Comics

Welcome to yet another issue of RazorFine Presents Comic Spotlight as we take a look at comic heroes, villains, and everything in between.  This week, for the first time, we shine the comic spotlight on a villain.  Created in the early 1970’s by Jim Starlin, Thanos of Titan, an Eternal with almost unlimited intellect and power, would threaten the universe for decades on a mission to serve and win the heart of his mistress, Death.

Thanos

Name: Thanos

1st Appearance: Iron Man issue #55 (1973)

Final Appearance: Dies (again) in Annihilation issue #4

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“From knowledge springs power, just as weakness stems from Ignorance.”

Thanos, in many ways, is one of the most tragic characters in the history of the Marvel Universe.  Born on Titan to a race of Eternals, Thanos would grow into a bitter and power-hungry young man.  Early on Thanos became infatuated with Death and a desire to earn her pleasure and respect; Thanos pledged his life to her cause.

From the nuclear bombing of his own homeworld, to the murder and dissection of his mother, to his attempt to destroy all life in the cosmos, Thanos is consumed by a desire to prove himself in the eyes of Death.  First using the Cosmic Cube, and later the Infinity Gems, Thanos would be thwarted time and again by the like of Captain Marvel and Adam Warlock, who would turn the Mad Titan to stone and free the universe from his wrath, for the time being.

Thanos would be resurrected by Death in The Silver Surfer to be her new champion, and become a thorn in the side of the Sentinel of the Spaceways.  Once again he acquired all of the Infinity Gems in the short two-part mini-series Thanos Quest and combined their power to reach a level of omnipotence in The Infinity Gauntlet mini-series.  His godhood however was short-lived and Thanos would retreat into seclusion

Over the next several years Thanos would appear throughout the Marvel Universe sometimes as hero, sometimes a villain, but always with an agenda all his own.  Finally Thanos allied himself with Annihilus during the Annihilation mini-series for the simple curiosity of wondering what effect his destructive force will have on the universe.  Eventually Thanos would have enough and turn on Annihilus, however he would be killed by Drax the Destroyer who has hunted the Titan for years.  But don’t mourn too deeply for him; in death Thanos would be granted his fondest wish and become the consort of Mistress Death.

Thanos is a mix of power, science, and mysticism.  Imbued with keen intellect, super-human strength, enhanced reflexes and endurance, and near invulnerability, Thanos was a serious threat to whoever stood in the way of his latest scheme.  His acceptance of both magic and science allowed him to combine the two to enhance his natural abilities, to teleport of long distances, and to travel through time and alternate dimensions.  Thanos would also appear on the short-lived Silver Surfer cartoon in “The End of Eternity” (a three-parter featuring the death of, well, everything) and the series final episode “Soul Hunter.”

I’m a fan of the character, in fact I will admit to owning a little Thanos Infinity Gauntlet action figure.  With the exception of Green Lantern, one thing Marvel does consistently better than DC is the cosmic high-minded and far-reaching adventure.  Thanos is is a big piece of that legacy from his early years battling Captain Marvel to his “final” moments in Annihilation.  In fact he is so important and influential Marvel Comics Online voted him #1 on their list of Marvel’s Greatest Cosmic Characters, beating out characters like The Silver Surfer, Nova, Captain Marvel, and Galactus.

For those interested reading some of the Mad Titan’s adventures I would recommend The Infinity Gauntlet trade paperback (the sequels aren’t as good, but are worth a look), and the Silver Surfer: Rebirth of Thanos trade paperback featuring his return from the dead in the early 1990’s.  There are also several good Internet sites dedicated to the anti-hero including Thanos: The Mad Titan.

For a limited time Marvel Comics is offering you the chance to read issue #25 of Captain America online for FREE!  Just follow this link to head over to the free preview presented by Marvle Digital Comics Unlimited and catch the final fateful moments of one of Marvel Universe’s most beloved heroes.  After reading you can head to your local comic shop to check out the latest issue of the title which introduces the world to the new Captain America.  For more on that check out the latest issue of our Comic Rack.

