#Infinity Gauntlet (Final appearance)

[keycomicbooks]

Warlock and the Infinity Watch #2 (1992) Angel Medina Cover & Pencils, Jim Starlin Story, 1st Team Appearance of Infinity Watch, Infinity Gauntlet (Final appearance)

#WarlockandtheInfinityWatch #2 (1992) #AngelMedina Cover & Pencils, #JimStarlin Story, 1st Team Appearance of #InfinityWatch, #InfinityGauntlet (Final appearance) "Gathering the Watch!" The Infinity Watch is gathered and the Infinity Gems are handed out. Drax obtains the Power Gem, Moondragon the Mind Gem, Pip the Space Gem, Gamora the Time Gem, and Adam Warlock gains the Soul Gem. https://www.rarecomicbooks.fashionablewebs.com/Warlock%20and%20the%20Infinity%20Watch.html#2 @rarecomicbooks Website Link In Bio Page If Applicable. SAVE ON SHIPPING COST - NOW AVAILABLE FOR LOCAL PICK UP IN DELTONA, FLORIDA #RareComicBooks #KeyComicBooks #MCU #MarvelComics #MarvelUniverse #KeyComic #ComicBooks

[cece693]

Just an idea that suddenly came to mind. What if you (the reader) have to fight Bucky during his winter soldier programming? What if something similar occurs to you guys as it did with Vision and Wanda? I plan for this to be divided into two parts since I don't have an ending in mind and this post isn't doing it for me. Hope you enjoy!

I Forgive You

pairing: bucky barnes x gender neutral reader tags: bucky can't catch a break, you are strong (power and skill wise), takes place during infinity war, open ended

You perch on the edge of the facility’s rooftop, the evening breeze ruffling through your hair as you stare off into the distance. The compound below you hums with activity—footsteps, clanging metal, distant voices—evidence of the Avengers preparing for the battles to come. You’re one of them now, and not just any member: you’re often dubbed the “strongest Avenger.” Some might say that’s an exaggeration, but you know what you’re capable of. You’ve trained in every form of combat you could get your hands on—hand-to-hand, swords, firearms. And to cap it all off, you possess powers that make you a formidable force, even among Earth’s mightiest heroes.

Still, when you’re alone, your thoughts drift to him. James Buchanan “Bucky” Barnes—your friend, your partner, the man you fell in love with. You think back to those frantic days when you found yourself on opposite sides in the battle between Tony and Steve. You were forging your own path, torn by loyalty and your own moral compass. Bucky was caught in the crossfire of past sins and present accusations. Through the chaos, you discovered each other and headed to Wakanda for Bucky to finally heal and escape the ghosts of his past. But things never were that easy.

The last 'normal' day you had with him you'll treasure for eternity. Bright golden rays washed over the Wakandan horizon the morning Shuri completed Bucky’s deprogramming. The moment felt surreal, the two of you standing among those tall grasses and budding flowers, watching the sun’s first light spread across the sky. Bucky’s hand tentatively found yours, his metal fingers brushing your palm. Despite all the horrors you’d both seen, despite the fracture lines left in his mind, he looked at you like you were his anchor to a life without darkness.

“You okay?” you asked him quietly, lacing your fingers with his.

He gave you a lopsided smile. “I’m not sure I deserve to be, but for the first time in a while, I feel almost free.”

And you believed him. You had to—he needed that belief.

Of course, that's when Thanos appeared, drawing you and Bucky into the largest battle Earth had ever faced. Battle lines were drawn in Wakanda, where countless outriders of Thanos’s army threatened to overrun the nation.

During the fray, you unleashed the full extent of your powers. Energy crackled around you, turning each of your blows into seismic shockwaves. You were almost unstoppable. At your side, Bucky fought with lethal precision, his vibranium arm glinting in the sunlight as bullets whizzed past. The synergy between you two was remarkable, like a dance choreographed through countless training hours and mutual trust.

But trust is fragile in the face of unimaginable power.

Suddenly, you felt a colossal presence. Looking up, your gaze locked onto the towering figure of Thanos. He stepped through the remnants of the battlefield, the Infinity Gauntlet glowing with stolen Stones. Even from a distance, you saw his gaze flick over your form, and something sparked behind his violet eyes—recognition. Fear, perhaps. The Titan raised his armored hand. A wave of twisted energy arced in your direction. You braced yourself, arms crossed in front of your body, channeling every ounce of power you had to shield your allies from the blast. Still, the force knocked you back, sending you tumbling across the ravaged earth.

When the shock subsided, a chill shot down your spine. You stood, shaking off the impact, and found the battlefield too quiet. Your eyes landed on Bucky just in time to see him freeze. His face contorted; his pupils dilated. It happened in a split second.

Hydra’s trigger words, carried on a faint, telepathic echo you couldn’t hear but Bucky could. An alien whisper from Thanos’s cosmic manipulations. And just like that, the Winter Soldier emerged once more. His steel-blue eyes turned ice-cold. The gentle man you loved disappeared behind an all-too-familiar mask of lethal focus. He turned away from the outriders, ignoring Thanos for the moment. His sights honed in on you.

“Bucky?”

He didn’t respond. Instead, his lips parted, eyes dark with an unspoken mission. This time, the programming was crystal clear: Take you out. Kill the one threat that even Thanos couldn't account for. Your greatest strength had painted a target on your back. You raised your hands, glowing with the power you wielded. But your heart pounded. Could you really fight him at full strength? Bucky—your Bucky—was somewhere behind that cold stare.

“Stand down!” Steve’s voice cut through the chaos, but Bucky didn’t listen. He pivoted, leveling his gun at Steve, forcing the Captain to dodge.

“Barnes, snap out of it!” Natasha shouted, but her attempts to get close were cut off by a brutal strike from Bucky’s vibranium arm. Everyone else was busy trying to fend off the onslaught of Thanos’s forces. Your team needed your power, but now you were pinned in a conflict of your own.

Bucky lunged at you, knife flashing. You parried with your forearm, each metallic clash echoing in the war-torn field. You had no intention of hurting him, so you held back, turning your power inward, using just enough to keep him off-balance. His movements were a lethal dance—calculated, relentless, unstoppable. Blow after blow, you deflected each strike, trying to talk him down. “Bucky, it’s me!” you cried, voice cracking. “You don’t want to do this!”

For a heartbeat, his eyes seemed to flicker, memories surfacing. The time you both sat under the Wakandan sunrise, the moments you’d shared—everything hung between you. Then the programming crushed it back down. His knife sliced through the air again. You twisted, sidestepping, but you were too concerned with not harming him, too torn by love and heartbreak. The blade found its mark.

A searing pain tore through your abdomen. Your eyes went wide, and a gasp tore from your throat. One heartbeat, two—time slowed. Your hands flew to the wound, crimson blooming across your fingertips. The world started spinning.

Bucky stood over you, knife still gripped in his metal hand. His expression was empty, but the second he saw your blood pooling on the battlefield, the mask began to crack. His breathing quickened; panic gripped him. Something deep within those blue eyes shattered.

“No,” he murmured, voice barely audible. “No, no, no…”

You collapsed to your knees, desperately trying to keep pressure on the wound. The pain was staggering, and your vision wavered at the edges as you fought against the darkness creeping in. The din of the battlefield—roaring explosions, clashing metal, and desperate shouts—faded into an echo, leaving only the trembling sound of Bucky’s voice. The knife clattered to the ground from his shaking hand, the cold light in his eyes replaced by raw horror.

Bucky dropped beside you, arms sliding around your body. Another wave of agony made you cry out, yet you clung to the faint relief of his warmth—even if it was stained by regret. “I’m sorry,” he whispered, voice thick with emotion. His vibranium hand cradled your cheek as though you were made of porcelain. “I’m so sorry.”

The Winter Soldier façade seemed to shatter then, peeling away like a final layer of armor. What remained was Bucky Barnes—the man you loved, tears tracking down his face in heart-wrenching clarity. Meeting his gaze, you rallied the last of your strength, silently conveying what words couldn’t: You forgave him. You loved him.

In the distance, Thanos lumbered toward the heart of the battle, where your fellow Avengers continued to fight, unaware of the private tragedy unfolding. The war raged on, but in that moment, time felt suspended—for you, for Bucky, for everything else that mattered.

With trembling fingers, he pressed down on your wound, desperate to stop the flow of blood. “Not you too,” he pleaded, voice tight with fear. “Please don’t leave me.” You forced a weak smile; you refused to let your final expression be one of despair. You wouldn’t let Bucky’s last memory of you be filled with nothing but tears and regret.

Bucky’s grip on you tightened, as if he could anchor you to consciousness by sheer will. Each breath you took felt like shards of glass in your lungs, but you clung to awareness, swallowing down the pain.

“Stay with me,” Bucky begged. He looked up frantically, searching for help that was nowhere to be found—Shuri was likely in the labs, the medical units were overrun, and Wakanda’s defensive lines were collapsing under Thanos’s onslaught. “I’ll—I’ll get you to someone. We’ll find a healer—”

“Bucky.” Your voice trembled, but you forced each syllable past your dry lips. You reached up with a shaking hand, brushing aside a strand of his hair matted with dirt and sweat. “Don’t…don’t blame yourself.”

His eyes squeezed shut as tears rolled freely, wetting the blood-streaked dirt beneath you both. The regret in his gaze was heartbreaking. “I wasn’t in control,” he rasped, “but it was still my hand. And I—”

You pressed weakly against his cheek with your palm, stopping him. You didn’t have enough breath to argue, so you let your eyes speak your truth: He had been a pawn once again, manipulated by Thanos’s cruel plans. You forgave him—truly. He held your hand against his stubbled jaw, turning his face into your touch. His vibranium arm remained clamped over your wound, red seeping over silver. Every passing second felt like a lifetime.

