet: Warzones!

Infinity Gauntlet (2015) #1-5

by Gerry Duggan, Dustin Weaver

Collects Infinity Gauntlet (2015) #1-5.

Anwen Bakian's family lives in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, scrounging for food and avoiding giant carnivorous bugs. Mom left years ago to join the Nova Force and never returned. So it's just Anwen, her dad, her sister and her grandpa. That is, until she finds a mysterious stone that holds incredible cosmic power — and the Mad Titan Thanos enters the picture! Now, the search for the Infinity Stones begins as the Bakian family finds themselves allied with Thanos. (Don't they know Thanos can't be trusted? No? Someone please tell them!) The search soon explodes into all-out war, and the fate of Battleworld hangs in the balance — but so does the fate of one family that has been torn apart. Don't miss this incredible tale that sets up the cosmic Marvel Universe for years to come!

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Marvel, Superheroes, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Comic Book

117 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 3, 2015

Reviews

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

I quite enjoyed this book, which is probably a first for me when it comes to a Marvel book with 'Infinity' in the title, especially considering this is also a Secret Wars tie-in. >shudder<

The reason I've only given it three stars is because it suffers a bit for not really knowing what it wants to be. I said in one of my progress updates that this would be a great Saturday morning cartoon (do they still have those?) and there's a fair amount of Power Rangers type stuff (it's about the power of teamwork, each team member wears a different colour, etc.) they even combine into one larger robot form at one point, Voltron-style. (I'm aware I've just referenced two tv shows I've never actually watched so I could have the wrong idea about them completely based entirely off adverts and looking at the toys for my nephew.)

The trouble is, there's a shitload of death and mass-destruction on display here, which gives it a darker tone that would be inappropriate for a kids' show (or at least it would have done when I was a kid, when they always had to show that the pilot had bailed out safely whenever an aircraft got shot down).

Maybe things are different these days but the disparity between these two tones just made the book a slightly uncomfortable read. It's not a bad book by any means but it really suffers from not knowing what it actually wants to be.

[Quentin Wallace · Rating 3 out of 5]

So far this has been my least favorite of the Secret Wars Crossovers. I'm a big fan of Thanos, and even Adam Warlock shows up, but this one still felt a little flat. The Guardians of the Galaxy are in this one as well.

So this Battleworld has been overrun by alien bugs right out of starship troopers, and we follow a family of Novas as they attempt to survive. Then Drax shows up, and there's a search for the Infinity Gems in order to complete in the Infinity Gauntlet. The plot seemed forced to me. The hunt for the Gauntlet seems out of place in the Secret Wars universe. The ending also left something to be desired. The art was good, but the story didn't quite do it for me. Not terrible, just not nearly as good as the other Secret Wars crossovers I've read.

[47Time · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's not a bad story, but it's a bit rushed and is likely targeted toward readers more invested in Guardians of the Galaxy and the Nova Corps.

Anwen Bakian is forced to scrounge up a living in a Battleworld destroyed by war. She has her father, grandfather, sister and dog by her side, but the giant bugs threaten their lives constantly. She discovers a blue gem by accident. Her mother Eve, a member of the Nova Corps, returns to her after years of being engaged in a war and recognizes it as an Infinity Stone.

Their goal becomes to complete the Infinity Gauntlet by finding all of the Stones and then to use it to rid the world of bugs. The road is paved with obstacles, but they get several allies to join them. Even Thanos who doesn't plan to leave them alive, but bides his time until the search for the stones is complete.

Thanos has the Time Stone which he uses to travel back in time whenever he fails to collect all of the Stones because of the Novas. He now tries to gain the Bakian's trust by giving up his Time Stone. The Bakians exchange Star-Lord and Gamora's Stone that they found in a destroyed Nova base for 3 Nova Stars. The next stone comes from a living tree that gives it up willingly and joins them. He is Groot.

Adam, the leader of Magus City, won't give up his Soul Stone without a fight. Drax the Destroyer also joins the fight, but focuses solely on Thanos who takes all 5 Infinity Stones in his gauntlet, easily killing Eve and Drax. He needs one more Stone, but is delayed by a version of himself.

