Thanos: The Infinity Finale

Thanos: The Infinity Saga

by Jim Starlin, Ron Lim (Artist)

After REVELATION and RELATIVITY comes a grand Finale to Jim Starlin's new Infinity trilogy! Desperate times called for mad measures. Facing checkmate in his latest grand game of cosmic chess, Thanos took himself off the board - violently. Yet, for the paramour of Death, oblivion is so often temporary. Now the Titan is back - but the galaxy has been ravaged in his absence. Annihilus, lord of the Negative Zone, is harnessing the godlike power of Adam Warlock to wage genocide across the universe. Only a handful of heroes, and one or two villains, still stand. Will those few that remain choose between two evils and ally themselves with Thanos? Even that might not be enough to avert the total annihilation of everything there is. And this time, the obliteration of all time and space may truly be the end…

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

104 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 13, 2016

About the author

James P. "Jim" Starlin is an American comic book writer and artist. With a career dating back to the early 1970s, he is best known for "cosmic" tales and space opera; for revamping the Marvel Comics characters Captain Marvel and Adam Warlock; and for creating or co-creating the Marvel characters Thanos and Shang-Chi, Master of Kung Fu. Death and suicide are recurring themes in Starlin's work: Personifications of Death appeared in his Captain Marvel series and in a fill-in story for Ghost Rider; Warlock commits suicide by killing his future self; and suicide is a theme in a story he plotted and drew for The Rampaging Hulk magazine.

In the mid-1970s, Starlin contributed a cache of stories to the independently published science-fiction anthology Star Reach. Here he developed his ideas of God, death, and infinity, free of the restrictions of mainstream comics publishers' self-censorship arm, the Comics Code Authority. Starlin also drew "The Secret of Skull River", inked by frequent collaborator Al Milgrom, for Savage Tales #5 (July 1974).

When Marvel Comics wished to use the name of Captain Marvel for a new, different character,[citation needed] Starlin was given the rare opportunity to produce a one-shot story in which to kill off a main character. The Death of Captain Marvel became the first graphic novel published by the company itself. (

In the late 1980s, Starlin began working more for DC Comics, writing a number of Batman stories, including the four-issue miniseries Batman: The Cult (Aug.-Nov. 1988), and the storyline "Batman: A Death in the Family", in Batman #426-429 (Dec. 1988 – Jan. 1989), in which Jason Todd, the second of Batman's Robin sidekicks, was killed. The death was decided by fans, as DC Comics set up a hotline for readers to vote on as to whether or not Jason Todd should survive a potentially fatal situation. For DC he created Hardcore Station.

Reviews

[˗ˏˋ n a j v a ˊˎ˗ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a Jim Starlin fan and of course I loved the art —as I always do! It's just this time... I dunno too cliche? I mean even if I didn't know the writer, I could tell mister Starlin had wrote it. Warlock is dead. Warlock is alive. The universe is destroyed, then created again, then again gone —it's kinda his signature!
But this time, at least, the heroes aren't here to save it; so what is gonna happen? Still charming, Starlin's Thanos, obsessed with mistress death.
Loved the Mephisto appearance. He didn't do much but still, IT'S MEPHISTO! I don't know if it's just me but sometimes I feel Thanos is not Thanos anymore. maybe it had been put into the story deliberately but he sometimes loses his sense of The Thanos, The Mad Titan being thing if you know what I mean!

[Sud666 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thanos, back from the dead, returns to Lady Death's call. Annihilus of the Negative Zone has taken over the universe. even the great cosmic powers of Galactus, Eternity and the Celestials have fallen. Thanos teams up with the remnants of the super heroes and with Adam Warlock to help quell the threat.
This could have been a really good story. It had potential. I found the "new" character of Above-All-Others to be an annoying way out. Who is this guy/girl/thing? It was too easy a plot device and it spoils the overall story. Is it terrible? No. But it falls far short of its potential. The artwork isn't bad, but seems a bit dated- Ron Lim's art seems a decade old. So it was a decent read but it could have been so much more. Annihilus' end was an amusing note though.

[Gianfranco Mancini · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jim Starlin gives a finale to Thanos!

Epic (but a few predictable) conclusion to Starlin's Infinity trilogy (tetralogy with the Infinity Entity four issues miniseries) and to the Infinity Marvel comics almost forty years long saga.



If the art was by Alan Davis like in the Infinity Entity this was going to be a 5 stars review.