Above you, the sky lit up with another shower of blasts, the barrier around Wakanda flickering under the assault. Your teammates were fighting valiantly—Steve, Natasha, Sam, Wanda, T’Challa—all risking their lives to push Thanos back. But you knew the Titan’s power was immense. If even your strength might not be enough to stop him, how could anyone else stand a chance? In your heart, you felt a pang of guilt for not being out there, protecting the team as you always had. But there was no denying your body was failing, and Bucky’s terrified eyes told you he could feel it too.

“Help!” His cry rose into the chaos, ragged and desperate. “Somebody help!”

[ishipallthings]

Cap Iron Man Rec Week 2024 (Tues)

Time Travel Tuesday - July 23rd for @cap-ironman Rec Week

Time-y whimey shenanigans!

Remember to show some love for your hard-working creators!

finding my way back to you by Anonymous (MCU)

Ten minutes after a botched attempt at proposing to Tony, Steve is thrown back in time.

More Than Gravity by JenTheSweetie @jenthesweetie (MCU)

“Aw, time travel, no.” On Christmas Eve, Tony came unstuck in time.

Marty McFly Never Had to Deal with This by sweatervest (MCU)

Tony's latest project goes less "renewable energy" and more "slightly explosive time machine," and Howard Stark arrives from 1946. Why, Steve would like to know, are time and space going to such lengths to cockblock him?

feelings that never left by hollyandvice (MCU)

The last thing Tony expects while working on the time machine for the so-called Time Heist is to be confronted with the very man he thought he'd made his peace with. Guess some wounds run deeper than we think.

Atomic Clock by imparfait (MCU, EG)

It’s ten am on a Tuesday in May when Tony Stark appears in Clint Barton’s barn. Clint trips over him while looking for a toolbox and swears, then swears again, then thinks I need to call Nat, which makes a half-sob punch out of his throat.

A Time to Be Alive by babesrgrs (MCU, EG)

The mission to get the Mind Stone and the Tesseract from 2012 goes a bit differently AKA the slightly snarky but sexy Endgame scene that didn't make the final cut.

Lover Come Hold Me by RurouniHime @thegertie (MCU, EG)

One by one, the stones must go back.

hunters seeking solid ground by laramara @commandersteverogers (MCU, EG)

In the wake of the battle with Thanos, Steve feels unmoored in a way he hasn’t since before he ate shawarma with a group of virtual strangers and thought maybe, maybe he could one day find a place here. Steve returns the stones, and has a few unexpected interactions and makes some decisions along the way.

Mobius Strip by dirigibleplumbing @dirigibleplumbing (MCU, EG)

Steve sets off to return the Infinity Stones. It ends up not being quite as straightforward as he'd imagined.

The Five Stages of a Time Loop by AirlocksandAviaries @airlocksandaviaries (MCU, EG)

Tony Stark looks Thanos in the eye. He raises his gauntlet in defiance and states his iconic phrase. He snaps, expecting death. But death doesn't come. Instead, he's back in his basement, completed time travel model in front of him. He builds the time machine. He snaps again. Again, and again, and again. Tony can't for the life of him seem to change the outcome of this story. What does change, though, is his feelings around it.

That Time Back Then by navaan @navaan (616)

An accident sends Steve and Carol back in time and watching Steve and Iron Man interact gives Steve a new perspective on how blind both of them were all those years ago.

Beside You In Time by Kiyaar @kiyaar (616)

The world is ending: Tony is evil, Steve is old. So there's nothing to stop him from making the (terrible) decision to travel back in time in a last-ditch effort to spare them both: by killing Tony's past self to spare them both from ending up where they've ended up. The Universe has other plans. An honest-to-god fix-it for Superior Iron Man, Hickman's entire run, and pretty much everything since Tony decided it was a good idea to take Extremis way back in 2005.

Mind over Matter by Missy_dee811 @laexploradoraaa (616)

For a brief moment in time, Steve had the power of the universe in his grasp, and he squandered it. The Infinity Gems, with the exception of one, ceased to exist. The Illuminati's last attempt at circumventing the laws of the universe and stopping the incursions before they targeted Earth-616 were eliminated when the precious stones shattered. But that wasn't the only thing that was broken that day. His faith in himself never recovered.

Hope you guys enjoy the recs, and stay tuned! Please mind the tags before reading. Check out my tag for previous years’ rec lists :)

[thewatcherofrealms]

After rewatching Danny Phantom I had a cool idea on what if he were to somehow get involved with Thanos and the infinity gauntlet.

Like what if Danny destroying the reality gauntlet actually had a consequence and he ended up getting sent to the MCU at the same time Thanos destroyed the infinity stones on that one random planet he was farming on in Endgame.

To Danny it was an unfortunate mistake that caused him to be stranded on a random planet with a purple alien as big as Pariah Dark but to Thanos it was a purposeful act that caused a human looking boy in black and white that glows green to appear (even better if Thanos assumes that his attempt to destroy the stones formed Danny especially if Danny gets some reality warping abilities because he destroyed the reality gauntlet).

Maybe they could form a bond due to them having no family or friends to rely on due to them either being dead (Thanos throwing Gamora off the cliff) or having no way to contact them (Danny having no control over his reality warping).

Maybe they could form a somewhat father-son relationship and as Danny gets a better handle on his reality warping this is where the avengers get involved.

In the movie they found Thanos because of residual energy that was left after he destroyed the infinity stones but because Danny is in technicality the physical manifestation of the stones, it’s when Danny warps reality that the Avengers finally find there location and finds Thanos.

Of course Danny isn’t gonna let random people he doesn’t know destroy his home, hurt his father figure, and let Thor decapitate him. He’s gonna use his ghost powers to stop them and if that doesn’t work then resulting to reality warping is the only option.

[rei-ismyname]

X-Men appearances in Infinity Gauntlet

For context, Thanos has just snapped his fingers and killed half the universe. Wolverine in civvies rescues a woman and her child, but does little for morale.

Doctor Strange and Adam Warlock are summoning their army from Earth's heroes. Wolverine in uniform! Cyclops in his X-Factor uniform (creating a continuity issue.) Namor and Wanda aren't X-Men but they're both mutants. Cloak is eventually X-adjacent, though not for a long time.

Cyke lurks in the background while crazy shit happens.

Hulk decides he likes Wolverine because he's a monster. It's cute that he calls him shorty. I miss smoking in comics!

More standing around.

Wolverine stabs Thanos in the chest and gets brutalized for his troubles. Still, pretty impressive vs someone with all 6 Infinity Gems.

Wanda and Cyke go for the mutant double team with long range attacks.

Doesn't work out well for her, and Cyclops yells 'WANDA!' which is cute. Flying boxos finally take advantage of the distraction.

Thanos conjures a block of something around Cyke's head, cutting off his attack and access to oxygen.

It's pretty effective - Cyclops suffocates and dies. Cap is distraught. Thanos is such a dick.

[tarithenurse]

Inhuman

Fandom: MCU Pairing: Loki x fem!reader, Stucky, more (some canon, some not). Word count: 3588. Contents: Violence, blood, gore, pain, suffering, death. A/N: Any questions are welcome. Please comment and like and reblog. Let me know if you want a tag.

Chapter 64

... Reader’s PoV ...

The scant light reaching the distant moon is blocked by a craft so big it seems impossible that it should be able to land on the celestial sphere. Still it lowers itself to the surface, the black wingspan gyrating around an inner axis, and comes to rest in a silent cloud of dust. The Guardians have explained that this main vessel is classified as a necrocraft, and staring at the imposing monstrosity, the name seems eerily fitting. You are lacking the right adjectives to describe it. Bigger than most buildings on Earth you have seen, it’s still towering above your head despite having landed in a cracked valley, a few hundred meter away from you.

A sharp slit of light appears and grows in four directions, forming a supposedly big square. It looks like a speck of sand in comparison. Blackened silhouettes break the light and make their way up the slope, the leader is considerably broader and walks ahead of the others with his arms swinging like the pumped up musclemen from any fitness centre, the two that follow are leaner and slightly taller, and finally the last is…

What is that? Tall and broad, it propels itself forward sometimes on its two legs, sometimes on both hands and feet. Four hands. Four arms. Its muscular body features a tremendous bulging hump covering the doubled shoulder blades in a manner that makes its movements feral, matching the vicious snout and canines the size of a tiger’s.

“Little liar. Now I’m here in your ‘trap’…did you really think I would believe you?”

The titan is still advancing, a golden gauntlet making his left hand appear even bigger as he flexes the fingers to make a red gem gleam dangerously.

Backing away from him, you begin a slow descend towards the place your friends and allies are hiding.

Behind the Mad Titan, another gigantic structure materializes. You recognize it from Tony’s descriptions in the files about the Battle of New York. Chitauri Command Center. Shit.

“If you thought, I was luring you into a trap, why come at all?” A lump of ice is lying heavily in your guts, weaving its tendrils into your voice to make you sound much more self-assured than you are.

As Thanos holds up the metal-covered hand, the truth hits you before he answers. “You and your little friends have something I want.” The cocky drawl and crooked smile makes him more threatening. “Three Infinity Stones. All I have to do is take them, now that you have brought them right to me.”

“You’d still be a few trinkets short.”

Letting a hand slide to the back, you detach two discs. Clicking the centre to call out the blades, the signal for your comrades to move in, the weapon’s edge slice into your skin and the few drops of blood makes the four-armed creature’s head whip to you with nostrils flaring. Thanos’ attention is drawn to something behind you and you know help is coming.

This is it.

Launching the two shuriken, the metal buries into the shoulder and chest of the grey Chitauri, but you have to throw yourself out of the way of the beast as it lunges for you. Swirling to face it, you see how it’s blasted away by a bright beam, yelping as it tumbles though the dust and gravel until it lands motionless before the black necrocraft that’s spilling its forces onto the surface like a dark, writhing torrent of impending destruction.