The Bakians are also getting closer to the last Stone. Thanos defeats his counterpart and heads them off. Anwen defeats him single-handedly by using her wits. She makes Thanos believe she is giving up the Reality Stone, when she is really using it to create a Death Stone that kills Thanos. She then reunites with her mother.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent cold open - good to see among the heap of Secret Wars tie-ins that don't work hard enough to grab my attention:



Which shouldn't have been a surprise - script by Gerry Duggan, though he & Dustin Weaver share a story credit.

Their concept of the family vs. the bugs should've been entirely pedestrian and Ho-hum, but instead I was caught up in "how the hell are any of them going to survive?" Like I know how comics usually treat that story, but there was no way the usual outcomes applied here.

And they didn't. How they transition from bug-chase to Infinity Gauntlet is a feat, so I'll leave you to experience it for yourself.

How they neuter Thanos to a grumbling passive-aggressive bully is another thing altogether:



Is Thanos always this much of a bitch? Does he plot and scheme and pander - or does he more often smash and terrify and brood? I am beginning to believe I've run across Thanos never before in my comics-reading career, and it's a sheer wonder he hasn't left much of an impression on me. No that's not right - it's amazing he leaves an impression on *anyone*.

Blah blah blah, Guardians amassing, Thanos scheming, Nova Corps getting their asses handed to them...what is it with Marvel Cosmic and the infinite boredom that it brings? How can we take all this constant universe-ending bullshit seriously? The only writer so far I've met that doesn't succumb to Marvel Cosmic's indefensibly mind-numbing tedium is Bendis, and even that doesn't keep my attention around for long.

What exactly the f*** was that Gerry? Weak-ass ending, as all Infinity Gauntlet stories probably have to be, by definition.

Coulda been a four-star book, but down hard for how Thanos turned out and the whacky-dumb climax.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another failed attempt by Thanos to collect the Infinity Stones. Sigh, no surprise there. But, according to the main Secret Wars arc, Strange had the only set of Infinity Stones (which he later bequeath to the Black Panther). Regardless, the highlight of this book wasn't Thanos, or the Infinity Stones, or even Drax (who makes a cameo), it was the family of Novas that was stuck in this Battleworld.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

So there’s this family that’s on this ravaged planet. They are trying to survive and stay out of the way of the Annihilation bugs. Their mom, who is a Nova corpsman, has left to go fight. Meanwhile, Thanos keeps coming here from the future looking for the infinity stones. Or something like that. That part is still a little shaky to me. But the family fights back with the help of some other characters who show up to join the fun. This book ended up just being Ok.

[Aziza Naderi-Weisblatt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting

Interesting way to see how one defeat of thanos would be. Not too sure it would be applicable to the movie though. Leaves me even more curious now!

[Judah Radd · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sooo... this is kinda weird. I guess it’s happening on battleworld... But I’m not entirely sure what the situation is. I guess the stones that were destroyed in Hickman’s Avengers run are reconstituted somehow? I dunno. Are these the same characters or are they some inter dimensional versions of the characters we know? Why don’t they remember that they already know each other?

I was super confused with how this fits into anything, so let’s just leave the continuity aside for a moment.

The story was ok. I liked the family. I liked the dog. I liked what a prick Thanos was. I enjoyed Quill and Gamora’s banter.

Dustin Weaver’s art was really fucking good! I enjoyed the hell out of it! It was a very bright and detailed style. Im some ways, it even reminded me of Esad Ribic, my alltime favorite (but not quite THAT good.)

I’m not sure I recommend this. Definitely not to new comers... maybe to people who like Secret Wars tie ins. As far as those tie ins go this is on the better end, which isn’t saying a whole lot. Anyway, at least it’s short, with cool pictures.

[Don · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the best of all the Secret Wars Battleworld miniseries. Great plot line and characters. The Infinity Gauntlet stories can go a million ways, they're always great. Love the sci fi aspect to them

[Dimitris Papastergiou · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seriously, one of the most fresh, unique, and strangely good stories out of the Secret Wars tie-ins.

Awesome story, solid artwork.

Highly recommended!

