Silver Surfer: Rebirth Of Thanos...wow

[Biff Hardbody]

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/07...ref=sr_1_1/104-5170790-3710339?_encoding=UTF8

Minor spoilers contained-

I just picked this up. I had never been a Silver Surfer fan. Never got the appeal of the character I guess...but I've been a big fan of Thanos since "The Infinity Gauntlet", and I noticed this contained two issues of the much acclaimed "Thanos Quest", so I picked it up.

This is one of the best books I've read in a long time. I don't know if its because I've been reading more edgier stuff lately, but this really brought me back to the glory days of comics. At least in my eyes. Ron Lim's artwork is just terrific, he's definitely one of my favorite artists. Jim Starlin writes a great Hero in the Silver Surfer, and maybe the greatest villian of all time in Thanos (really, Joker and Doom are the only guys I can place alongside him off the top of my head).

The first part if more humor filled then anything, but you get a good sense of the Silver Surfer. He's a very interesting character...one of the cosmic heros I never thought about getting into. Generally, I like my heros to be frailer and have their failings. Surfer always seemed like one of those "Super Man" type heros who wasn't going down to anyone except God. He still seems very powerful, but there is a human aspect I liked. Something noble, but naive. I'm definitely going to look more into him now. This book made me a fan.

Also, it was cool finding out why Drax The Destroyer exists.

The latter part of the book is part of "The Thanos Quest" and you see how Thanos got all the infinity gems for his gauntlet. One of my favorite parts of this is where Thanos is traveling through different dimensions and planes of existence. His body, his very being appears to break down and reform in horrific ways as he travels through the dimensions, but hes able to stand it. His inner monologue during this is one of the stronger pieces I've heard from such a character. It reminds me of when Doom gets disected by the Beyonder, the same type of force of will.

Anyhow, thumbs up for this book, The Silver Surfer, and Thanos.

 

[The Cleric]

cool, i read old issues too, considering that they are about 20 minutes longer than any current issue. the dialogue was better and the art wasn't overdone either. i am curious about what happened in Thanos quest though, i picked up the Infinity Abyss. wasn't all that great, but it sure demonstrates Thanos intelligence and power.

 

[Elijya]

that trade has the Thanos Quest in it? Good to know, thanks!

 

[Johnny Blaze]

that trade has the Thanos Quest in it? Good to know, thanks!

Weird...you'd figure it'd be in the Gauntlet TPB?

Still, I'm not really complaining. The "Rebirth of Thanos" arc that was in SS was a good'n, and it was the arc that set him on the path for the Gauntlet.

 

[bkhedr]

I'm glad this came up because I've been meaning to ask:

I've never read any of the infinity stories and I was wondering what would be more worth my while

Infinity War
Infinity Guantlet
or now
Rebirth of Thanos

 

[Doombringer]

Why not go in order?

-Rebirth of Thanos
-Gauntlet
-War

Rebirth is badass, cause it shows you what kind of monster Thanos is, how he becomes practically Almighty in the Thanos Quest, and how much of a pain he is for Surfer to take down.

Gauntlet is probably the best outta the three IMO because he practically destroys every hero on Earth (not to mention every cosmic god and the devil Mephisto to boot), and takes em all on at the same time to impress his love Mistress Death.

War is the third best cause its a whole lot of mumbo jumbo. Gets kinda confusing and slow sometimes but its still kool to read to find out how the story unravels. If you think Thanos is nuts and powerful wait till you read what the Magus is all about.

 

[XFanTim]

If you're going to read only one, read Infinity Gauntlet. But Rebirth of Thanos makes a good prelude to that.

I enjoyed Infinity War as well, but I wouldn't choose it (or any of the subsequent sequels) over Infinity Gauntlet.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Gauntlet was great, War was decent, and Crusade was just a mess. I haven't actually read the Thanos Quest stuff, myself. Maybe I'll check that trade out.

 

[Elijya]

I'm glad this came up because I've been meaning to ask:

I've never read any of the infinity stories and I was wondering what would be more worth my while

Infinity War
Infinity Guantlet
or now
Rebirth of Thanos

Doombringer's got the right chronology:

Rebirth of Thanos
Infinity Gauntlet
Infinity War


War is good but skippable. If you really enjoy the first two and want more, that's where to go next. The Infinity Gauntlet is the essential one to read, and Rebirth is an incredible pre-lude to it, but not toally necessary (especially if you're on budget). But if you've got the money to spend, all three are worth it.

 

[Marcdachamp]

This come out recently?

Also, what's with the Logan's Run issue?

 

[bkhedr]

Cool thanks guys

the thing is I am on budget so I was looking for just one.

Looks like it will be Guantlet

another question: Rebirth of Thanos or Hulk Future Imperfect?

 

[TheCorpulent1]

I'd go with Future Imperfect.

 

[Johnny Blaze]

And I'd go with the Rebirth of Thanos.

But, I'm bias.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Yes, you are the living definition of a Thanos bias.

 

[Johnny Blaze]

Yes, you are the living definition of a Thanos bias.

And you're the living definition of...of...a stupid head!






Yeah, I couldn't come up with anything.

 

[The Cleric]

future imperect.... believe me, it was that damn good

 

[Brainiac 8]

Never read the Infinity gauntlet stories, but they sound interesting. The last trade I bought was "The Marriage of Superman and Beyond." Interesting read, glad that story ended the long haired Clark...I hated that time period.

I have always loved SS, I'm personally hoping that the "Annihalation" story gets Marvel to start back up an ongoing SS series.

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

Is the Silver Surfer in the Infinity Gauntlet TPB much?

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Yeah, lots.

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

^Awesome, may have to get hold of that then. Is The Infinity Gauntlet, just one big TPB?

 

[TheCorpulent1]

I believe it is out in a single TPB, yes. There's also The Infinity War and Infinity Crusade, but those aren't as good as the original.

 

[BAH HUMBBUG!]

I'm glad this came up because I've been meaning to ask:

I've never read any of the infinity stories and I was wondering what would be more worth my while

Infinity War
Infinity Guantlet
or now
Rebirth of Thanos

Definitely go in order as someone else suggested. But The Thanos Quest and Infinity Guantlet are definitely not just the best of all of those stories but probably the best, no I take that back.

The BEST cosmic stories Marvel has, imho.

War and Crusade are not bad, they are actually decent or even good by some standards of comic book writing. But not near the level of the other stories.

Is the Rebirth of Thanos trade just issues 34-37/38ish? Or does it cover all the way to issue 59 when Thanos loses his godly power?

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

^Re-birth is just 34-38 i think.

 

[IDrawDeadPeople]

Infinity Gauntlet stands out in my mind for something that it rarely gets credit for, which is its characterization of Adam Warlock.

Starlin is a genius when writing cosmic characters, and Warlock is where Starlin really takes his A-Game to another level. He was meant to write that character.

When written correctly, Adam Warlock has so much (otherwise untapped by Marvel) potential... and Infinity Gauntlet is where Starlin completely and utterly demonstrates how to write him and Silver Surfer as everything they ought to be as characters in context to the overall universe they exist in.

It could have been a benchmark or standard bearer for those characters, but it is also, ultimately, one that most subsequent writers have not been able to capitalize on.

Infinity Gauntlet was probably the last great gasp of Marvel's cosmic universe until Annihilation... and it was, unfortunately, Warlock's in general. Which is sad, because he does have the potential to be something amazing in the MU, but also probably a good thing, because I have yet to read a story where a writer has had the ability to do Adam the same level of characterization that only Starlin seems to breathe into him.