Any further observations are prevented by an alien with pale, yellow eyes flaring angrily as it wrenches the sharp metal of one of your weapons from the shoulder before it raises the spear. Moving without thinking, you tumble sideways, drawing a knife even before you have found sure footing to push off from, the hard footsteps kicking up dust as you swerve and sidestep each arch and jab from the long-bladed weapon until you are close enough to thrust your own blade into the soft tissue beneath the creature’s chin, making its blood gush out over your hand as you withdraw.

The two opposing waves meet and crash on the top of the ridge. All around you are flashes of lightning, destructive beams, foreign projectiles and explosions, making the normally silent satellite ring with noise.

Out of the corner of your eye you see T’Challa tangle with another four-armed monster. Under the mask, his face is contorted into a snarl as he lashes at the throat and abdomen with the claws attached to the black suit he is wearing.

You have grabbed the spear of the Chitauri and swing it around in a low arch that hamstrings a Dark Elf who had been on its way towards a mutant named Kitty. The girl can apparently phase through anything, and uses that gift to efficiently drag any enemy into the ground where she leaves them, stuck and defenceless.

“Thanks.” The brown-haired girl gasps, breathing hard from the running she has been doing.

You are about to answer when Tony comes flying past out of control from a hard punch from the Titan. The metal suit clangs and dents as he slams into a cliff, causing a chunk of the stone to crumble onto the ground. Before the man can get up, several of the enemies have him surrounded, drawing in to finish him off while weakened. Even as he begins to blast one after the other away they are replaced too fast but you can’t get to him as you are facing a grumpy looking Kree.

“We created you…” The raspy guttural voice of the blue extra terrestrial is loud enough to reach you over the chaos of battle from all around. “Now we and the Lord shall see to it that you and your kind are annihilated.”

In two long steps it’s at you, fingers clamping around your skull as if to break it. Pain shoots through your brain but even as you buries her knife in the guts, the Kree only laughs as he continues slowly crushing the cranium, making a haze stifle your thoughts and vision. You are vaguely aware of clawing at its arms and hands before a rush of power spills into you, stopping the pain seconds before the now shrivelled body hits the ground.

Rushing forward, you slam against a sharp-clawed, double-armed monster and you relish the abundance of energy that pools in your hands in a sphere of liquid light, casting the rest of the world into shadows and making the occasional bursts of lightning pale in comparison.

Rounding on Steven, who has been backed towards you, tiring despite the use of temporary serum, you palm his shoulders and let some of the force flow into him before you leap away, finding new monsters to drain.

You aren’t thinking. Aren’t planning. And you have to restrain yourself to only pick off Thanos’ minions instead of everything that moves. Feeling light and strong, you almost dance in and out among the struggling warriors until you abruptly are brought to a halt.

“ENOUGH!” Thanos bellows, causing the fighting to stop awkwardly with the hostile party surrounding the smaller group of would-be saviours.

Around you thick bars are appearing, locking you in and cutting off any sensory connection to the outside world except sight and hearing. The titan is standing roughly 40 meters away, hand outstretched towards Thor who is in a similar cage but with a guillotine blade descending slowly towards it.

“I tire of this squabbling. Now give me what I came for.” He might be there for three Stones, but right now he is looking straight at Loki. “You disappointed me. Stole what is rightfully mine. Now give it back or your brother dies.”

The already pale Asgardian is trembling, eyes dark behind a curtain of black hair, and he advances slowly despite Thor’s protests. “You will let them go if I give the Tesseract to you?”

“I will let your brother out of the cage,” Thanos is smirking.

“Loki!” Natasha calls out. “You can’t trust him to keep –” But she is silenced with a wave from the man possessing the object in question.

With slow, deliberate movements, Loki releases a satchel from his belt and pulls out a glowing, blue cube. He has had it with him all the time? Everything is silent as he holds it towards the rival.

“Let him free.”

“As you wish.”

Several things happen at once. A soundless blast sends Thor rocketing away from the planet, making Loki roar with fury and pain, but Thanos has grabbed the cube, crushing the exterior to reveal a bright Stone inside that slams into an empty socket on the gauntlet, causing a small shockwave to knock back the nearest people, friend and foe alike, except the Titan himself.

With a whoosh, Vision takes flight, following Thor’s trajectory and guided by a maniacal laughter.

“Pathetic!” Thanos is cackling. “So predictable. Willing to believe weak sentiments!” Off to the side, you notice Wanda and Dr. Strange huddling with their heads together. “It will be your doom. And I shall enjoy sacrificing every living soul to further my campaign.”

A soft, green light surrounds the bars of your cage and red strings cut into them. You understand what is happening. Hurry, he won’t talk forever.

The maddening gloating that Thanos has begun drones on as the structure is reduced to nothing on one side, allowing you to crawl out before being grabbed by a crimson-glowing force that pulls you to safety the same moment the megalomaniac of a bad guy realizes what has happened, making all hell break lose with a renewed vengeance at his order.

Snarls and yells accompany the sound of a multitude of weapons as the two forces clash again. Storm creates hurricanes that toss the enemies to the sides as they threaten to overpower her, and behind her both McCoy and Logan are fighting like feral beasts, the latter sporting long claws that are dripping with blood after tearing through anything in his way.

There are too many! A whole host is mowed down by a combination of lightning and a bright beam of light, heralding the return of Vision and Thor, but their impact is negligible. Dark Elves, Chitauri and creatures you have no name for are still pouring from the vessel, and they all aim for the android, managing to pin him down with their sheer numbers. They don’t care if they die as long as they get to him and Thanos is on their heels, wielding a spear that he stabs into the forehead of his pinned enemy. The Stone! With a flick from the weapon, and an excruciating scream from Vision, the yellow gem separates from its old spot and is sucked into the socket on the Infinity Gauntlet. At Thanos’ feet, Vision’s body goes limp and monochrome.

No sound can compare with the wail of terror and pain that rises above the din of the battle. Throwing her head back, the Sokovian girl unleashes the pain and wrath of her broken heart together with a conal explosion that evaporates any threat for hundreds of meters in front of her. There is almost no time to sense the pain of the dying because it happens so fast, but a sickening, sinking dread fills you as the glowing figures of Fury, Arvid and Dr. Strange’s friend Wong vanish from your radar without a trace, caught in the friendly fire without a chance to escape.

… Loki’s PoV ...

The destructive wave leaves an open scar across the surface of the moon where no one is standing. Yanking his spear free, Loki turns to watch as the witch falls to her knees, sobbing at the death of her beloved who is now lying with pain etched in his reddish features. The usual radiance has left him together with his clothes, making it obvious how much of him that was dependant of the Mind Stone’s powers.

They only have seconds to recompose themselves before the onslaught resumes. Up on the ridge, Thanos lifts his left arm, making the gauntlet gleam as he is bathed in the clear light streaming through a conjured gate way. Through it, the clear skies are visible over the rolling planes covered in tall grasses.

Ducking an oncoming attack from an Outrider, barely dodging all four of its clawed hands, the former Captain has assessed the situation.

“Keep them from reaching the portal,” Steve’s voice crackles in the minuscule device in Loki’s ears.

Looking up, the Asgardian sees the first of Thanos’ squadrons peel itself off the massive sides of the necrocraft and aim for the passage to Midgard. Even though their path is impeded by anyone who can fly or has a great enough range, many still escape through. Escape. The word is not a bad choice as the Hulk is leaping from one plane to the other, oblivious to any hits he takes. Any ruined machinery he abandons come crashing down, forcing friends and foe alike to leap out of the way, and in his own attempts to avoid being crushed, Loki finds himself fighting back to back with [Y/N] who has picked up a firearm. Her eyes are a furious violet as she attempts to hold her ground.

“Forgive me, but you seem to miss a few,” Loki yells over the din. “Perhaps it would be more effi–“

“Shut up!” she snarls, nailing a Sakaarian in the chest. “Those four-armed monsters are hard to get close to.”

A shadow that darkens the perpetual dusk falls over them, and he only just has time to pull [Y/N] with him out of the way of a crashing Chitauri chariot, its engine ripped out through a gaping hole. Loki has landed on top of her, using himself as a shield against the debris that has been thrown into the air by the impact. Now he looks down at her face which is covered in smudges of dirt and a colourful palette of blood from the many species they are fighting against. Even now–

Any further thinking is cut off as she grabs his spear and thrusts it past him with a grunt. Rolling away, he sees a Kree clawing at its chest before it goes limb, arms dangling in front of the woman’s face. Kicking the body away, he helps [Y/N] up before wrenching the spear free. It went through.

“[Y/N]!”

Stark’s voice is frantic in the communications device and it can even be heard faintly over the clamour. Naturally, [Y/N] is already rushing in the direction the strangled yell came from and Loki has to hurry to keep up, joining her in the efforts to clear the way to get there. Skirting around the smouldering ruins of a Harrow-craft, a different scene comes into view: sitting on the ground, Stark is cradling the lank body of the young Spiderling-boy. Blood is rapidly pooling around them, and the youth’s skin is paling already as it continues to gush from the right thigh where the leg has been severed, cut clean off.

“Do something.” There is desperation is the voice of Stark. “He couldn’t get away in time.”

A figure materializes from the blackened structure, holding the missing limb. Shadowcat shudders as she lays it on the ground next to them. “Don’t ask me to do something like that again.”

Falling to her knees, [Y/N] sets to work, face grim as she concentrates. A red blast slams into the ground right next to her, but she barely flinches. Under her hands the bleeding is diminishing and she reaches for the severed leg. She can’t hope to save it? Let alone him? Loki has to turn away to fend off an opportunistic attacker.

“I need that one.” The healer hasn’t even looked up.