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click to read issue #25 online

Well folks, Angel, much like Buffy before him, gets renewed for another season.  Angel Season Six entitled “After the Fall” gives us the rest of the story following the gang’s stand against the the Circle of the Black Thorn, and their new lives, in Hell.  Joss Whedon, Brian Lunch and Franco Urru unite to continue the tale of everyone’s favorite vampire with a soul.  Here’s our review for the first three issues of the series.

Angel: After the Fall #1-3
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“I don’t tell them they’re here because I took a stand.  My friends stood by me.  Wofram & Hart sent an army.  There were losses on both sides.  And then Wofram & Hart sent Los Angeles to Hell.”

 

“You’re half of what you were.”

Taking place months after the events of “Not Fade Away”, the entire city of Los Angeles has been sent to Hell and carved up and divided among demon lords.  Angel does what he can to save humans he comes across with remaining resources at his disposal and his new pet dragon, but must also live with the knowledge he’s responsible for sending the entire city to Hell.  Our hero seems lost, and unsure of his new role is to be in this new reality.  The reasons for this uncertainty aren’t immediately evident, but watch closely and you’ll find clues to the surprise revealed in issue #3.

Angel’s pals show up as well.  Connor, Gwen, and Nina are all doing their part and have started a sanctuary for humans.  And Wesley, the only “surviving” employee of Wolfram & Hart, is a ghost and a lone voice of logic in a world now devoid of any.  Whether Angel can trust him, or Wesley can trust himself, is another question which needs to be answered.  But Angel and Connor’s group aren’t the only heroes around.  Gunn is running his own posse, though he’s a bit more bloodthirsty than before (if you get my drift).

This is certainly a different way to take the series, and one which probably wouldn’t have been possible with the limitations of a television budget.  I’m not sold completely on Urru’s artwork and the soft glow and muted edges which he gives to the characters, but he does a good job envisioning Los Angeles in Hell.  This is a dramatic first chapter to what hopefully will live up to the promise of the television show.

 

Issue two finds Angel and Connor both dealing with the fallout from the death of the demon lord of Westwood, who, unknown to them, was taken down by their old pal Gunn, and the possible consequences of Angel killing the son of another demon lord at the end of issue #1.  More of the new Los Angeles is revealed and we begin to get a better understanding of how things work in the new Hell-ish L.A.

The evidence left behind at the death of the demon lord of Westwood sends Angel, mistakenly, to question the demon lord of Beverly Hills (you might remember his as Spike).  The banter between the two, so well used in Season Five, is present from their first scene together here.  And the slug fest between the two in front of the bevy of beauties is pretty good too.

This issue also includes a pretty disturbing scene between Gunn and Beta George showing us how ruthless, and possibly quite insane, vampire version of the former hero can be.  What exactly Gunn’s new role will be in this new reality is still to be determined.

This solid second episode gives us a little more info on the rest of the gang and starts to explain what they’ve been up to since Angel got them all sent to Hell.  Urru’s artwork continues to puzzle with odd takes on the looks of both Gwen and Nina (neither of which are immediately recognizable – and don’t even get me started on Illyria).  Spike however comes off just right.

 

Angel’s arrival and into Beverly Hills has caused an interruption and a battle with Illyria, who doesn’t like to see her favorite pet (Spike) messed with.  The result is Angel getting his ass kicked all around Spike’s mansion, much to Spike’s amusement, and then watching Illyria take on his dragon (which could have gone on a little longer for me).

None of that however is as painful as realizing that Spike’s been on the up and up and been a hero in Hell as Angel has been sitting on the sidelines.  This new found knowledge and guilt of course makes our hero go out and do something very brave, and insanely stupid.  He leaves to pick a fight with all of the demon lords of Los Angeles at once for a winner take all.  And, much like the first two issues of the series Whedon saves us a nugget of insight for the final page revealing just how hard Angel’s got it now.

The issue also contains some unexplained time-looping during Angel’s battle with Illyria.  Whether this is some weird Hell-ish side-effect on her powers or something more substantial, we’ll have to wait and see.

Although only three issues in to this new season we’ve been given quite a bit including the whereabouts of most of heroes (did Lorne hightail it to Vegas before L.A. got swallowed up?) and a building understanding of what this new existence is like.  As I’ve said, I’m not quite sold on the art, but the story has been good enough so far to keep me interested.  The real test is how the next few issues begin tying together these characters and moving the season forward to a climax and conclusion.