Infinity Gauntlet
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The Infinity Gauntlet is among the most powerful artifacts in the Marvel Universe. The Gauntlet consists of the six Infinity Gems mounted on a gold glove. Each Infinity Gem grants its bearer complete mastery over one aspect of the Universe:
With possession of all six Infinity Gems, the bearer would have complete omnipotence over the Universe, though not necessarily the omniscience required to effectively wield that power. Later comics added the existence of a seventh gem called the Ego Gem. Only one being, the omnipotent Living Tribunal, have ever been shown as more than a match for the Gauntlet's power having twice stopped the gems from working in unison and even reversing an action that Adam Warlock performed as "God." However, Adam Warlock once speculated that if Eternity had ever managed to gain the Infinity Gauntlet, then "...his attitude towards the Living Tribunal might change."
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[edit] The Thanos Quest
The Thanos Quest is a two-issue limited series, written by Jim Starlin, containing the first appearance of the Infinity Gauntlet. In the Thanos Quest, Thanos stole the six Infinity Gems from the Elders of the Universe that guarded the gems. At the end of the story, Thanos assembled the Gems into the Infinity Gauntlet, becoming the most powerful being in the Marvel Universe.
[edit] The Infinity Gauntlet limited series
The Infinity Gauntlet is a six-issue limited series, written by Jim Starlin and pencilled by George Perez and Ron Lim, and published by Marvel Comics group in 1991. In the series, Thanos uses his new power to kill half of the living beings in the Universe in an attempt to please Death. In response, many of the most powerful superheroes unite to battle Thanos for control over the Gauntlet and the Universe. Fortunately, Thanos is finally defeated by Adam Warlock, and Warlock himself becomes temporary wielder of the Gauntlet and its power. In the aftermath, the Living Tribunal decides that the Infinity Gauntlet is too powerful an item in the hands of Adam Warlock, who is clearly not of a sound mind (due to his decision to expel both Good and Evil from his being in order to become a "perfect" God) and unable to handle the powers granted by the Infinity Gauntlet: he acts violently against the court of the Living Tribunal, behaving unfit for one in his station. Therefore, the Living Tribunal uses their powers to make the gems unable to function together, preventing anyone from achieving omnipotence by possessing all of the Gems, and the Infinity Gems are once again separated and given to six different bearers, forming the new Infinity Watch. (It is revealed within the pages of the series Warlock and the Infinity Watch that the Living Tribunal has command of even more power than the wielder of the Infinity Gauntlet; he reverses one of Adam Warlock's godly outbursts with but a thought; earlier, in The Infinity Gauntlet, the Tribunal implied that the only reason that he didn't interfere with Thanos' possession of the Gauntlet was because Thanos didn't seek to upset the Universal Balance.)
The Infinity Gauntlet series was interwoven into the normal Marvel universe in a massive crossover and the resulting catastrophes had massive ramifications on the Marvel universe as a whole, with the events of the series being directly continued in the ongoing series Warlock and the Infinity Watch and the limited series/crossover event The Infinity War. Events in The Infinity Gauntlet also affected other ongoing Marvel series at the time, including Silver Surfer vol. 3 issues 54-59, and The Avengers vol. 1.
Earth's Strike Force to oppose Thanos:
- Adam Warlock
- Dr. Strange
- Silver Surfer
- Doctor Doom
- Quasar
- Thor
- Namor
- She-Hulk
- Hulk
- Wolverine
- Cyclops
- Iron-Man
- Spider-Man
- Nova
- Drax the Destroyer
- Firelord
- Captain America
- Scarlet Witch
- Vision
- Cloak
Universe issues that cross-over with Infinity Gauntlet
- Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #31-36
- Incredible Hulk #384-385
- The Mutant Misadventures of Cloak and Dagger #18
- Quasar #26-27
- Silver Surfer #51-59
- Sleepwalker #7
- Warlock and The Infinity Watch #1
- What If...? appearances:
- "What If Thanos Changed Galactus Into A Human Being?" (What If...? #34)
- "What If The Silver Surfer Had The Infinity Gauntlet?" (What If...? #49);
- "What If The Impossible Man Gained The Infinity Gauntlet?" (What If...? #104)
[edit] Illuminati
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This article or section contains information about a scheduled or expected comic book release, or a series already in progress. It is likely to contain tentative information and the content may change dramatically as the product release approaches and more information becomes available. |  |
The Infinity Gauntlet is scheduled to play an important role in the The New Avengers: Illuminati limited series (#2, January 2007).