Neutralizing an enemy is harder when you are not allowed to take its life. Loki knows that, and with a thought, he turns the spear into a blunt weapon in the hopes that he can knock the Dark Elf unconscious. A pair of up-stretched arms sprout from the ground followed by the rest of the mutant girl, and she grabs the advancing foe by the knees before reverting direction. She drags him with her into the bedrock until only the white-haired head is free, the pale eyes filled with fury and frustration until Loki knocks the senses out of it. Seconds later, Shadowcat has dragged the unconscious fighter over to [Y/N] who grabs its chest with one hand, the other palm covering a diminishing canyon of bleeding flesh.

Twice they have to bring new sources of energy, but finally the boy stirs. He is still pale as he looks up into the face of his patron, clearly trying to understand what has happened even as he begins to apologize.

“Stop it. You’ve done great.” The often brusque voice of the Tin Man is shaking and he doesn’t let go of the boy. “I’m going to get you out of here so you can catch your breath.”

“Tony we need your topside,” Romanoff’s voice cuts in via the devices in their ears. “Maybe Kurt can?”

Before the inventor can object, two pops of black smoke ring in rapid succession and Stark is sitting with empty arms. With a curse, he takes off to join forces with those trying to stem the masses leaving through the portal.

… Reader’s PoV ...

“Guys!” Steve is clearly out of breath, wherever he is. “We have to end this now! You know the drill.”

No, I don’t. You have been left out of the loop, something that can probably be explained by everyone else but you and Loki travelling and arriving together. By the looks of the puzzled expression in his green eyes, he is thinking the same, but he is dragged away by Nebula, who begins to fill him in on whatever is going on even as they disappear in the roiling masses. A loud pop makes your heart skip a beat. Turning to face Kurt, you demand to know what’s happening.

“Zee for yourzelf.”

With yellow eyes gleaming with fear and excitement, he points at a formation heading straight towards Thanos. The massive, metallic Colossus is leading with Sif, and behind them follows a tight group surrounding Nebula and Logan, each member of their guard protecting the odd duo from attacks. Shards of ice erupt from the ground on Bobby’s bidding, the young mutant flanking Valkyrie while she puts her sword to good use. Behind them, but also travelling up the hill, is Heimdall and the blue-furred beastly shape of Hank McCoy, while Ayo and Bucky form an efficient and deadly rearguard.

A small explosion brings you back to your own situation in time to dodge a swing from a human-looking female. Per reflex, you kick the attacker hard in the chest, sending her tumbling backwards into the broken metal frame of the Dark Elf fighter-plane. Blood spurts from the chest and mouth before the unfortunate would-be killer hangs limp, supported by a twisted rebar through her heart.

“It iz time,” Nightcrawler decides.

Holding you firmly, you have time to breathe in sharply before he makes darkness threaten to pull you apart with an ear-popping force. It feels like an eternity before the jarring, stretching feeling is reversed, turning into a weight that could crush bones even as the light and noise comes rushing back.

The chaos surrounding you is the same, but you are suspended in midair right above Thanos. Everything is moving as if in slow motion, giving you ample time to take in the scene.

To the Titan’s left, Logan has made his way up, undeterred by the many gaping wounds, his arm raised with one shiny claw that he is swinging in a perfect arch towards Thanos’ arm. Two tiny figures have landed on the gauntlet, and you recognize with a flutter of wonder that it is Scott Lang and his girlfriend Hope. They can’t get it off him.

The moon’s weak gravity is beginning to drag you downwards and you brace yourself as you land on the muscle-bulging back of the enemy leader. Your legs clamp down around the brought sides, the left hand grabbing hold of the edge of his armour, and already a magnetic force pulls the palm of your other hand to the back of his thick skull which he stupidly has opted to leave bare.

The light that bursts free is breathtaking, pulsing in waves, the constantly changing colours put all the brilliants in the world to shame. And in it is something pure and innocent, that almost sings of the joy of being free. There is…so much. It fills every cell, charging every molecule until your body sings and vibrates with the radiant energy. Even if you had wanted to, you wouldn’t have been able to let go. More. I want more.

All around you, the world has faded away. The sounds have drowned in a choir of rapidly increasing humming. You feel strong. Invincible. Throwing your head back, you arch your body as the torrent of ecstasy makes you strengthen the grip on the thing in your hand that is the source of the power flowing through you. More. But the river is dwindling, drying out. And suddenly you are tumbling, head over heals into the dust where you land on the back staring up into the dark infinity of the universe through a darkening haze.

[my-marvel]

How I'd Make The MCU: 2027's AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR

1. The movie opens with how Thanos defeated Hulk, took the Power Stone, and sent Hulk away with the Space Stone. Hulk, as shown, shows up as Bruce on Genosha warning the X-Men of what's coming. 

2. The Guardians of the Galaxy respond to a distress call, which is Asgard. They find Thor and Beta Ray Bill amongst the ruins of his palace, and he tells them what happened. He says they need to go to find Thanos and kill him, but Beta Ray Bill says they need a new weapon to defeat Thanos. So Marvel's best bromance Beta and Thor go to Niðavellir while the Guardians go to recruit the Ravagers. 

3. Meanwhile, Tony Stark and Pepper, now married, are having a date in Central Park when the Black Order appear to spread the good news of Thanos. Stark suits up, and Doctor Strange and Wong appear out of nowhere to fight them. Spider-Man shows up as well, telling Stark about his new daughter in the middle of the fight like, "Hey Tony, how've you been? Anyways, me and MJ have a kid now. I'll show you pics later." Doctor Strange gets kidnapped by Maw and Tony, Rhodey, and Peter sneak onto the ship as it leaves Earth. 

4. Same as our timeline, Maw is chucked out the window and the Guardians show up on the ship, having stumbled upon it and deciding they should at least try to fight the Black Order. So the Guardians, Tony, Rhodey, Strange, and Peter crash into Titan. 

5. On Earth, Banner and the X-Men travel to Wakanda to hide the Mind Stone cause Wakanda has a giant forcefield around it. They want to destroy the stone, but don't want to cripple or destroy Cerebro in the process. The Black Order and Thanos's army invades Wakanda. The Fantastic Four and the other Avengers show up to help as Shuri works to try to remove the Mind Stone from Cerebro's core and destroy the Stone. 

6. Thor and Beta Ray Bill arrive in Niðavellir to find the place almost entirely abandoned. Save for one dwarf, Eitri, who'd made the Gauntlet Thanos uses in exchange for sparing the dwarves. But Thanos still slaughtered the dwarves and ripped off Eitri's legs. Thor and Bill help him forge Stormbreaker. 

7. Thanos arrives on Titan, and the fight is a lot like ours but now there's Adam Warlock, Rocket, and Groot are here as well. Thanos eventually wins after the DROPPING A MOON ON THEM Gambit works. He rips the Soul Stone out of Warlock's head, killing him, and in exchange for allowing Tony to live Strange willingly gives up the Time Stone. 

8. Thanos arrives in Wakanda and makes his way through the Avengers. By now, Fury has shown up with the last helicarrier to help out and is dominating his army with it, but Thanos just uses the Reality Stone to dismantle the ship down to the bolt and let it fall on the Wakandan Army. He goes through the Wakandan stronghold, fighting off Avengers after X-Men after the Fantastic Four until finally he reaches Shuri who just in time DESTROYS THE MIND STONE... only for Thanos to reverse time and take it for himself. 

9. Then finally Thor and Beta Ray Bill show up and FUCKING TAGTEAM THANOS PERFECTLY IN SYNC AND THOR FUCKING BREAKS HIS SPINE WITH MJOLNIR AND BETA RAY BILL STABS HIM THROUGH THE CHEST WITH STORMBREAKER! "FOR ASGARD!" Thor cries, before Thanos whispers, "You should have gone for the head." And SNAPS then teleports away. 

10. Slowly, and painfully, have the universe's sentient life turns to dust. 

11. The movie ends with Thanos staring out at the sunset from his cabin on a faraway planet, he's won and he knows it. No victory parade or triumph for him, he gets to retire.

A list of every character to be snapped away: 

Sue Storm (which prompts Johnny Storm to shout at Reed, “Where’d she go Reed? WHAT HAPPENED TO MY SISTER?!”)

Natasha Romanoff 

War Machine (he dusts within the suit and it just falls down billowing dust) 

Sam Wilson 

T'Challa 

Doctor Strange 

Bucky 

Wanda (and yet again Magneto weeps, for his daughter is gone and he wasn’t there for her) 

Nightcrawler 

Gambit 

Jean Grey 

Jubilee 

Sunspot 

Magik 

Xavier 

Beast 

Forge 

Groot

 Gamora (wasn't sacrificed cause Thanos got the Soul Stone from Adam Warlock, so she really does dust) 

Drax 

Mantis 

Nick Fury 

Mary Jane Watson 

Aunt May

Beta Ray Bill (But not before saying to Thor, "Avenge me... brother")

[evco-productions]

Fanfics I'll Never Get Around to Writing #13

INTO THE MULTIVERSE

Premise: the three snaps made by the Infinity Gauntlet have torn a hole in time and space. Beloved characters from very different universes are crossing paths. All are being led by an invisible force to one specific moment in one important timeline to fight in the battle of the century, a battle you've only dreamed of.

Chapter title ideas:

Part One: The Strangest Thing

Part Two: The Last War

Part Three: The Beastie

Part Four: The Chosen Ones

Specifics: a ton, I'll only list the important ones...

"The Strangest Thing" uses the heroes of Hawkins, Indiana to introduce the concept of the multiverse clash, including sounds and smells from unseen sources, paranoid feelings, and eventually a portal, one of which every character who appears in the finale will have been confronted with.

"The Last War" refers to an alternate Star Wars timeline wherein Sidious was defeated and killed by the combined efforts of Fives, who outed the Order 66 plot, and Mace Windu, who was the executioner. Anakin Skywalker leaves the Jedi Order to be with his wife and kids on Naboo. He still practices the Force and is the most powerful version of himself ever. Most of the Republic's army are retired, but Obi-Wan and Ahsoka (now a master) still lead their respective units on missions to clean up the galaxy, hunting down at-large villains like Grievous, Cad Bane, and Maul.