One of my most favourite ones stories about the Mad Titan.

[Chad · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was really hard to care about anything in this book. As soon as you see that most of the Marvel heroes are dead, you know that time will be reset before the end of the book, and nothing will have mattered. How many times has Starlin written this exact same thing with Thanos. It's all just regurgitated from his other Infinity books. Yawn! On the plus side, Ron Lim's art looks better than it has in years.

[Dimitris Papastergiou · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ah.. and we finally arrived to the end... (or did we?)

It was good. It was worth it. And I still love how Thanos was portrayed throughout the whole Infinity series.

I like Starlin a lot. And most of his work. I didn't like the repetitiveness of it. The Thanos feels some disturbance in the universe ---> searches for it ----> finds allies ----> goes against villains while teaming up with good guys ----> has to convince good guys that he's not THAT bad ----> good guys die ------> saves the universe ----> everything is restored again and everything that happened throughout this adventure is now back to normal like it didn't happen. And there you have it. And I know. What did you expect? For everything to NOT go back to normal? No. I didn't. But This scenario was being played out since the fucking Infinity Gauntlet back in the 90s.
AND STARLIN IS STILL DOING IT. That's what annoys me.. other than that I'm good.

I don't mind the use dialogue and thoughts if it has a point. More than half the time it does in here and it's good.

The GREAT thing to take from all of this is the great sci-fi story Starlin tells. The way he's handling Thanos. The way he's tying up loose ends from all of Thanos' appearances and everything that Thanos did throughout his life (and death).

This GN is good. And you should read it. Of course you can't read it as a standalone comic, you're going to miss out on a LOT of things.

Also, fucking GREAT stuff with Adam Warlock too. Loved it! That's all. Bye!

[Chris Lemmerman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jim Starlin rounds out his Thanos trilogy (quadrilogy if you count Infinity Entity) with the Infinity Finale, pitting Thanos once again against the might of Annihilus, wielding the awesome power of an omnipotent alternate dimension Adam Warlock. Sentences like that make me love Jim Starlin.

The first half of this book is quite depressing; it's obvious the heroes aren't going to win, and seeing them get completely decimated by Annihilus is a real downer. Of course, once you realise all your favourites are dead and some of them were in the wrong costumes anyway, you know something funky is up, and that's when Starlin takes things to the next level, having Warlock and Thanos go off for a chat with one of the few cosmic entities that hasn't been in this series so far.

The latter half is then resolutions of the various plotlines from the past two or three books as Thanos sets about righting the wrongs Annihilus and Warlock have created, and even plugging a plothole that Jonathan Hickman hadn't had time to tie-up when Secret Wars ended. It's good fun, but not quite as high-stakes as you might expect.

Ron Lim, Starlin's frequent collaborator, steps in to draw this final volume and his art is similar enough to Starlin's style that you'll barely notice the difference, to be honest.

Final verdict: Better than Relativity, not as good as Revelation, but an apt Finale. See what I did there?

[Quentin Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this volume the best of the trilogy. It was still very "far out", but at least I did understand what was happening most of the time. In the two previous volumes, at times I was lost. So we have Thanos, Annihilus, Warlock, Mephisto, and many others in an endgame. I'm not sure if this is supposed to be Marvel canon or not, because there was some serious things happening in this graphic novel. The ending also was a twist, although I'm not sure if it was meant to be something happening in the current marvel universe, or some retconning.

The Ron Lim art was excellent as always. Other than Starlin himself, Ron Lim is my favorite Thanos artist.

Overall a satisfying end to the trilogy, even if it did take Deus Ex Machina to an entirely new level. Worth reading if you're a Thanos or Starlin fan.

[Richard Franklin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I guess this is going to be Starlin's last time writing Thanos and Warlock, given the way it ended. The thought makes me sad.

