Infinity (comic Book)
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"Infinity" is a 2013
comic book A comic book, also called comicbook, comic magazine or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) simply comic, is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are of ...
crossover storyline A crossover is the placement of two or more otherwise discrete fictional characters, settings, or universes into the context of a single story. They can arise from legal agreements between the relevant copyright holders, unofficial efforts b ...
that was published by
Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is an American comic book publishing, publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Co ...
. Written by
Jonathan Hickman Jonathan Hickman (born September 3, 1972) is an American comic book writer and artist, best known for his creator-owned series '' The Nightly News'', ''The Manhattan Projects'' and ''East of West'', as well as his lengthy stints as a writer on M ...
with artwork by a rotating team of artists including
Jim Cheung Jim Cheung (; born 1972) is a British comic book artist, known for his work on the series such as ''Scion'', '' New Avengers: Illuminati'', ''Young Avengers'' and '' Avengers: The Children's Crusade''. Career Cheung worked on several Marvel seri ...
,
Jerome Opeña Jerome Opeña is a Filipino comic book artist best known for his numerous collaborations with writer Rick Remender. Early life Opeña was born in the Philippines, and spent most of his childhood in Taiwan, where his father worked for an internati ...
, and Dustin Weaver, the series debuted in August 2013 and ran through November 2013. The storyline concerns issues built up in multiple Marvel comic books as part of the
Marvel NOW! Marvel Now! (stylized as Marvel NOW!) is a comic book branding for the relaunch of several ongoing comic books published by Marvel Comics, that debuted in October 2012 with new #1 issues. The relaunch also included some new titles, including '' U ...
initiative, primarily ''
Avengers Avenger, Avengers, The Avenger, or The Avengers may refer to: Arts and entertainment In the Marvel Comics universe * Avengers (comics), a team of superheroes **Avengers (Marvel Cinematic Universe), a central team of protagonist superheroes of ...
'' and '' New Avengers''. These issues include a threat to the universe by an ancient race of aliens known as the
Builders Builder may refer to: * Construction worker, who specializes in building work * Carpenter, a skilled craftsman who works with wood * General contractor, that specializes in building work ** Subcontractor * Builder (detergent), a component of mode ...
. The second is the mysterious ailments plaguing the universe with Earth at the center. The third is the political ramifications these events have on Earth's relationship to the rest of the galactic community. The story itself involves
Thanos Thanos is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He was created by writer-artist Jim Starlin, and first appeared in '' The Invincible Iron Man'' #55 ( cover date February 1973). An Eternal– Deviant w ...
attacking Earth while the Avengers are in space uniting the universe against the Builders, with the events of the 2013 "
Age of Ultron "Age of Ultron" (abbreviated AU) is a 2013 comic book fictional crossover storyline published by Marvel Comics that involved the conquest of the Earth by the sentient robot tyrant Ultron. The storyline consisted of an eponymous, 10-issue core ...
" storyline acting as a catalyst for the rest of the universe to formally target Earth. The various tie-ins tell Thanos's attack from the perspective of various Marvel characters. The aftermath of the event leads directly into the " Inhumanity" storyline, in which the
Terrigen Mist The Inhumans are a fictional superhuman race of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The comic book series has usually focused more specifically on the adventures of the Inhuman Royal Family, and many peop ...
is released throughout Earth, activating the latent abilities of dormant
Inhumans The Inhumans are a fictional superhuman race of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The comic book series has usually focused more specifically on the adventures of the Inhuman Royal Family, and many peop ...
. A new Infinity-based event titled ''
Infinity Countdown "Infinity Countdown" is a 2018 comic book storyline published by Marvel Comics. The storyline leads into the " Infinity Wars" storyline. Premise The story depicts the Ultron/Hank Pym going after the Infinity Gems that were recreated when the Mult ...
'' began February 2018 as part of the
Marvel Legacy Marvel Legacy is a 2017–18 relaunch of a line of American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is concurrent with All-New, All-Different Marvel and Marvel NOW! 2.0. Publication history On April 22, 2017, Marvel Comics announced Marvel ...
initiative.