In "The Beastie," the Pirates of the Caribbean encounter Godzilla. Captain Jack Sparrow feels the creature is trying to lead them somewhere important.

In "The Chosen Ones," the Sidious from the original Star Wars timeline senses the power of the Infinity Stones and believes that combining them with his knowledge of the Dark Side will make him the most powerful being anywhere. He takes the entire Empire with him to put Earth under siege just as the Endgame final battle is to begin. He slaughters Thanos and takes command of the Mad Titan's armies as well. Then heroes from any number of franchises that you please enter on the Avengers' side, brought in by Doctor Strange and Wong. A gigantic battle containing nothing but fan service ensues.

[zaptap]

i just reached 1990s spider-man comics. almost halfway there in terms of years, definitely not in terms of comics though (i guess there were a TON in the 90s, and the 60s was pretty much just amazing spider-man which meant it had the fewest)

i'd heard before starting the 80s ones that that was widely considered the best decade for spider-man comics, and it certainly lived up to it. roger stern's run was really good, hobgoblin was a pretty interesting villain up until they screwed up at the end after 4 years because the people making the comics all had different opinions on who should be under the mask and were even sabotaging each other (instead of just using the guy who was originally supposed to be him. which i guess got fixed via retcon in the late 90s)

secret wars was pretty good (only because the heroes and villains involved largely weren't that interested in playing the beyonder's game, and dr doom derailing the whole thing made it interesting)

and secret wars ii asked the question of "hey wouldn't it be fucked up if there was a guy who had unlimited power to do anything and he just wanted to try to figure out what his place was in a universe he could fundamentally change with a whim" and yeah it was fucked up. and that's what made this one interesting

also we finally have people who know spider-man is peter parker and don't either die or lose their memory soon afterward, which was the case for like 20 years. mary jane comes back after being completely absent from the comics for a couple years or so, and reveals she'd known peter was spider man "for years" (later revealed to be since the night uncle ben died, which was long before they'd even met) and then peter has someone to talk to about spider stuff

anyway. 90s had a lot going on. i guess there's more symbiote stuff (venom was introduced in 1988, carnage should probably be on his way soon), and then there's infinity gauntlet/war/crusade which if anything should be better than what the mcu did with them

and then there's the infamous clone saga which apparently lasted about 2 years, and with 4 ongoing monthly series ("spider-man" starts in 1990) that'd mean about 100 comics? yeah no wonder people got tired of that. i'll see how it goes though

also i'm reading about other spider-people too (keeping an eye on appearances of jessica drew and julia carpenter, the two spider-women so far, as well as reading spider-ham on the side--a few more 5-page stories and he's gone until like 2010) so i'll be starting 2099 after i get into 1992

tbh even if the 90s and newer comics arent as good, the fact that i'll be reading stuff from within my lifetime should probably do something for my enjoyment of them. like yeah the 80s ones were great but it still had that "this was before my time" quality to it you know

[endarkculi]

AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY - A hypothesis, by Endark

This is a tad out-of-the-blue, I'm fully aware, but I've been conversing with friends through other media about the upcoming finale to the current "phase" of the MCU, and I'd like to posit a personal hypothesis about its story here and now, in the public eye. In a best-case scenario, I will be able to go "I f'ing called it!"; in the worst, I can come back later and debate with myself over whether the story they actually went with was better or worse than my own idea. Either way, I'm taking you all down with me. Beware of spoilers below the Keep Reading line, as I will briefly be mentioning other works in the MCU.

So, let's start with what we already know. The current phase has been focusing on the Multiverse. There have been multiple instances of people, even heroes like Scarlet Witch and Spider-Man, trying to bend it to achieve selfish goals. We've had evil versions of existing characters already make appearances, such as Dr. Strange. And we know that the (current, after Kang was deemed unfitting) villain for Doomsday is going to be Doctor Doom, played by Robert Downey Jr., who's notably already appeared as...basically the founder of the MCU, Iron Man. Perhaps you can already guess my prediction already, but let me continue, because this is my post and you can't control me.

Let's now go back to Endgame, but not quite the Endgame we know. Same basic set-up at the end: a lot of strife and sacrifice has led to Iron Man and Dr. Strange enacting their one-in-an-infinity chance to achieve victory over Thanos, at the cost of Tony sacrificing himself. But now, let's imagine that Tony...well, doesn't sacrifice himself. Maybe he snapped a little too late, maybe he decided to use the gauntlet for a different wish, maybe he simply didn't want to die, for himself or for those who would mourn him. And let's say that, because of this simple divergence from the Golden Timeline, everyone that isn't Tony Stark ends up dead...and even then, Tony's got a whole bunch of brand-new scars, physical and emotional.

But it's not too late to fix things, he thinks. His friend, the Doctor, was able to attain great magical power while motivated by the grief of a lost love; maybe he can follow in his footsteps, now that the Sorcerer Supreme role's vacant. He'll even inherit his friend's title of Doctor, out of respect. The problem is, this can't be fixed. Alright, then, new goal: just...find the perfect universe, move in, and do the best you can there. Except there isn't a naturally perfect universe; there's this thing called the "golden" timeline, but even then, a lot of good people had to die in it. And he's so, so sick of death at this point.

New new plan: just...make your own universe. Take a piece from this, a part from that, bring the whole gang back together. Most of them lost their Tony, so it's not like you're being selfish about this. You're doing the right thing! You'll be the Victor when all is said and done! And if the right thing risks breaking everything else...well, nothing else was perfect like your world's going to be, so no big loss, right? And considering your own timeline contains nothing but Doom, it's not like you've really got anything to lose.

And so, my hypothesis: Robert Downey Jr. isn't returning to the MCU to play Dr. "Victor von" Doom, because the MCU Doctor Doom is literally going to be Evil Tony Stark. And any claims from Disney about Victor and Tony being different people might just be filthy lies meant to befuddle theorycrafters, like when Iron Man 3 previews fooled people into thinking Ben Kingsley was actually The Mandarin, and can only be proven or disproven when the movie actually airs.

[graphicpolicy]

Get back in the Endgame with Hot Toys' Iron Spider

Get back in the Endgame with Hot Toys' Iron Spider #SpiderMan #AvengersEndgame #HotToys

Marvel‘s epic Avengers: Endgame brought Spider-Man back to the fight against Thanos and his Infinity Gauntlet. Now Hot Toys is bringing the action to collectors with the Iron Spider 1/6 Scale Figure and the Iron Spider (Artisan Edition) 1/6 Scale Figure. Inspired by his appearance in the dramatic final battle of Avengers: Endgame, the Iron Spider 1/6 Scale Figure features a hand-painted…

[suprgamr66]

Writer’s comment: this is a finale of the, “Titan origins” story line, showing how Titan’s rebellion and his feat which gave him the position of leader of the titan division. If you want to see the previous part the link is right here, https://www.tumblr.com/suprgamr66/745700484346724352/the-infinitewatch-chronicles-titan-origins-part-i

The infinitewatch chronicles: Titan origins finale

Infinite and Titan stared each other down, knowing what would happen next. Infinite charged Titan and Titan drew his staff. He launches his staff at infinite but he slides under the staff. He jumps up and draws his sword. Infinite attempts an overhead swing of his sword but Titan draws his ax and blocks the blow. He recalls the staff and it flies back his hand. He swings the staff and hits infinite in the head. Infinite falls to the ground and Titan tries to split infinite’s head with his ax. Before Titan could land his shot infinite rolls out of the way and quickly slices the joint behind the knee with his power stone knife. Titan yells out in pain and extends his arm towards infinite. He blasts infinite with atomic breath. Infinite crossed his arms dark energy encased his arms. The atomic breath was deflected around him and he screamed with effort as the dark energy began flickering. Titan began growling with determination but his atomic breath began failing. It stopped and infinite sighed with relief. Titan said, “what’s wrong, run out of stamina?” He grabbed infinite by the throat. Infinite growled and Titan threw him across the field but before the armor made contact the helmet retracted into the armor and infinite flew from the armor. He shot Titan with an extremely powerful and unfocused blast of dark energy. It launched Titan into the air and the infinity gauntlet went flying. Titan yelled out, “NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!” He watched the gauntlet go flying into the distance. He increased his size to fifteen meters. He drew his ax and swung down, but it only went through him with no affect as if he was a ghost. Titan said, “I know you can’t stay out of your armor forever, how long can you hold your form again? Oh wait, you can’t talk without your armor.” He walked over to the armor and picked it up. He threw it in the opposite direction of the infinity gauntlet. Infinite floated there for a minute before flying after the armor. Titan flew in the direction of the gauntlet and picked it up. He shrunk back down to normal size and put the gauntlet back on. But before he could alter everyone’s minds he was tackled to the ground. He looked up to see infinite and punched Titan off of him. He clenched the fist wearing the infinity gauntlet and the power stone glowed. A blast came from the gauntlet and infinite was blasted back. Titan clenched his fist again but this time the mind stone glowed. Infinite suddenly went limp and the space stone glowed as a portal appeared under infinite and he was sent back to infinitewatch home base. Titan dug a whole into the ground and put the gauntlet minus the mind stone in the whole. He went back to infinitewatch home base and placed the stone in a device where it continued glowing. Titan found infinite and woke him up. When infinite became conscious again he said, “I’m impressed, you managed to kill all the rogue titans and tame new ones? My friend you are not going to be in that cell anymore. However, I will be keeping my eye on you. From here until death, you will be second in command to infinitewatch and leader of the Titan division.” Titan nodded and reached his hand out before saying, “then let’s get up. We’ve got work to do.

