Possibly the biggest bad in Marvel is returning in a new mini-series in November!
WHAT IS COMING?
According to a news release from the House of Ideas, the Mad Titan Thanos is returning to vex the Marvel Universe, and he’s heading for Earth! Christopher Cantwell will write it, and Luca Pizzari will provide the art!
Here’s part of what Major Spoilers reported:
The saga will follow Thanos as he rockets to Earth from the darkest depths of the cosmos to undertake his most ambitious conquest yet. The only ones that can quell his passionate fury is a new Illuminati. Mr. Fantastic, Doctor Strange, and Iron Man have reunited to guide the superhuman world from the shadows and joining this new incarnation are Emma Frost and Blue Marvel. This cabal composed of Marvel’s greatest minds have wasted no time in sharing a secret that will shatter the heavens and provoke Thanos’ deadly wrath like never before!
THANOS VS. THE ILLUMINATI! The Mad Titan descends upon Earth to retrieve something he has lost. And the Illuminati must band together to stop him, because they’re the ones who hid it from him!
Chris Cantwell, who recently wrote a mini-series focusing on Namor, the Sub-Mariner, said, “I’ve had the honor and joy of writing some of Marvel’s greatest villains, so you can imagine how excited I am to not only tackle the Mad Titan himself, but pit him against some of the most powerful brains and fists out there—this latest lineup of the Illuminati. But I think folks will find the backdrop of this story quite unexpected, mischievously funny, and heartbreakingly human, for what has drawn Thanos back screaming into the universe is a singular pain and desire for connection that he believes only one essence in existence (and non-existence) can give him.”
Also in that release is the reason the new Illuminati is involved—they hid whatever it is that Thanos has lost. And the notion of a Thanos story, himself a god of sorts, being in a “heartbreakingly human” story, well, that will be interesting, all right!
WHO ARE THE ILLUMINATI IN MARVEL?
Of course, not everyone knows just who the Illuminati are in the Marvel Universe. Of the new members, I think most will be familiar with Mister Fantastic (from the FF), Doctor Strange (the Sorcerer Supreme), and Iron Man (Tony Stark).
The other two might need a little background.
First is Emma Frost, a mutant and occasional member of the X-Men. Here’s a brief description from Marvel.com: “As one of the most formidable psionic Mutants out there, Emma Frost is a Hellfire Club villain turned X-Man that uses her telepathic abilities and skills at manipulation to protect others, especially her fellow brethren.” She is considered an Omega-Class Telepath with vast powers (including the ability to make herself seem invisible). She can emit force bolts that have no physical effects, but can affect a victim’s mind so much that they can experience pain or be knocked out. She can also fully possess another being’s mind, but only one at a time.
She can also turn her body into diamond, granting her enhanced speed and strength. A superb businesswoman and electronics expert, she’s the one who developed the device Jason Wyngarde used to influence the Dark Phoenix.
In other words, she’s a good ally to have!
The other one, the Blue Marvel—well, that’s going to take a little more explanation.
As the aforementioned Marvel.com notes, “Adam Brashear, physics professor, adventurer, and former Marine and All-American football player, is a prominent hero from the 1960 known as the Blue Marvel! He uses his skills and anti-matter energy powers to fight villains, and receives the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President John F. Kennedy.
He is forced into early retirement due to racial tensions after his costume was damaged and revealed him as a Black man. He reemerges in the modern age at the ready to use his powers again to defeat dangerous threats.
A living anti-matter energy containment unit, the Blue Marvel can survive in space’s vacuum or in a nuclear explosion. He can fly at sub-light speeds, has incalculable strength, and uses his engineering knowledge to lift large objects without compromising structural integrity.
In 1962, the Blue Marvel and Anti-Man nearly destroyed each other in battle. Anti-Man dissipated into energy, and Blue Marvel’s torn mask publicly revealed him to be Black. Pro-segregation groups feared the Blue Marvel’s influence, while militant integration-supporters.
He obviously adds some much-needed diversity to this group. And some high-level power.
ONE OF THE BEST-KNOWN MARVEL VILLAINS
Thanos has been around a long time in Marvel, having been created by Jim Starlin. The Mad Titan has literally flirted with Death, has sought (and found) the Infinity Stones, and been the main baddie in the recent Avengers movies in the MCU.
I don’t think he’s ever had “enough power” because he is endlessly seeking even more! As another news release states about this upcoming mini-series, “This November, Earth will once again tremble before the power of Marvel Comics’ most feared supervillain in an all-new THANOS solo series! The saga will follow Thanos as he rockets to Earth from the darkest depths of the cosmos to undertake his most ambitious conquest yet.”
Over the years, his quests have been very legendary, challenging the best Marvel has to offer. He has ties to the Eternals, among others, and he immediately makes the danger level hit the roof!
The truth of the matter is, though, that regardless of what goes on in this new mini-series, I think it’s safe to say that the Mad Titan will survive to fight another day. Maybe that’s not the important part of the story, though, since he’s like Doctor Doom, who always manages to survive and shake up things somewhere else down the road!
Oh, and Thanos hot-wires a pickup truck. Okay, that I have to see!
What do you think? Are we ready for Thanos to come back, has it been long enough? What is the Mad Titan looking for, and how did the Illuminati hide it from him? Will this new Illuminati stick together after this adventure? Whatever your opinions, be sure to share them in the space below!
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Wayne Hall creates the Wayne's Comics Podcast. He’s interviewed Scott Snyder, Greg Capullo, John Layman, Kyle Higgins, Phil Hester, Jimmy Palmiotti & Justin Gray, David Petersen, Christos Gage, Mike Grell, and Matt Kindt. On this site each week, he writes his "Comics Portal" column (general comics comments and previews) and reviews comics.