Both similarly provide existential threats to Earth's mightiest teams and heroes. Both are driven to eliminate life. Galactus needs to feed his hunger through the consumption of worlds; Thanos wants to sacrifice everything to prove his passion for the manifestation of death.
Jack Kirby created Galactus in the Fantastic Four and his first appearance was mind-blowing. The creative king also had the big purple planet-eater face off with Thor. John Byrne explored Galactus' psyche and refined the force-of-nature aspects of Galactus. He was an alien who considered humans as little more than ants in his picnic basket.
Jim Starlin explored and expanded upon Thanos' strange obsession. Whether battling Captain Marvel, Warlock, Spider-Man, Thing, the Avengers, or the whole Marvel Universe, Thanos was laser focused and obsessed with the end of everything. He was willing to embrace oblivion in order to impress his bony girlfriend.
What do you think about these two villains? Who is the better (or worse)? What makes him so? What are the best stories revolving around the two threats, and why are they so great? Make your case as both are fan favorites. Today share your comments about these big bad boys at Back in the Bronze Age!
14 comments:
I go with Thanos because he's more purely evil than the Big Purple G. Lee-Kirby made a point of telling the readers that Galactus was beyond human's concept good and evil. Byrne continued this depiction when he took over. In between those eras, I think other writers often depicted Galactus as a typical super-villain.
Thanos was and always has been depicted as evil with no ambiguity about it. The dude literally covets the embodiment of Death. He'll commit genocide just to get Death speak to him.
So in my book there's no question, it's Thanos all the way.
I'll counter that with Galactus.. Starlin made such a nicely-rich story with Thanos, his intentions, his hunger for death, all that. Very richly done and has been blessed with some very good writers to keep him integral to our beloved Marvel Universe, opening up much in the cosmic aspect of Bronze MU and later..., taking evil Marvel stalwarts like Doom and others to a wholly new and extreme scale/level.
But Galactus was such an extraordinary concept in-and-of-itself, a literal force-of-nature in the cosmos. The concept of a coming cosmic force to devour whole worlds back in 1966..? This truly deserved his top ranking not only for sheer force and overwhelming nature, but the early timing of his initial appearance..? I love the ripples it created in FF, Thor, all the different books since.
Thanos is no doubt the most evil of the two.
As for who spawns more fear upon their impending arrival, that goes to Galactus.
Galactus' favorite story, F.F. #243-244. That is until "The Last Galactus Story" is finished.
Yeah, I'll go with Galactus simply for sheer originality and how the character expanded the concepts which were treated in comics. Kirby and Lee get the original credit for creation, and Byrne gets the nod for exploring the concept of the force of nature, but two of my favorites were where the FF calls in Galactus to rein in the Sphinx (around issue 213?) and then the big G's battle with the High Evolutionary. That cover for FF #175 mesmerized me as a kid.
Thanos was okay as sort of a Darkseid knockoff. And I recently read Infinity Gauntlet for the first time. It was alright, but I think I would have been more impressed if I hadn't seen more or less the same thing in "What If ... the Avengers had become pawns of Korvac?" back in '82.
Cheers!
I like them both. But as for who is the better villain, I'd have to go with Thanos. For reasons stated earlier, he is the more purely evil one of the two. So, that makes him a better villain IMO. I've never been a huge fan of the ambiguously motivated bad guy. Some people like that, but I prefer my villain's motivations to be more purely on the the side of evilness. That way the good guys can pound them without holding back.
As for their best story arcs, this one is easy for me. For Thanos it is definitely Avengers Annual #7 and Marvel Two-In-One Annual #2. Not only my favorite Thanos story, but one of my favorite comic book stories period.
And when it comes to Galactus I have to go with what I call the second Galactus Trilogy, which was Fantastic Four #242-244, by Mr. John Byrne. The original Galactus Trilogy was great, but I think the second one stepped it up a few notches. Probably my favorite FF story of all time actually.
Pretty much echoing William up above. Avengers Annual #7 was my first exposure to Thanos and still my favourite, along with his role in the Warlock/Magus saga.
And Galactus trilogy 2.0 by Byrne, also my favourite use of big G, with that dust-up in #243 being one of the best action issues ever.
I think I've always liked Galactus slightly better as a threatening antagonist character, but Thanos is the cooler villain in the more traditional sense.
But they are both huge triumphs for the colour purple, that's for sure.
-david p.
I will say this about that:
Thanos is the heat of the Sun magnified to the Nth degree.
Galactus IS the Sun. I would have to say, Galactus gets the nod.
I do know that Groovy has Avengers/Marvel Two-In-One.
I've posted both FF 212-213 and 242-244.