A decade later

Infinite was running to the base in the boiling isles and he ran looking for somebody. He found Luz and amity training. Amity had some new ability where she became covered in the abomination goo and would gain the abilities of an abomination. Luz was in her titan form launching glyph attacks at amity to test her reaction time. Infinite walks in and says, “I’m sorry to interrupt but would you know where Gus is?” Luz asks, “Why? Is he in trouble?” Infinite responds, “no. I just need to talk to him for a minute.” Luz nods and amity says, “I think he’s in the strategy room. He’s in there a lot.” Infinite nods and walks up to the strategy room. He goes through the automatic doors and he sees Gus looking at a table where he’d created an illusion. He and Hunter were playing some game with the illusion. Infinite said, “Gus, I need to talk to you for a minute. It will only be a moment and then you can get back to your little game.” Gus nods and waves bye to Hunter as he walks out of the door. Gus says, “what’s up?” Infinite responds, “Remember when we were talking about the person I lost all that time ago?” Gus nods his head and infinite continues, “I might have a way for to find them. If I can use a combination of the reality, power, and mind stone I might be able increase my memory range. I’ve no idea if it’ll work but if it does we can use your earring thing to get into my memories and find where they were lost. Maybe then we can find them where they are and get them back.” Gus nods and get’s excited saying, “When do you wanna try and find them.” Infinite responded, “I can make a spray containing the combination in about a week if all goes right. As long as I don’t take my armor off too much from now to then I should be able to take it off long enough to do the plan.” Gus nods and says, “Just tell me when you’re ready.” Infinite walks away, his visor switching to teal as he appears to be walking down the halls a little happier than before.

[celestialnxva]

Unexpected

Stephen Strange x Reader

Summary: The Avengers never thought in a million years that anyone would put up with Stephen Strange, so naturally they’ll want answers as to why you happened to be his partner.

Warnings: typical-canon violence and some angst at the beginning, but don’t worry because it gets pretty lighthearted.

Timeline: post-endgame au where everyone lives.

WC: 3k+ words

A/n: the reader is a powerful witch btw. If you want information about the reader in MCU, read here.

dr. strange masterlist. | main masterlist.

Stephen was so incredibly tired. Anyone would feel like that if they spent five years fighting nonstop to defeat a giant purple alien threatening to destroy the universe. As much as he wanted to go to sleep, he still had to fight the endless amount of aliens that Thanos commanded.

When he looked around him, he watched in silent pride as many of his friends fought valiantly alongside him. Each person contributed to the battle in their own way, and from the way the battlefield looks, he could only assume that they were going to win this battle quite soon.

Yet, he was afraid, worried about Tony. Even though this is the only outcome in which they win this battle, Tony was going to have to sacrifice himself in order to defeat Thanos and his armies. His fears only doubled when he saw Captain Marvel fighting Thanos on her own. He could only watch helplessly as Tony slowly looked over towards where Stephen was preventing the ocean from flooding the battlefield. When they finally made eye contact, Stephen held up his finger, silently conveying to Tony that he was the key factor to winning this war. Understanding his message, the armored man quickly rushed over to where Thanos stood with his arm already inside Tony’s gauntlet. These events were all he had expected.

What he didn’t expect, however, was your sudden appearance beside him.

His heart dropped. You weren’t supposed to be here. He purposefully left you out of this battle so you could be safe, yet here you were, stubborn as ever to fight for the sake of the greater good. He watched as you worked with Tony in determination to take the stones away from Thanos. However, like the Time Stone prophesied, Tony was the one who ultimately wielded all five stones. And with just one snap, the world grew quiet.

While his eyes readjusted from the sudden blinding light that spread across the battlefield, he panicked. He could care less about the enemies around him dissolving into dust. He didn’t even care about the cheers of victory his comrades shouted towards him. No, he was frantically searching for you in the midst of the dead bodies around him because the last thing he saw before the bright light came was Thanos slamming you onto the ground repeatedly until you were unconscious.

His frantic eyes searched for you, his beloved, the only one who inspired him to push himself harder for five years straight, just so he could see you again. Now that it’s over, he might not even be able to hold you in his arms ever again. He tried not to distract himself from that depressing thought as he pushed his way through the crowd of Avengers. However, when he finally made it through, he wasn’t expecting you to not only be alive, but to also be strong enough to nurse Tony back to full health with your water magick. His eyes widened in shock. This was not something he foresaw in this outcome. Was this ending allowed?

Everyone talked amongst themselves while your watery hand hovered over Tony’s cheek and sealed the last of the cracks on his face. You smiled at him faintly, not wanting to show to anyone how absorbing the Infinity Stones’ powers inside Tony in order to heal him had almost killed you as well. But, magick always came with a price, and you of all people understood that. You lowered your hand and collapsed tiredly against the large, upturned rock while Tony stood up. A woman you assumed to be Tony’s wife ran up to him and cried onto his shoulder in relief as a wave of people made their way over to hug Tony in gratitude.

You didn’t blame them for not caring about your condition. They barely knew you, since Stephen refused to talk about you or even let you participate in this war, but you were just grateful that you were able to break Stephen’s protection spells and make it to the battlefield in time. You smiled at the thought of Stephen finally being back after five years without him. Though your thoughts were peaceful, your body was still struggling to process the foreign power coursing within you, so you needed to think quickly about where to transfer this power.

Stephen was too busy thinking inside his head about how on earth you ended up in an outcome that he did not foresee. From what he knew about the Mystic Arts, what you did was supposed to be impossible. But his thoughts dissipated away when he heard the sounds of your pained grunts on the ground. He looked down at you crawling over to where Tony’s fried gauntlet was while your hands radiated the bright colors of the Infinity Stones. He was too afraid to even touch or approach you because he still couldn’t believe the you were here, right in front of him.

After you took Tony’s gauntlet into your hand, you shakily slammed your hand onto the five stones, causing bright lightning to spark and the warbling sound of sheer power to resonate across the entire battlefield. Immediately, this got everyone’s attention, a mixture of curious and fearful eyes turning towards you with the hope that you would be able to survive too. When all the power was finally transferred back into the stones, everything stopped and you collapsed onto the ground with a series of terrible coughs of blood. Everyone around Stephen immediately rushed over to you, Steve already assigning tasks to the others on how to get you to the hospital as quickly as possible. This was Stephen’s last straw. Nobody was going to take you away from him any longer.

He impatiently shoved everyone out of his way, not caring anymore if he sounded too rude to everyone else. This was all about his partner and he was about to be the only one out of everyone who didn’t get his happy-ever-after. All he wanted to do was cry in frustration about your condition, but he had to stay strong for you.

When he finally shoved Steve out of the way, his breath hitched in the back of his throat when he saw you bloodied and weakened from what you just did. When your eyes finally made eye contact with your husband’s, you felt like your whole world fell apart and rebuilt itself back up all over again. You didn’t know if you wanted to cry or if you wanted to slap him for being dead for five years.

“Stephen…” you trailed off, your eyes filled with the unspoken and raw emotion he knew you only had for him. Oh, how he missed staring into your beautiful eyes. Both of you didn’t care that you now had a crowd that was watching you two interact. But before you could hear him say anything back, your eyes blurred as your world suddenly went dark.

———

When you woke up, you had been informed by Rhodey that you were unconscious for four days now. You weren’t surprised, as those Infinity Stones really did drain you, but you knew you were going to be fine. When you asked about how your husband was doing, Rhodey only gave you a tired sigh and offered for you to come see him yourself. His offer only worried you more, so you accepted. He carefully set you into a wheelchair and took you to the living room, where you could see some of your friends awkwardly observing Stephen. You reached out to grab Rhodey’s hand and silently requested him to stand behind the door so you both could listen in on what the others were saying. He chuckled at your request but did as he was told. You two leaned in to listen.

“I’m not gonna lie here, Strange. I’ve never seen you so stressed out. Since when did you started caring about people?” You heard Tony say sarcastically to your husband. You suppressed a giggle at his words. “It’s none of your business, Stark,” your husband growled out. From his shaky, hoarse voice, you could tell that he’s been up for days in complete distress. Poor Stephen. The others protested to his words at the same time.

- “Why won’t you tell us??”

- “Is (y/n) really so horrible to the point where you can’t even tell us who they are to you?”

- “Why do you care about them so much?”

“Wait,” Steve cried out, immediately silencing the others. You heard him take a step forward. “Do you love (y/n), Strange?” he asked suspiciously. Everyone fell into a tense silence as they waited in anticipation for what Stephen had to say. You looked up at Rhodey and he knew it was your cue to go inside.

Before Stephen could say anything, you entered the silent room with Rhodey and it took everything within him not to cry out in relief. You looked as healthy as you could be. You saw how his eyes softened slightly towards you and you, in turn, smiled softly back at him. “Hi Stephen,” you said sweetly, causing the man to stutter in his arrogant stature. Just from one greeting from you, he was already melting like putty. He really missed you. He greeted you back, but he couldn’t hide from you the clear tension he had from holding back his feelings for you in front of the others. The other Avengers watched you interact with him suspiciously, Tony being the only one to be completely amused by this situation. He has waiting for a chance to make fun of Stephen and now was finally his chance.

“What were you all talking about?” you asked, feigning innocence. Rhodey snorted under his breath as he settled you next to where Stephen sat on the couch. Stephen’s hands twitched in his lap, desperately wishing to touch you. Steve coughed in embarrassment. “Uhh… nothing, (y/n). We were just talking about how we hoped that you would wake up soon and—“

“Wait, I thought we were talking about the wizard man having a crush on Mx. (Y/n)?” Thor asked innocently. (Was it innocent, though? Nobody would ever know). Everyone grew silent and felt the wrath of Stephen’s glare before they all looked at you sheepishly. You blinked a few times at Thor’s blunt words while Stephen tried to explain himself.

“W-well, uh. You see… (Y/n)—“

You leaned back in your wheelchair and chuckled at your husband.

“You have a crush on me, Stephen?” you gasped lightly, amusement sparkling in your eyes. He was about to utter more grumpy protests until your bandaged hand reached out to caress his cheek. All previous stress and anger melted away the moment he felt your skin against his and his eyes shone bright with unyielding love and adoration for you. He couldn’t hide his affection for you any longer. He turned his head slightly to kiss the palm of your hand with all the tenderness that he could muster up for you. “I should hope that our wedding vows would be enough for you to figure out that answer, Mx. Strange,” he shyly replied back. He was practically gushing from one sentence and a simple cheek caress from you. Though it was humorous to hide your marriage for so long from everyone else, you were relieved to finally be able to show your affections for him in public.

Meanwhile, everyone was shocked beyond belief.

“Okayyyy, pause on the romcom scene,” Tony stated while everyone was murmuring in confusion. You chuckled and looked at the others. You felt Strange tense up again, so you gestured for him to come to you. He smiled gratefully and simply wrapped his arms around you and buried his face into your neck. He could hear Tony’s disgusted groans and Peter and Thor’s ‘awww’s’ but he just couldn’t care anymore. You were finally in his arms again.

Tony crossed his arms. “So let me get this straight. Since the time I knew Strange and you, you guys have been hiding the fact that you two were married? Why?” You shrugged nonchalantly while you slowly rubbed your husband’s back. “Many people wanted him dead and many people wanted me dead. If word got out that we were each other’s weaknesses, all of our enemies would have a field day,” you mused. Your husband sat up properly and turned to glare at everyone. “Exactly. And if Thanos was your first rodeo with intergalactic, powerful beings that want to destroy the universe, think about how all of our enemies want do the exact same thing, or worse— destroy the multiverse,” he boasted grumpily. You hummed and pat his back lovingly. He wasn’t going to get away with being arrogant in front of you this time. “That, and this stubborn man here wants every one of you to think that he has no weaknesses because he wants to be superior to everyone! Isn’t that right, darling?” You cooed innocently while pinching his cheek.

Everyone just stood there stunned as they watched you exchange loving coos to a man who they thought was unreachable, and watched as said man grumbled and pouted when you doted on him. Witnessing this was a bit of a whiplash for them, they had to admit. They stayed silent for what felt like a very long time before one of them spoke up. 

“Um, Mx. Strange?” Peter called out timidly. You stopped your attacks towards Stephen and looked back at the young Avenger. “Yes, Peter Parker?” He smiled back at you nervously before shuffling his feet. He was probably going to get in trouble for this question, but he really had to know. He looked at Tony before looking back at you. “Is Doctor Strange like really soft like a teddy bear or is he always really mean to everyone?” he blurted out quickly before mimicking gluing his mouth shout. Everyone burst into laughter, Tony’s laugh being particularly heard in the room. Peter started apologizing profusely to everyone in the room while Thor used this outburst as a cue for him to walk up to you. He knelt down in front of you and took your hand into his own. “I would only hope that your husband is treating you like you are royalty, for it is the duty of a husband to make sure that a beautiful creature such as yourself is treated as such,” he said smoothly to you before leaning down to kiss the back of your hand in reverence. You choked at his action and stuttered out a series of compliments back towards the god, as you weren’t exactly sure how to process the fact that an actual god is giving you such high compliments. 

That, and with how jealous you could see Stephen getting from the corner of your eye, you couldn’t help but selfishly indulge a little in the compliments Thor gave you. 

While you simply watched the god kiss your hand, you decided to answer Peter’s question. “Since my husband is in the room right now, I would rather not answer that question, as I would actually like to be able to sleep in the same bed as him tonight,” you joked lightheartedly. Looking down at the man before you, you slowly slipped your hand from his gasp and pat his cheek. Thor took the hint, stood up, and walked back to his place behind the couch. Stephen immediately grabbed onto the hand Thor was kissing earlier and started to rub it, as if he was actually trying to scrub off Thor’s kisses. You turned your head to stare at him in confusion, but he only leaned in to kiss your lips in a brief, but passionate kiss. Stephen pulled away and glared at everyone. “I’ll have you know that our marriage and relationship is none of your guys’ business. This is exactly why I didn’t want to tell you guys about our relationship,” he growled out irritatedly. In response, you hushed him, patting his hand to calm him down. To everyone in the room, it was like you were the sun itself and Stephen was as icy and dark as the moon was. You two were opposites, through and through. 

Rhodey walked back into the room and handed you a glass of water and you took it gratefully. He sat down next to Tony while you sipped your water. “So wizard,” Tony started, already receiving a frown from your husband. “How’s it like to be in a relationship with someone who is better at magic than you?” he challenged, wishing to relish Stephen’s embarrassment for just a while longer. Stephen grew furious when Tony spoke up, but when he finally processed his question, he calmed down. Instead of lashing out, he grew smug. “Actually, it’s amazing. (Y/n) is the most powerful witch I have ever had the pleasure of knowing and it’s almost unbelievable that I get to call them mine.” As if to emphasize his point, he leaned down to kiss your hand tenderly before he looked back up at you. “They are mine...”

He looked at you like you held his entire world in your hands. He trusted you with his life, just as much as you trusted your life with his. Despite how different you two were, you two were always a team. It had taken you too many years to get to the stable marriage you both now enjoyed, and all those years of hardship and heartbreak was worth enduring when you got to feel his lips against your skin and hands intertwined with yours. You were his and he was yours. No one and nothing else mattered, as long as you two were together.

You heard someone clear their throat and you both turned to where Steve sat, his own face red from the situation he had gotten himself into. “Well, I guess we should leave you both to it, then?” He declared. The rest of the Avengers grumbled and proceeded to leave the room after Steve indirectly told them to leave you both alone, for now.

When all of them left the room, Stephen finally let out a sigh of relief that he had been holding in since he saw you. He immediately pulled you into a loving embrace, clinging onto you as if you were about to flutter away from him at any moment. “Finally, alone time,” he grumbled against your skin. Lovingly, you pet his hair, making sure he felt all the love you had to give him in your embrace. You were content in staying like this for the rest of the night, but of course, your stubborn husband had other plans in mind.

When he thought you were surely about to fall asleep in his arms, he started kissing down your neck, causing you to groan out in protest. “Noooooo,” you whined out teasingly, trying to tug yourself away from him. He, of course, refused to let this go and excitedly stood up to grip onto your wheelchair handles. “Come on, darling. We’ve got a lot of catching up to do,” he said cheekily before speeding down the hallway towards the golden portal at the end of the hall. You laughed happily and gripped onto the handle bars tightly, your wedding ring glinting brighter than before. Though he will always be an arrogant man to everyone he meets, he is your arrogant man, and you wouldn’t have it any other way; avengers or enemies be damned.

[doctorofmagic]

May 2023 Solicitations: Doctor Strange confirmed appearances

FOOD, DELICIOUS FOOD!!

WARLOCK: REBIRTH #2 (OF 5)

RON MARZ (W) • RON LIM (A/C) • HIDDEN GEM VARIANT COVER BY GIL KANE STORMBREAKERS VARIANT COVER BY Lucas Werneck • VARIANT COVER BY PHIL NOTO Adam Warlock has been stripped of his Infinity Gem! But who is the new bearer calling herself Eve? As Adam falls into a coma, Gamora, Pip and Genis-Vell must seek the help of Doctor Strange! 32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

CLOBBERIN' TIME #3 (OF 5)

STEVE SKROCE (W) • STEVE SKROCE (A/C) VARIANT COVER BY DAN PANOSIAN Ben Grimm travels to the Jersey Shore (and beyond) for a Grimm family reunion. Things get even more awkward when Doctor Strange shows up with information about the time-and-space-traveling thief who's been haranguing the THING. Don't miss part three of the greatest THING story ever told, as far as we know… 32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

DOCTOR STRANGE #3

Jed MacKay and more! (W) • Pasqual Ferry and tokitokoro (A) Cover by ALEX ROSS • SPIDER-VERSE VARIANT COVER BY MAHMUD ASRAR STORMBREAKERS VARIANT COVER BY ELENA CASAGRANDE SISTER GRIMM AAPI HERITAGE MONTH VARIANT COVER BY INHYUK LEE VARIANT COVER BY RYAN STEGMAN • VIRGIN VARIANT COVER BY RYAN STEGMAN A DAY WITH DORMAMMU! Stephen Strange has no short supply of enemies, but none are more fearsome than DORMAMMU…master of the Dark Dimension! When a cult summons the Dreaded Lord to New York, Stephen has to risk everything in order to defeat his most dangerous foe! But is he truly up for the task? Plus, a backup story featuring Doctor Strange and Sister Grimm of the Runaways! 40 PGS./Rated T+ …$4.99

--

Ngl, I wasn’t expecting Stephen to show up in an Adam Warlock issue BUT it’s not that ~strange~ since they date back to Infinity Gauntlet and Infinity Watch. I was just surprised, but in a good way!

The team-up with the Thing is also a classic from the Two-in-One old days, which is always nice to see as well!

And lastly... JED MACKAY, YOU YOU YOU YOU!!! *sobs* you're always giving me the best food, how can I ever repay you? 😭😭😭😭

Also Nico and Stephen finally!!! ONE MORE DAUGHTER TO THE LIST LESGOOOOOOO!!

Excellent month. Stephen back to his full force in comics ever since DODS and I couldn’t be happier!

[supervengerslock]

Savior of the Future- Chapter 1

Chapter 1: The Wish

Stephen Strange x Stark!Reader

A/N: Let me know if you wanna be added to the taglist!

It was over. you stood over Tony’s crumpled form. You had won, but at what cost?

Pepper held him as the arc reactor went out, and everyone began to kneel. A tear slipped down your cheek as you held your brother’s left hand—the one that held the gauntlet—as the light left his eyes.

I wish I could save him. I wish this could have never happened..

A desperate plea to whatever divine entity would listen, to save the brother who raised you, who was the only family you had left.

Your gaze traveled to meet Stephen’s, his blue eyes swimming with tears and the guilt of what he knew would happen, of what he couldn’t tell you so that he could save you.

