Classic Review: Silver Surfer- Rebirth of Thanos

Quick Summary

Pros: The main narrative is interesting and gets even more interesting as it progresses. The writing is smart and makes the characters even better. The entire volume is an important piece of Marvel history. The artwork looks good and suits the story well.

Cons: Some pieces of the story may be too weird for some readers.

Overall: This is a must-read when it comes to classic pieces of Marvel’s cosmic history. This volume tells an awesome story, centers around a great villain, and has some solid artwork to back it all up. Plus, it refines Marvel Comics in a way that goes on to have a huge impact on stories from this point forward. Readers who like Thanos, want to read Infinity Gauntlet, or are generally interested in the history of Marvel’s cosmic universe should not miss this volume.

Story

Silver Surfer: Rebirth of Thanos, by Jim Starlin, is an awesome collection that has a lot of positives going for it. The story is immediately captivating and stays this way as the narrative becomes more and more intense. Thanos ends up being a perfect villain for the volume and the evolution he undergoes here is excellent. Plus, the entire story is a significant piece of Marvel history that ends up performing memorable changes to Marvel’s cosmic universe. There are some weird pieces of the story that might not appeal to everyone but even these are charming in their own way. Overall, this is a great book that works in plenty of different ways.

(spoilers start here)

The main narrative in Rebirth of Thanos centers around the titular “Rebirth of Thanos”. After being defeated in the past, Thanos is brought back to life by Death itself, who grants him more power and tasks him with eliminating half of all life in the universe. He is opposed by the Silver Surfer, who is foretold to be the only being able to stop Thanos in his plans.

The resulting adventure stemming from Thanos’ quest is great. First, it pits him against the Silver Surfer in a few well thought-out encounters. Thanos proves that he is not just more powerful than the Surfer, he is also more clever. By the end of their battle, Thanos has made progress in his plans and faked his own death, thus throwing the Surfer off his trail. Later on, this trend continues as Thanos is pitted against the Elders of the Universe. Each encounter with an Elder is tense and has Thanos use a different method to defeat his foe. In general, this entire collection does a fantastic job in setting up Thanos as an awesome villain and managing to entertain while doing so.

Another aspect of this volume that really ups its appeal is the historical importance of what happens within this collection. This collection contains the third major appearance of Thanos and starts him on a road that will quickly lead to the Infinity Gauntlet event. It also refines Thanos as a character, deepening his connection to the personification of death and introducing a concern for the overpopulation of the universe. Meanwhile, the Soul Gems are turned into the Infinity Gems and are modernized in a way that will have a massive impact on the Marvel Universe from this point forward. Seeing all this evolution was a treat for me and will likely be a treat for anyone else with an interest in Marvel history.

The only contentious part of the collection comes from some of the more out-there chapters. The Silver Surfer’s encounter with the Impossible Man is silly in a way that almost feels evocative of Looney Toons. Meanwhile, Drax’s inclusion in the narrative as a whole just ends up being a joke. I enjoyed these moments of brevity in between the serious Thanos chapters but could easily see others not caring for them, especially since the Impossible Man’s humor is a little ridiculous.

(spoilers end here)

Art

The artwork in Rebirth of Thanos is a great complement to the story being told here. Ron Lim’s pencils provide a great depiction of the characters and worlds of this comic. They allow the heroes to look powerful, the villains to look intimidating, and the depths of space to look strange and otherworldly. However, the page layouts are what really make this volume’s visuals stand out. The pages throughout this volume have varied and unique panels that look different throughout the volume. In some places, a lot of panels are used in quick succession to show an emotional change or convey a lot of information; in other places, a much larger spread is used to highlight an important moment. All in all, the visuals in this collection add to the reading experience and suit the story being told.

Continuity

Silver Surfer: Rebirth of Thanos continues the story from Silver Surfer #33, currently uncollected.

The story here continues in Silver Surfer Epic Collection: Thanos Quest (Review).

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

• Silver Surfer #34 mentions the In-Betweener’s role in Silver Surfer #17-18. 
• Thanos died in Marvel Two-In-One Annual #2, collected in Marvel Masterworks: Adam Warlock Vol. 2 (Review) or in Marvel Masterworks: Avengers Vol. 17 (Review).
• Drax the Destroyer died in Avengers #220, collected in Avengers: The Trial of Yellowjacket (Review).
• Silver Surfer #36 mentions the Avenger’s last two encounters with Thanos. The first was in across the “Thanos War” event (Reading Order). The second was across Avengers Annual #7 and Marvel Two-In-One Annual #2, collected in Marvel Masterworks: Adam Warlock Vol. 2 (Review) or in Marvel Masterworks: Avengers Vol. 17 (Review).
• The Silver Surfer references the involvement of Soul Gems in the events of Silver Surfer #15-18.
• The Silver Surfer likely disapproves of Eros due to the events of Silver Surfer #19-20.
• Silver Surfer #38 starts with a reference to Nebula’s role in Avengers #318.