[Guilherme Smee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanos: Final Infinito faz parte de uma trilogia de Graphic Novels Originais da Marvel, todas escritas por Jim Starlin e todas, é claro, estrelando o titã louco que vai ser o pivô do filme Vingadores: Guerra Infinita. Até então, os dois volumes anteriores dessa trilogia haviam sido uma encheção de linguiça que fariam a JBS corar. As minisséries spin-off, Entidade Infinita e Hulk vs. Thanos, se deram melhor comigo. Finalmente esse terceiro volume veio mostrar a que veio e resgatou a grandiosidade das sagas cósmicas de Starlin que, na minha opinião, havia se encerrado em Cruzada Infinita. Esse, finalmente, é o Thanos que aprendemos a... hã... odiar e, bem, ter uma certa simpatia. Além disso, nesse TPB podemos sentir a magnitude das ações tomadas por Adam Warlock e o titã louco, coisa que nos outros encadernados parecia só uma ida e vinda entre dimensões. Fico feliz, então, que ao menos a trilogia acabou finalizando bem, uma vez que os trabalhos de Starlin na Marvel a partir dos anos 2000, com Absimo Infinito foram deveras capengas. Agora vamos ver se eu mantenho essa positividade na hora de sentar no cinema e assistir a Vingadores: Guerra Infinita.

[Chris Tower · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Jim Starlin. This had interesting elements but also felt a little hollow - 8.6/10.
Had this on my shelf a long time.
Interesting twist ending, though.

[Petergiaquinta · Rating 2 out of 5]

Jim Starlin's Thanos: The Infinity Finale, if "finale" indeed it is, leaves the faithful with some rather weak writing from the master of the cosmic comic, especially if you compare this story with the work he did in the '70s with Warlock, Thanos, Gamora and Pip. I may be a wee bit prejudiced, but those comics, and in particular the Magus storyline, are some of the best stuff ever done by Starlin or anyone else in the industry.

And you don't have to go all the way back to the Seventies to find better Starlin. The more recent Marvel Universe: The End may provide a more satisfactory conclusion to the story of Thanos and his love affair with Death than this so-called "finale." Plus, in The End, you've got Starlin also doing the art with Al Milgrom on the ink, just as the Above-All-Others intended, not the weaker Ron Lim of The Infinity Finale. You might argue that Akhenaton is hardly a worthy final adversary for Thanos, and you might be right, but neither is Annihilus. Who really gives two shits about Annihilus? Not me.

It's just too bad Pip wasn't along for the ride in The End because the Pip we get in The Infinity Finale is some neutered shadow of himself. Where are the ladies? Where's the stogie? And speaking of neutered, what is wrong with Adam Warlock here, either version of him? Psychologically damaged, uncertain, insane, okay, that all goes with the territory from the moment he hatched from his cocoon, but here he's a bit of a limp-wristed poofter in this story, whichever dimension he's from, and that really shouldn't be the case.

So if this is Jim Starlin's swan song with Thanos and his other cosmic characters, that's too bad, and especially so because these characters under the guidance of the master himself should go out on a better, stronger note.

[Brent Ecenbarger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jim Starlin doing cosmic Marvel is as close to comic comfort food as it gets for me. Similarly to Claremont's X-Men or The Savage Dragon, there is a consistent voice in the comics and the characters all behave how they do in my fondest memories of reading comics.

The conclusion to this newest Thanos trilogy is suitably epic in scope and continues the stories of Adam Warlock and Pip the Troll, while featuring other Starlin regulars the Silver Surfer, Mephisto, Eternity, and more. Here Thanos partners with the last survivors of Earth to fight off the Annihilation wave (those evil bugs best made threatening by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning).

The very nature of intellectual property demands that Marvel will never allow real consequences (permanent deaths) to these characters, but in the style of the Infinity Gauntlet, widespread destruction is possible along with a device to reverse everything and not feel cheated simultaneously.

[Edward Davies · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the best of the trilogy, though it helps if you read the Infinity Entity series which no-one tells you about in the OGN unless you actually DO read The Infinity Entity which ends with "continued in Thanos The Infinity Finale". Things sort of reach a conclusion, but it didn't feel quite as connected to the whole universe changing scenario that it originally did, and I honestly thought this was going to conclude to coincide with the Secret Wars storyline.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Better than the previous pair of Starlin Thanos books.

[Alexander Rivas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have done it, finished book 18 of 18 in the "Infinity Gauntlet" series and what a great journey of graphic novel reading. This series was my introduction to comics and what incited me to begin this journey was how much I enjoyed the Marvel Studios movies. I have become a fan and addict of comics and am now delving in many different graphic novel series. What came to mind reading this was how sometimes people we label as evil will come to our aid because they realize that in helping us they are helping themselves. This is a deep insight for comics to be touching on and it fascinates me how they incorporate it with entertainment.