Publication history

''Infinity'' was announced in February 2013 as part of Marvel's
Free Comic Book Day Free Comic Book Day (FCBD) is an annual promotional effort by the North American comic book industry to attract new readers to independent comic book stores. It usually takes place on the first Saturday of May and is often cross-promoted wit ...
preview story.
Axel Alonso Axel Alonso () is an American comic book creator and former journalist, best known as the former editor in chief at Marvel Comics, a role which he held from January 2011 until November 2017.Marston, George (November 17, 2017)"AXEL ALONSO Out, CB C ...
, Marvel's Editor-in-Chief, said "We've said how 'Nova,' 'Thanos Rising,' 'Guardians of the Galaxy' and Jonathan Hickman's 'Avengers' are all shaping the future of the Marvel Universe — this image will very specifically answer the question of 'How?...Our FCBD issue features an all-new story that leads into a huge epic later in the year". In April 2013, Marvel officially released details concerning the event, revealing it would run 6 issues and tie-in with Hickman's other two Avengers titles. In April 2013,
Tom Brevoort Tom Brevoort () is an American comic book editor, known for his work for Marvel Comics, where he has overseen titles such as '' New Avengers'', ''Civil War'', and ''Fantastic Four''. He became Executive Editor in 2007, and in January 2011 was prom ...
stated the amount of tie-ins will be similar to that of the '' Fear Itself'' storyline. In May 2013 it was announced two of the tie-in would be
Kelly Sue DeConnick Kelly Sue DeConnick (born July 15, 1970) is an award-winning American comic book writer and editor and English–language adapter of manga. Career Kelly Sue DeConnick was first introduced to the comics industry by writing copy for photos in adu ...
's books '' Avengers Assemble'' and '' Captain Marvel'' with issues 18-20 and 15-16 respectively. The ''Avengers Assemble'' tie-in will tell the event from the perspective of
Spider-Woman Spider-Woman is the code name of several fictional characters in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The first and original version is Jessica Drew (later impersonated by Veranke), the second version is Julia Carpenter, and the third vers ...
in issues 18 and 19 while ''Captain Marvel'' will follow Carol Danvers as she and Hawkeye are captured in space. Issue 20 of ''Avengers Assemble'' will feature the
Uncanny Avengers ''Uncanny Avengers'' is a comic book series first appearing in the October 2012 debut of Marvel NOW!, published by Marvel Comics. The series follows an interconnected fictional superhero team, featuring members from the Marvel Universe (specific ...
. In June 2013 it was announced that a new
Mighty Avengers ''The Mighty Avengers'' is a comic book series that was published by Marvel Comics. Originally written by Brian Michael Bendis, also the writer of '' New Avengers'', the title first featured an officially sanctioned Avengers team of registered ...
team would form during the events of ''Infinity''. The team would have a diverse roster consisting of
Luke Cage Lucas "Luke" Cage, born Carl Lucas and also known as Power Man, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He first appeared in ''Luke Cage, Hero for Hire'' #1 (June 1972) and was created by Archie Go ...
, the Superior Spider-Man,
Falcon Falcons () are birds of prey in the genus ''Falco'', which includes about 40 species. Falcons are widely distributed on all continents of the world except Antarctica, though closely related raptors did occur there in the Eocene. Adult falcons ...
, Power Man,
White Tiger The white tiger or bleached tiger is a leucistic pigmentation variant of the Mainland tiger. It is reported in the wild from time to time in the Indian states of Madhya Pradesh, Assam, West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, in the Sunderbans region and ...
,
Blue Marvel Blue Marvel (Adam Bernard Brashear) is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The Blue Marvel debuted in ''Adam: Legend of the Blue Marvel'' #1 (Nov. 2008) and was created by actor/writer Kevin Gre ...
,
Monica Rambeau Monica Rambeau is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Roger Stern and artist John Romita Jr., the character debuted in ''The Amazing Spider-Man Annual'' #16 (October 1982). Monica ...
, She-Hulk, and a new Ronin. In June 2013 it was announced that two 4 issue mini-series would spin-out of ''Infinity'', one titled the ''Infinity: The Heist'' and the other ''Infinity: The Hunt''. ''The Heist'' involves a group of Iron Man villains led by