(Waiting for the break of day
Searching for something to say
Flashing lights against the sky
Giving up I close my eyes
Sitting cross-legged on the floor
25 or 6 to 4
Staring blindly into space
Getting up to splash my face
Wanting just to stay awake
Wondering how much I can take
Should I try to do some more
25 or 6 to 4
Feeling like I ought to sleep
Spinning room is sinking deep
Searching for something to say
Waiting for the break of day
25 or 6 to 4
25 or 6 to 4).
I always liked Thanos better, because he had an actual personality, especially when written by Starlin. Galactus seems more like a force of nature than a person, which makes him kind of boring to me.
Imagine my wide eyes when I beheld Marvel Treasury Edition #21, reprinting Fantastic Four #s 120-123. Wow! John Buscema and Joe Sinnott, twice-up sized? That's my favorite Galactus story and how I first read it.
I have less of a connection to Thanos, as back in my kidhood I did not follow the Warlock and Captain Marvel mags. I've since caught up and have enjoyed what I've read, and I'd echo that Avengers Annual 7/MTIO Annual 2 is a great story.
But I prefer Galactus and thought Prowler put it nicely in his first two lines, above.
Doug
Can't decide. Love several of the Galactus stories mentioned herein (esp. in FF 120-123, as read in the Treasury Edition Doug mentioned, and FF 242-244), but I also like Thanos and love Starlin's Thanos stories in Capt. Marvel and Warlock (remember everybody, the story in Avengers Annual 7 and Marvel 2-in-1 Annual 2 are actually the conclusion of the much longer Warlock saga).
I was pretty young when I picked up the Marvel Two In One annual and I had no idea who Warlock and Thanos were. Much of that issue was over my head, and I had missed the Avengers Annual. It honestly took me a long time to appreciate the book (and fill in all the gaps of my knowledge). But at that young age, the image of Thanos turned to granite with a tear rolling down his cheek stuck with me. There was something painfully lonely about the character and that resolution struck me as cruel. I can appreciate the early Thanos and his strange motivations as being different than any other villain. Later his extreme outlook and desire to annihilate existence became somewhat redundant. Although he still is very interesting.
Having said that I always liked Galactus more. I liked that he was operating on a different plane of reality. The Earth was simply sustenance as were the other planets. We were so far beneath his consideration. That is a frightening philosophical musing. It is interesting that Jack and Stan were debating man's importance in the universe and the relationship with higher beings in a comic book. I still like that aspect.
I am walking in Doug's shoes here...
FF 120 - 123 with Gabriel the Air Walker walking on air in issue #120 still grabs me! I still recall getting it off the spinner!
I could never get into the blue/red Mar-vell nor Warlock and thus did not follow Thanos.
That being said - what issues above show the Thanos - Galactus meeting(s) and are they worth a read? If so, I can add it to the growing list this BitBA has generated for me!
Both of the Big Guys have given me hours of fine reading enjoyment. I'm echoing the love for the Avengers/Two in One Annuals. Starlin's characterization of Thanos was phenomenal, the scene with Pip the Troll always gets me.
That said, I have to give Galactus the nod. Those FF stories from Lee, Kirby, Thomas, Buscema, and Byrne were truly among the Best of the Best. I even loved his 'appearance' in the Not Brand Ecch parody of Silver Surfer 1. And, his physical appearance is among the most unique in Comicdom. Helmet with giant hockey sticks? Great idea, Jack!
Yet another post on a tangent:
Of the many books I read during the late 70s early 80s, Michael Moorcock's Elric of Melnibone saga really sparked my interest. Both Adam and Elric were characters created in the 60s. Some of the characteristics of Elric were his reliance on Stormbringer, the black blade that stole souls, feeding Elric power. Elric's dwarfish sidekick Moonglum, a short red headed faithful companion who ultimately fell to the sting of the black blade. Shaarilla of Myyrrhn, an outcast of her people, born wingless, she seeks Elric's aid in her quest for vengeance.
Adam had the soul gem, an ancient artifact that stole souls, Puck, his faithful dwarfish companion, and I want to say also red headed and finally Gamora, Adam's companion and also an outcast.
If you look at Elric's ultimate fate, and Adam's as well, both figures end with a tragic sacrifice.
Could it be? I don't know, I'm just saying... it just always seemed stories shared some similarities.
(Stems and gears, oh how the daisies bloom
When chandeliers light up the engine room
Can you feel the drops as it starts to rain
There's an underwater Ferris wheel
Where I found the missing link to this island chain
Home will always be here, unseen, outta sight
Where I disappear and hide
I think dreamy things as I'm waving goodbye
So I'll spread out my wings and fly
Home is a boxcar and it's so far out of reach
Hidden under umbrella beach
Home will always be here, unseen, outta sight
Where I disappear and hide
I think dreamy things as I'm waving goodbye
So I'll spread out my wings and fly
I'll spread my wings and fly
Home is a boxcar and it's so far out of reach
Hidden under umbrella beach).
PS: Bonus lyrics!?! What can I say, I'm a giver...
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