As a Christian, I can relate how Thanos has trouble going to "God" because he knows to be in his presence reveals so much of what you actively try to avoid. But when times are at a point where it seems like you've destroyed your world, God is the only one that can fix it. That is what Adam Warlock did with the power that was given to him where he used it to destroy his world and then God help him to undo what he did and use his power for good. The lesson is so powerful because I believe we have that same power that Adam has to destroy or prosper our world or reality.

[Judah Radd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yeah, Ron Lim and Jim Starlin brought this story home epically.

If you’ve read “The Infinity Revelation,” “The Infinity Relativity,” and “The Infinity Entity,” than you will not be disappointed by the cosmic finale.

Rarely does something end so satisfyingly.

The art is good. Ron Lim has really grown. I think this is his best work yet.

Jim Starlin is doing what he does best; exploring the religion of Marvel. This is the mythology above the mythology. We’re peaking behind the curtain and catching a glimpse of the true nature of this Marvel Universe. It’s exciting and brave. No other writer in Marvel attacks these subjects and concepts with such bold courage. Jim and Ron don’t give a damn. They dive into it, and the result is a tale of biblical proportions.

I’m going to cut this review short, for fear of devolving into a nonsensical maelstrom of hyperbole. Also, there are spoilers on the tip of my tongue, and to release them would be a crime. This tale needs to unfold before your eyes, page by page, panel by panel, the way it was intended by the One Above All.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoy most everything Jim Starlin writes concerning the Marvel cosmic universe. It is creative, usually well written, but still feels like a comic story. Thanos, his most famous creation, is a great character with interesting motivations. A great villian that the heroes sometimes have to begrudgingly work with and other times directly confront. This series which starts with the Infinity Revelation, then the Infinity Relativity, and finally this book was a fun read. Also, I would read Hulk vs. Thanos. It will give helpful backstory about Annihilus, particularly why he is so powerful.

[ISMOTU · Rating 4 out of 5]

After the shocking ending of the previous volume Jim Starlin brings his modern infinity saga to a close with Ron Lim on art. This time the story beats do feel a bit more rote and by-the-numbers but still well executed with a few twists and turns that certainly make this graphic novel a worthwhile read.

[B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Starlin has a move he likes to make where you keep going up the ladder of omnipotence until you reach a reasonable facsimile of the Judeo-Christian god. It almost always works as a matter of mood. He can give the chills. But it's never really clear why the stories keep coming along those lines.

[Sean · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Infinity trilogy ends with a predictable whimper. Jim Starlin's love letter to the Marvel cosmic universe ends with some cosmic McGuffin. I wanted this book to matter but unfortunately it didn't. There was just way too much posturing and not enough actions that mattered. Ron Lim's art was still classic and it was nice to see. Overall, this book was pretty exhausting.

[John · Rating 2 out of 5]

The art in Revelation was great, however this one felt very rough and rushed. Like Starlin was trying to put a nail in the coffin.

There is some cool stuff, like Thanos and Warlock meeting the One-Above-All, but even that is under rendered.

In the end, Warlock becomes the Living Tribunal and prevents the Secret War from Beyonders from happening. Which is pretty cool.

[Roman Colombo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kind of a classic end to this infinity saga that didn't have infinity stones. The end was a little surprising. Some things were a little too convenient, but I guess it's hard to complain about Deus Ex Machina when there are actual gods and machines at play.

And Starlin's art is great.

[Kurt Zisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid ending to Starlin's new Thanos trilogy. Ties the the three part story up nicely with plenty of action and cosmic intrigue. Panel design is fantastic and a fine representation of the Marvel Universes grand design and lineage.

[JW · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm Thanosed out, but this was a good way to wrap up my post-Infinity War binge.

A great character written by a great creator. I'd love to read a prose novel about Thanos the way Starlin writes him.

Maybe one day...

[Villain E · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ron Lim re-teams with Jim Starlin for the next Infinity installment. Following up on the Infinity Relativity, Thanos and Warlock destroy the universe as a stepping stone to stopping Annihilus.

The usual verbose, high concept Starlin. You already know if you'll like this or not.

[Alan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Light reading.

[Ma'Belle · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decently satisfying end to this trilogy. I'm happy to have gotten to know the Mad Titan from his own perspective, and now want to familiarize myself with more stories he's had significant roles in.

[Ben Shee · Rating 4 out of 5]

i have to agree with those who say that Starlin's Thanos is the most compelling Thanos, especially if you account for the fact that most think this is Starlin's Thanos at his worst.

[Nicholas Ahlhelm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great finish to the trilogy.

[Lukas Holmes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful.