The Infinity Gauntlet

The Infinity Gauntlet
Cover to Infinity Gauntlet (third edition TPB) (2011). Art by George Pérez.
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
Schedule	Monthly
Format	Limited series
Genre	Superhero
Publication date	July – December 1991
No. of issues	6
Main character(s)	Avengers Adam Warlock Mephisto Thanos Silver Surfer Nebula
Creative team
Written by	Jim Starlin
Penciller(s)	George Pérez Ron Lim
Inker(s)	Josef Rubinstein Tom Christopher Bruce N Solotoff
Letterer(s)	Jack Morelli
Colorist(s)	Max Scheele Ian Laughlin
Editor(s)	Craig Anderson
Collected editions
1st Ed. TPB (1992)	ISBN 0871359448
2nd Ed. TPB (2006)	ISBN 0785123490
3rd Ed. TPB (2011)	ISBN 0785156593
HC Edition (2010)	ISBN 0785145494
Omnibus (2014)	ISBN 078515468X
Deluxe TPB (2019)	ISBN 1302915959

The Infinity Gauntlet is an American comic book storyline published by Marvel Comics. In addition to an eponymous, six-issue limited series written by Jim Starlin and pencilled by George Pérez and Ron Lim, crossover chapters appeared in related comic books. Since its initial serialization from July to December 1991, the series has been reprinted in various formats and editions.

The series' events are driven by Thanos, a nihilist character created for Marvel by Starlin in 1973. When Starlin began writing Silver Surfer in 1990, he and Lim began a new plot with Thanos that developed over sixteen monthly issues and a spin-off limited series before concluding in The Infinity Gauntlet. Pérez was brought in to draw The Infinity Gauntlet because he had more name recognition among fans and because Lim already had a full schedule. However, after completing three issues and part of the fourth, his own busy schedule and dissatisfaction with the story led to him being replaced by Lim.

At the start of The Infinity Gauntlet, the character Thanos has collected all six Infinity Gems and attached them to his gauntlet. With their combined power, he becomes "like a god" and sets out to win the affection of Mistress Death, the living embodiment of death in the Marvel Universe. When Thanos uses his powers to instantly erase half of the life in the universe from existence, Adam Warlock leads Earth's remaining heroes against him. After the Infinity Gauntlet is stolen by Thanos' villainous granddaughter Nebula, Thanos aids the remaining heroes in defeating her.

The series was a top seller for Marvel during publication and was followed by two immediate sequels, The Infinity War (1992) and The Infinity Crusade (1993). The story's events continued to be referenced in other Marvel comics for decades. The Infinity Gauntlet remained popular among fans, warranting multiple reprint editions and merchandise, with its themes and plot elements adapted into video games and animated cartoons. Most notable among later adaptations was the "Infinity Saga" of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which incorporated elements of the original comic story into a saga that spanned across almost two dozen connected films.