The ground seemed to sway under your feet. You could see Stephen lurch forward to catch you, but something made you grip tighter onto your brother’s hand—onto the gauntlet.

And then your whole world went black.

You shot up in bed, breathing heavily. You were in your bedroom in the penthouse.It was dark.

You scanned the room for a moment before calling out for the AI.

“FRIDAY, what’s going on?”

“You appear to have had a bad dream. Shall I wake up Boss?”

“No, let him sleep,” she says. “What day is it?”

“It is February 3rd, 2016, 3:41 am.”

You have done it. Somehow, the stones had sent you back in time. Your brother was alive. But there was something about that date that unnerved you. You couldn’t quite put your finger on it.

“FRIDAY, do you have any info on the infinity stones?”

The AI pulls up files on the tesseract and the mind stone—which was currently still in Vision’s forehead. There was nothing on the other stones.

Your door creaked opened and Tony stood in the doorway.

“Muffin, is it really you?” he asks, a bit disoriented.

“Bubba? Do you remember?”

He nods, walking to the side of your bed and pulling you into a tight hug. Your brother—the man who raised you— was alive.

“What do you remember?” you ask, breaking from the hug as tears threatened to spill from your cheeks.

“I remember the wielding stones, and then.. Lights out.”

“You died. You were dead,” you tell him. “And now we’re back here?”

“How did we get back here?” he asks. “Did the stones..”

“It was me,” you answer. “I was holding your hand, the one that held the gauntlet, and I made a wish. I guess the stones answered it.”

“Miss Stark, you have a call from an unknown number,” FRIDAY interrupts.

“Stephen..” you mutter. “Answer it, FRI.”

“Y/N, it’s Wong.”

“Wong? You remember?” you ask.

“Yes. Stephen does as well, but.. Something happened when we appeared back here. You need to get to Metro-General Hospital as soon as possible.”

You and Tony exchanged worried looks before scrambling out of bed. If something happened to Stephen, you’d never forgive yourself for your final thoughts about him in the battle, the anger and hurt. He was your world.

-

You ran into the hospital room about twenty minutes later, Tony on your heels. Stephen was in bad shape, his arms were both raised above his head, held up in casts with at least eleven pins in his hands. The accident. This was the day of the accident. This was why that date sounded familiar.

Wong was nowhere to be seen, but Stephen looked up as you approached his bed.

“Stephy?”

“Sweetheart,” he choked out hoarsely. “You remember?”

You nod, taking the seat by his bed. “Why did the stones send us back to this time?” you ask.

“Why couldn’t they have sent us to a time when you were healed?”

“Wong and I have a theory about that. We think that the Ancient One might be able to help us.”

“How long did it take you to get to Kamar-taj?” you ask Stephen.

“A month or so. Right after I started my physical therapy.”

“Well, you’re coming to the compound until then, and I won’t take no for an answer, Stephen,” you tell him matter-of-factly.

“It’s best to listen to her, Doc,” Tony says. “She’ll get you to rest one way or the other.”

You turn to glare at him and Tony backs towards the door.

“I’ll give you lovebirds some space..” He walks out of the room, shutting the door behind him. You turn your attention to Stephen, who admittedly looked awful.

“Did you wake up here?” you ask. He nods.

“At least I didn’t wake up in that damn car..”

“I love you,” you tell him, reaching out to brush a couple of dark strands out of his face. “We’re gonna win this time, baby.”

Stephen’s gaze traveled to the doorway, and you looked up as Christine Palmer walked slowly into the room.

“I came to check on you,” she says. She looks between you and Stephen, and he remains silent as you glare at his ex.

“Do I know you?” she asks, turning her attention to you.

“I’m Y/N,” you tell her. “Stephen’s girlfriend.”

She furrowed her eyebrows and looked over to Stephen again, who didn't meet her gaze.

Christine wordlessly left the room and you turned back to Stephen.

“Wanna tell me what that was all about?”

He sighs. “I asked her to go to that conference with me yesterday.”

“So, now she thinks you were trying to cheat on me?” you reply with a chuckle. “My boyfriend, the player.”

“What are we going to do?” Stephen asks. “How are we going to stop him?”

“I have a few ideas,” you reply. “But right now, you need to rest. Though your mind is years ahead, your body just went through a car accident.”

After a bunch of pain meds from the nurses and some threatening on your end, Stephen finally went to sleep. You collapsed in the reclining chair in the corner, the beeping from the machines lulling you to sleep.

“Stone Seeker.” A booming voice called through the darkness.

You opened your eyes. You were in a void, but a figure appeared before you. A man—a being with a large bald head and blue robes floated in front of you.

“Who are you?” you ask.

“I am Uatu, the watcher. I am here to warn you.”

“I know, Thanos is already looking for the stones,” you reply.

“Thanos is a problem,” he says. “But other threats loom on the horizon. You have already set us on a different path.”

“How so?”

“I sense it in Doctor Strange’s mind. He plans not to give up the time stone, but to die for you if he has to.”

“He won’t have to,” you state. “We know where the stones are. We just need to get in contact with a few people.”

“Be warned, Stone Seeker. An unsavory character has returned to the past as well. One who seeks consequences for tampering with the space-time continuum. He will strike when you least expect it.”

Thanos?

“We will be ready.”

[adamwarlock]

what's your favorite era (appearance, characterization, etc.) of adam warlock? you're like the #1 fan of adam warlock 😍👌

This is no joke anon I'm incapable of being normal about Him.

My favorite comic Ever of All Time is the classic 70's Warlock by Jim Starlin!!! What is there to say about it even it's simply THE quintessential Adam Warlock story and I think everyone should read it :^) it has it all... unavoidable tragedy, evil alter ego, martyrdom, blatant anti-christian allegory, catholic guilt, suicide, existentialism, nihilism, funky visuals that make it obvious it's the 70's and everyone's on drugs, the wizard of oz, clowns, shark in space, Adam/Soul Gem OTP, first appearance of The Magus, Adam's first time meeting Pip/Gamora/Thanos, Thanos killing Adam, Adam killing Thanos, Adam and Thanos kissing in a tree (ok I made this last one up) etc.

Also Adam's perfectly coiffed hair + sideboob/bootyshorts look goes hard as hell I refuse to hear otherwise.

My other fave looks <3 Counter-Earth + Infinity Gauntlet/Infinity Watch/Infinity Crusade

I like Roy Thomas/Mike Friedrich's baby Warlock, he's cute, but Jim Starlin's Adam is the most specialest boy in the whole universe I LOOOOVE HIM with my whole heart and everything Starlin has written with Adam and/or Thanos is near and dear to me.

I think there's at least something to like about every "era", I love the Magus, I love the Goddess, Adam's big queer gender self-discovery adventure is definitely a highlight, I LOVE the Infinity Watch... I am admittedly a bit of a Jim Starlin purist though, Adam (and Thanos) written by other people always just feels a bit off and ranges from ''bad'' to ''pretty good'' but I'm fond of Annihilation/GOTG Adam by DnA too.

Definitely though my BIG FAVE era besides Warlock is the combined last two trilogies by Starlin, Thanos Annual + Infinity Revelation/Relativity/Finale & Infinity Siblings/Conflict/Ending + Infinity Entity + Thanos vs Hulk + GOTG: Mother Entropy. I know that's a lot but it counts as one in my head lol.

Best comics ever actually, I was already obsessed with Adam and Thanos beforehand but these really irreversibly rewired my brain so there's no hope for me anymore. For context you must understand that by the time these books started rolling out Starlin hadn't written for Marvel in a decade with no sign of returning so I lost my fucking shit when they were announced lmao. I had already accepted that we wouldn't get any proper sendoff/conclusion to Thanos and Adam's character arcs after some 40 years of slowburn because that's just the nature of comics but!! WE DID!!! Starlin came back and gave them an actual ending, he tied up his version of these characters with a nice little bow, while it's obviously still left open for other writers it frankly doesn't really matter to me what anyone else does with them going forward because I'm satisfied with the story that's already (almost) entirely contained within Starlin's work. Not that I won't still complain if they're terribly ooc but that's not My Canon, you know.

Like. I would sit here with my tinfoil hat on and conspiracy theory board out connecting the dots and yelling about the growth between Adam and Thanos and the overarching themes/motifs... Just endlessly speculating on how this tentative friendship of theirs would even work since we hadn't actually gotten to see it in action since they Officially became Friends™ in the very last issue Starlin wrote before leaving Marvel for 10 years and no other writer wanted to touch them. Big thoughts about how it's all REALLY about loneliness and love and TRUST and redemption, how Thanos is desperately in love with completely obsessed with Adam, how Adam in many ways mirrors Mistress Death, how perpetually aloof Thanos learns to genuinely and wholeheartedly trust in Adam and how opening himself up to the living (Adam/Eros/Gamora/Pip) gives his life true meaning, how Adam and Thanos literally cannot exist without each other or they'll self destruct... THEN my guy my dude my very bestest pal Jimbo strolled in and casually validated all my inside brain thoughts by further expanding on the pre-established themes and making all that more explicitly canon and I just had to grin and bear it and pretend I'm normal. like???? HELLO????? IT FEELS SOOOOO GOOD TO BE RIGHT ABOUT LITERALLY EVERYTHING

The juxtaposition between these books and his older work (Warlock in particular) is actually so satisfying to me too. The numerous callbacks, echoes of past storylines, the role reversals... I know some people hate how repetitive Starlin's storylines can be but I love the consistency, this infinite loop of death/rebirth that Adam and Thanos are stuck in narratively really highlights how they change (or don't change) over time, it works perfectly for them both in text and metatextually. The becoming God and blowing up the universe for the 50th time doesn't matter it's about the friend(s) we made along the way.

Anyway. I've actually grown to really like Adam's outfit in these books too, it's very old school but I'm into that... a glorious return to pointy shoulders <3 (he matches with Thanos hehehehe)

Okay that's all. He is my special little princess.