Review: Thanos- The Infinity Revelation

Quick Summary

Pros: The central narrative is exciting and interesting. The focus on Thanos and Adam Warlock is well done. The entire volume builds anticipation for the rest of the series. The artwork is a great complement to the storytelling.

Cons: The introductory nature of the comic prevents it from standing well on its own. 

Overall: This is an auspicious start to a new series of graphic novels. The volume has an interesting narrative, centers around great characters, features some satisfying artwork, and generally works in building anticipation for the rest of this series. It does not stand that well on its own but will definitely appeal to readers looking for an entry point for a new read. Fans who like Thanos or who enjoy Jim Starlin’s writing should consider giving this volume a try.

Story

Thanos: The Infinity Revelation, by Jim Starlin, is an exciting opening chapter in an already promising galactic drama. It follows the exploration into a mysterious threat to the universe, one that escalates in intensity as more information is discovered. This threat is opposed by Thanos and Adam Warlock, both of whom make great protagonists. The entire adventure is compelling and leaves the reader wondering where this series of graphic novels will go as it progresses. The downside is that the entire volume feels like an introduction to something larger and, thus, will likely have little appeal to readers looking for an open and shut story. Overall though, there are still plenty of reasons to read this volume.

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The main narrative in The Infinity Revelation tells the story of a universal problem that becomes more intense as the narrative progresses. Thanos goes from simply seeking out a mystery, to fighting a horde of aliens, to being thrown into a hellish reimagining of the universe. This unexpected nature of this escalation and the feeling that the read could go anywhere on the next page keep the whole read fresh.

Alongside this, the comic also does a solid job with its two protagonists. Both Thanos and Adam Warlock offer something to the story and the unique perspectives of their characters work as a nice contrast to one another. Much of this builds on their history together, mostly through the Infinity Saga, so it will be even more rewarding for readers who have experience with older stories.

Despite these positives, The Infinity Revelation primarily works as a successful introduction to this series of Marvel Graphic Novels. The entire volume alludes to a cosmic event of great importance and significantly builds up the characters’ and the reader’s interest in this cosmic event. Then, the read concludes by merging two universes yet leaving the impact of this merger mostly unclear. Obviously, there is plenty more to explore as this narrative progresses and the mystery becomes even deeper, giving readers plenty of reason to return for more.

The only downside working as a great introduction is that The Infinity Revelation does not stand well on its own. If readers only read this volume or were not intending to read further installments then this comic has little appeal. However, as this will not be a problem for most readers, it does not have much of an impact on the read.

(spoilers end here)

Art

The artwork in The Infinity Revelation is mostly positive and is definitely an asset to the success of the volume. Jim Starlin’s pencils capture all of the qualities that made his work appealing from his earliest days at Marvel. This means that the characters stand out, the designs are creative, and the page layouts are done in a way that improves the flow of the story. There are even places where seemingly random shifts in the artwork or minor changes in the page structures help give clues about themes hidden in the narrative. All of this is then further improved by satisfying inks, from Andy Smith; colors, from Frank D’Armata and Rachelle Rosenberg; and letters, from Joe Caramagna. The only downside is that there are a few places where the background details of a scene seem out of place and make the scene feel static. Luckily, the vast majority of the artwork in the volume ends up looking good and helps make this a better book.

Continuity

Thanos: The Infinity Revelation is the first entry in a series of Marvel Graphic Novels focused on Thanos. It generally continues the story of Thanos’ life, which was most recently explored in Thanos Rising (Review).

There story here continues in Thanos: The Infinity Relativity (Review).

This volume also makes references to other comic books, detailed below:

• Drax was most recently killed and resurrected in the Drax The Destroyer series, collected in Annihilation: The Complete Collection Vol. 1 (Reading Order).
• Adam Warlock was most recently killed in Thanos Imperative: Ignition #1, collected in Thanos Imperative (Review).
• Death rejected Thanos in the Infinity Gauntlet (Review) (Reading Order) event.
• Around the middle of this comic, many events from Thanos’ past are shown.
  • He fought against Akhenaten in Marvel Universe: The End (Review).
  • He began his “heroic period” starting in Thanos: Redemption (Review).
  • He participated in the Annihilation War over the course of the Annihilation (Reading Order) event.
  • He most recently returned to life in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 #24, collected in Guardians of the Galaxy by Abnett & Lanning: The Complete Collection Vol. 2 (Review).
  • The mention of his recent “obsession” with Earth likely refers to his actions from Avengers Assemble (Review).
• The Annihilators formed in Thanos Imperative: Devastation #1, collected in Thanos Imperative (Review).