[Fizzgig76 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reprints Infinity Gauntlet #1-5 (July 2015-January 2016). Anwen and her family fight to stay alive on a war-torn Earth that is overrun with bugs. When Anwen discovers an Infinity Gem, things seem to change with the return of her mother Eve and her ability to recruit them to the Nova Corps…unfortunately, Thanos is also watching. He wants the Infinity Gauntlet and Anwen and her family is what is standing between him and completing it. Now it is a game of cat and mouse as Thanos tries to ally himself with the family as they seek out the Infinity Gems…and there can only be one Infinity Gauntlet!

Written by Gerry Duggan and Dustin Weaver, Warzones!: Infinity Gauntlet is a Marvel Comics limited series. The series is a tie-in to the Secret Wars event series and features art by Dustin Weaver.

Secret Wars was a real mixed bag. While the actual Secret Wars series didn’t grab me, some of the random and completely unexpected spin-off titles did. I loved the original story The Infinity Gauntlet and had hopes for this series, but it didn’t hit.

Most of the Secret Wars mini-series titles take the idea that some big event warped the area of Battleworld and that is generally tied to either a specific series, character, or concept. Infinity Gauntlet is more concept based. Thanos has always wanted the Gauntlet and has always strove to assemble it. Here, he’s doing it again and the players involved happen to be a family empowered by the Nova Corps in a world which seems to resemble Annihilation more than The Infinity Gauntlet.

This just becomes a Nova story (which isn’t bad), but I also feel that it an average Nova story. The Infinity Gauntlet showed what Thanos could do with the power of the Gauntlet so even with an incomplete set, he feels like more than a match for the Novas. The addition of Drax (though I do prefer the original Drax design used here) and the Guardians of the Galaxy just muddies the title which is already rather clunky.

Dustin Weaver’s art is solid, and I do like some of his character designs. Weaver helped sculpt the story and I don’t know how the collaboration worked. I’m less interested in his Nova designs than the Thanos design which is very good and holds the danger that Thanos needs to present.

Warzones!: Infinity Gauntlet is a disappointment since it could have had interesting outcomes. With little focus on the original series, I feel that more of the whole “Infinity Saga” could have been explored instead of the often revisited Infinity Gauntlet. I would have liked to see the Magus or even more the Goddess return for this series as a threat…or just a really hard dive into The Infinity Gauntlet. Unfortunately, I feel I got neither.

[Geppis Baltimore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Going into reading The Infinity Gauntlet: Warzones, you have to know this takes place in an alternative universe and is tied into The Secret Wars (2015) maxi-series from Marvel Comics. Each of the mini-series that tied into the Maxi-Series (and there were A LOT of mini-series) is pretty much it's own separate "universe" on a planet called Battleworld and cast of characters.

The Infinity Gauntlet: Warzones tells the story of the Anwen Bakian and her father Menzin, sister Fayne, and dog Zig-Zag. Left to survive on a planet under siege by alien bugs, they make the best out of the situation by being a strong family. When they are under attack, they are saved by her mother, Eve Bakian, a Nova Corps member. Given a Nova Corps Star, the family sets off to defend themselves from the Bugs. However Anwen finding one of the Infinity Stones brings The Mad Titan Thanos on a path towards them.

I enjoyed Gerry Duggan's and Dustin Weaver's story; I felt the family was indeed a family that cared and loved each other. It was great to see people of color in a Marvel Book be a family and it not dive into anything stereotypical. Anwen Bakian as a Nova Corps member was fun and I hope that at some point she may return in some fashion. I can see reading this series and the travels of the Bakian clan across the galaxy.

Dustin Weaver's art is crisp and when the action happens, it's has a feel of fluidity and an animated touch. At times there is a lot going on a page, it never feels jumbled and too busy. The huge special effects scenes were amazing and I can imagine this as a big blockbuster film.

I do feel like the story was rushed and could have made for a longer series. The way The Secret Wars maxi-series event is set up, you are getting a five issue slice-of-life about some characters in the various mini-series. This works, however I wanted to know more about the characters and also an explanation about the "universe" they are in. It should be seen as a positive as the characters are so fun to read, I want as much as possible.

Overall I enjoyed the trade and I really hope the Balkins can make a return.