Writer Brian Reed is quoted as saying, "We knew what our big themes were (Kree/Skrull, Infinity Gauntlet, etc.) and then we'd dig into whatever research we needed to support the story... Sometimes that research would change plot directions and sometimes it would enhance it. For example, we had a different idea for why the Illuminati would round up the Infinity Gems until I remembered that She-Hulk handed the Power Gem right to Reed Richards during her recent adventures."[1]
Spoiler
Illuminati #2 centers around the founding member of the Fantastic Four, Reed Richards. He approaches the Illuminati and convinces them that it is in their best interests to secure all 6 gems and the gauntlet in order to prevent them from ever falling in the wrong hands again. Reed Richards has already located several gems and receives the aid of the rest of the secret organization in locating the remaining gems. Once each gem is located Reed Richards, wielding the omnipotent gauntlet, seems to become lost in his newfound power. The Illuminati nervously demands he remove the gauntlet to no avail. Eventually, Uatu the Watcher appears to Reed Richards and shares his disappointment with Reed Richards. Richards then removes the gauntlet and states that he was attempting to will the gauntlet into inexistance to no avail. Each gem is then given to each member of the Illuminati for their own private keeping. The gems are all stored in secret even from one another and thus ends the latest chapter of the Infinity Gems and the Infinity Gauntlet.
[edit] Marvel Super Heroes
Capcom, in 1995 released a fighting game (a follow-up to X-Men: Children of the Atom) based loosely on the events of the Infinity Gauntlet storyline titled Marvel Super Heroes, with a variety of heroes and villains battling each other for control of the Infinity Gems. All six gems were featured in the game and could be collected and used during a match. Each gem granted a power up to the character who used it, but use of a certain gem would grant the wielder a power enhancement unique to the character. Thanos, the last boss, wields the Infinity Gauntlet during the final battle, with Doctor Doom appearing as his sub-boss.
The playable characters were: Blackheart, Captain America, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man, Juggernaut, Magneto, Psylocke, Shuma-Gorath, Spider-Man and Wolverine. Thanos and Doctor Doom were unplayable characters in the arcade version, although they were unlockable through use of DIP switches. Thanos had constant access to the six gems for his finishing moves, which involved effects unique to his character. There was also a hidden character, Anita, who required access to DIP switches to be selectable in the arcade, but was otherwise unplayable.
Upon beating Thanos you were treated to that character's ending which showed what he/she did after gaining the power of the Gauntlet. Notable ones include Magneto creating Avalon, Shuma-Gorath destroying the universe, and Adam Warlock making an appearance in Juggernaut's ending.
The game was ported to the Sony PlayStation and Sega Saturn, with codes that allowed Doctor Doom and Thanos to be picked. Anita remained unselectable, however.
Capcom also released a side-scrolling platformer for the SNES which was based on the Infinity Gauntlet storyline known as Marvel Super Heroes: War of the Gems. This game shared the same gameplay as X-Men: Mutant Apocalypse, and like in that game only five characters are playable, all of them heroes: Spider-Man, Wolverine, Captain America, Hulk and Iron Man.
[edit] Trading Card Games
The Infinity Gauntlet has appeared in two Trading Card Games that Marvel has released to date. The first was Overpower which was released in the middle of 1995 by Fleer. The gameplay of Overpower required each player to pick a set of 7 'mission cards.' One of the missions included in the game was The Infinity Gauntlet. In September 2006, Upper Deck Entertainment released the Heralds of Galactus expansion set for its VS System TCG. This set, the 11th expansion since Marvel Origins was released in April 2004, includes cards themed around the Infinity Gauntlet storyline. Teams included in this set are: The Heralds of Galactus, Inhumans, Kree, the Infinity Watch and re-features of the Doom and the Skrull teams. The Infinity Gauntlet is a featured equipment card in the game and was the first of 2 equipment cards to have a printed cost greater than 2.
[edit] Refrences in Other Media
- The Reality Gauntlet from Danny Phantom is a reference to the Infinity Gauntlet
- The Horror's Hand that is seen in Billy & Mandy's Big Boogey Adventure and the video game is a reference to the Infinity Gauntlet.
[edit] References
- ^ Cliff Biggers, "Illuminating the Illuminati", Comic Shop News, vol 1017.