KOFI

[Adam Stone · Rating 3 out of 5]

Putting "Infinity Gauntlet" as the title for this book was a mistake. This is a Nova book. And a pretty decent one. You don't have to know anything about the Nova Corps or any of its continuity, as we're introduced to a family whose matriarch abandoned them to an apocalyptic world in order to be a Nova. The world is victimized by The Annihilation Wave (think the bugs from Startship Troopers) and surviving is difficult. And when things seem really rough, BOOM, mom returns and the whole family goes Nova.

Yes, Thanos shows up, as well as Guardians Of The Galaxy. And, yes, they are searching for the different stones for The Infinity Gauntlet, but at its heart, this is a story about family and the Nova Corps.

The ending was a little rough, and dropped this down a star for me. But I would love for this family to show up in the post-Secret Wars Marvel Universe. They would fit right in.

I do recommend this book, not for Nova fans or Infinity Gauntlet fans, but for people looking for a Marvel post-apocalypse book with no real continuity. Seeing a couple of the Marvel movies gives you more than enough background for Thanos and the guardians. Almost everything else is new. And fun.

[Krzysztof Grabowski · Rating 3 out of 5]

Widząc tytuł aż zaklaskałem. W końcu lubię Infinity Gauntlet, więc jakiekolwiek wariacje na ten temat są mile widziane. "Bring me, Thanos!". I Duggan robi Cię w wała. Bo głównym herosem okazuje się tu być niejaka Anwen i jej rodzinka.

Mamy post-apokaliptyczny świat, gdzie życie na co dzień składa się na walkę z dużymi robalami. To tu dorastająca dziewczynka wpadnie do jamy, gdzie stoczy pojedynek z przerośniętym czerwiem, a z jego szczątek wyciągnie pewien zielonkawy kamień, który okaże jednym z TYCH kamieni. Rodzina w opresji, matka w Koprusie Nova, świat się rozpada, a tam gdzieś jeszcze w lesie dybie... Thanos, który ma własny plan na wygraną.

Miałem zamęt w głowie podczas lektury, bo Duggan chyba nie do końca wiedział dokąd całość ma finalnie zmierzać. Kierunków akcji jest tu od groma, w dodatku ładnie to wygląda. Autor dorzuca tu jeszcze sporo znanych postaci, jak klasyczny Drax, unowocześniony Adam Warlock czy część Strażników Galaktyki. Fajnie, tyle że po co? Masa akcji nie zastąpi dobrej fabuły. No chyba, że na scenę wpadnie MegaZord... Zaraz, co?

Niemniej Gerry'iemu udało się jedno. Jakimś pokręconym sposobem od razu polubiłem dziewczynkę i jej rodzinę. I im kibicowałem. Zwłaszcza w końcowym, (nie)zaskakującym starciu, z dobrym twistem na końcu.

[Alex E · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another really good, entertaining read from the Secret Wars tie in books. And to be honest, there arent too many that are 4 star books. But this one is entertaining.

The art is really strong on this one. It is a bit sketchy but very detailed. I really like the way that Thanos is drawn and the overall vibe is very dynamic.

I enjoyed the personal take on the book. The plot has to do with a family trying to survive in a post apocalyptic world, who stumble upon an infinity stone. This puts them in the path of the mad Titan himself, who is looking to unite the stones. He tricks them into trusting them, then of course turns on them. Along the way, they meet the guardians of the galaxy, who are not the team we know now, but a mismatched, rag tag band of thieves and outcasts.

I will say that the element of multiple Thanos and time jumping Thanos (which are one in the same) is a bit confusing at times, but the book manages to pull it off for the most part.

Good stuff. I would recommend this to anyone who is into the infinity stones, Thanos or the Nova corps.

[Mr. Stick · Rating 3 out of 5]

"I HAVE MANY NAMES. THE MAD TITAN. THE CRUEL ONE. SIMPLY DEATH. I CHEAT DEATH WITH THE TIME STONE. NOT TO AVOID DRAX... THE MAN WHO MEANS TO BE MY DESTROYER. BUT TO DEFEAT THE NOVAS WHO, TIME AFTER TIME, ALWAYS BEST ME IN BATTLE."
- Thanos inner-monologuing like a classic narcissistic supervillain.

On a piece of Battleworld called New Xander, the Bakian family are just trying to survive in a post-apocalyptic, giant-bug infested world when they become tangled up with what remains of the Nova Corps. Thanos is there also, but he's just trying to reassemble the Infinity Gauntlet like the humble megalomaniac we all know and love. The Bakians gain Nova powers and get the similar idea of reassembling the Gauntlet. Except, unlike Thanos, they just want to use it to destroy the bug and NOT wipe out all of existence. Fairly relatable characters. Thanos is still a really swell guy.
I didn't hate this one. But it went by rather quickly.
Three stars.

[Ralph Wark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Niels written, good extension to the Infinity Gauntlet

PoSt apocalypse (again), a family strives to exist while abiding the deadly swarms of giant insects. They are almost killed before they are befriended by.....Thanos? WTH?! A good story arc of a family, whose Mom is a Nova, the last Nova, survival, and triumph by the whole being stronger than the sum of its parts.

There is a side plot with the the Guardians of the Galaxy (and Groot's origin) that doesn't seem to add too much, but stick around for the twist at the end, nice touch. I like this family, hope there will be more of their tales. Oh, I especially like the dog that becomes a Nova. Groot as a Nova IA a hoot too. Seriously.

[Abdullah Ali · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very fun little quest for the infinity gauntlet involving a lot of awesome cosmic characters. The weird thing is, considering this is battleworld, I have no idea which universe these characters belong to as well as if they have any relation to their counterparts in the main Secret Wars story. This whole battleworld thing gets more and more confusing as I keep reading. If you ignore that though, super enjoyable, almost didn't feel like a typical Marvel comic. If you're into the cosmic lore, and apocalyptic settings/backdrops, this is a must for you. One last bit that bothered me, some time travel shenanigans that made a specific character exist one too many times within the span of 5 issues.

[Social_Sloth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Obviously all the art is absolutely beautiful with incredible attention to detail and generally awesome designs for both characters and setting. The characters are the ones we know and love, though I personally haven't read much about the Nova Corps before. The plot is intriguing and it was interesting to see how Thanos would fail, because he was rather overpowered as soon as he had the time stone.

[Benja Calderon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Otra vez, el titán loco, Thanos, fracasa en su intento de coleccionar las gemas del Infinito
Tenemos además una familia que forma parte de los Nova Corps, tenemos miembros de los Guardianes de la Galaxia, tenemos a Warlock, en esencia, lo típico de una historia de las Gemas del Infinito, con el resultado clásico de una historia con las Gemas del Infinito

Pero, acá lo que luce, como siempre, es el trabajo de Dustin Weaver. Una joya en ilustración

[Jocardo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed the story, was a bit confused until I understood that it takes place in an alternate universe. I am trying to understand Thanos and the Infinity Gauntlet storylines to understand who he is and how it all relates. Overall, great story and another review mentioned that this would make a great cartoon series. I absolutely agree!

[Stephen Warren · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me a moment to sort of catch up with the book's premise, but once it got going it was a fun ride. My favorite part was having Thanos appear from another time to talk to himself after he got the Time Gem.

[B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanos was cool and the Novas were drool (actually, a little literally).

Basically, the characters did not seem to have that much depth. Everyone seemed to feel a little stock.

How would you describe this Thanos's depiction? Skinny Fortnite Thanos?

[Shawn Manning · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fair to middling

We've read this story many times before, but it's a fairly done effort. If you like the Invincibles then you should be happy with this. The artwork is an interesting blend of manga and Gil Kane.

[Earl · Rating 3 out of 5]

not an impressive side story if you ask me

[Sonic · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of the very best offerings from that whole muddled mess that was Secret Wars, Battle Zones, War Zones, and Last Days.
Amazing illustration and excellent writing unite!

[William Richard Noyes · Rating 3 out of 5]

So So

The story is run of the mill but the art is above average. Real fanboys (and fangirls) of the MCU would probably enjoy it more.

[David Levao · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great arc, albeit small

The writing was so that the plot wasn’t something that was easy to guess. Great art as well. The ink and colors were very vibrant.

[Jake Dietz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty Good

I enjoyed this story and the family and the characters. Overall a fun and interesting read. It was free with Prime reading, so worth it.

[Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

The last stone

I never expect this, just kidding the should hopefully have this in the next movie.I like the way she they created the Last stone.