Spymaster A spymaster is the person that leads a spy ring, or a secret service (such as an intelligence agency). Historical spymasters See also *List of American spies *List of British spies * List of German spies *List of fictional spymasters This ...
taking advantage of the chaos caused by Thanos's invasion of Earth to steal equipment from Stark Industries. It would be written by Frank Tieri with art by Al Barrionuevo. ''The Hunt'' features
Wolverine The wolverine (), (''Gulo gulo''; ''Gulo'' is Latin for " glutton"), also referred to as the glutton, carcajou, or quickhatch (from East Cree, ''kwiihkwahaacheew''), is the largest land-dwelling species of the family Mustelidae. It is a muscul ...
, She-Hulk, and
Hank Pym Dr. Henry Jonathan "Hank" Pym () is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by penciller Jack Kirby, editor-plotter Stan Lee and writer Larry Lieber, the character first appeared in '' Tales ...
gathering the young heroes of the Marvel universe to hold a new Contest of Champions. However, Thanos interrupts this with his own challenge. It would be written by
Matt Kindt Matt Kindt (born 1973) is an American comic book writer, cartoonist, and graphic designer. His early creator-owned works were spy fiction, and their success led to mainstream work for hire projects in superhero fiction and other genres. His work ...
with art by Steven Sanders. Other tie-ins were announced throughout June including
Fearless Defenders ''The Fearless Defenders'' was an ongoing comic book series published by Marvel Comics that debuted in February 2013 as part of the company's Marvel NOW! initiative. The series, written by Cullen Bunn with artwork by Will Sliney, centered on the ...
,
Secret Avengers ''Secret Avengers'' is an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics featuring a fictional black ops superhero team of the same name. The series started with Ed Brubaker on writing duties, depicting a black-ops sect of Marvel's premie ...
, Superior Spider-Man Team-Up, and Thunderbolts. In July 2013, it was announced that the repercussions of ''Infinity'' would result in a new comic book storyline titled '' Inhumanity'', with a new ongoing
Inhumans The Inhumans are a fictional superhuman race of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The comic book series has usually focused more specifically on the adventures of the Inhuman Royal Family, and many peop ...
series by
Matt Fraction Matt Fritchman (born December 1, 1975), better known by the pen name Matt Fraction, is an Eisner Award-winning American comic book writer, known for his work as the writer of '' The Invincible Iron Man'', '' The Immortal Iron Fist'', ''Uncanny ...
at the heart of it. During ''Infinity'' the
Terrigen Mist The Inhumans are a fictional superhuman race of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The comic book series has usually focused more specifically on the adventures of the Inhuman Royal Family, and many peop ...
will be spread throughout the world and result in Inhuman cells activating in large portions of the population. The Inhuman Royal Family will be split into different houses all competing to recruit these new Inhumans.


Plot summary


Prologue – The Tribute

On a distant planet, an alien being known as Outrider returns (Outriders are genetically produced assassins that serve their masters) and brings a message about a planet known as Ahl-Agullo to another alien being,
Corvus Glaive Corvus Glaive is a fictional supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is a prominent member of the Black Order, a team of aliens who work for Thanos. The character has made several appearances in media, s ...
. Corvus Glaive relays this message for his master and asks if this pleases him. Corvus Glaive's master replies "yes" as the Outrider is sent on another mission. Corvus Glaive appears on Ahl-Agullo and demands a tribute from the king of the Ahl-Agullo and references that its planet's greatest warrior and son is dead. Corvus Glaive then reveals that the last time his master came to this world, he burned this world down and asks the king to pay a tribute. Returning to his master, Corvus Glaive gives his master Ahl-Agullo's tribute and asks if this tribute pleases him. Corvus' master
Thanos Thanos is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He was created by writer-artist Jim Starlin, and first appeared in '' The Invincible Iron Man'' #55 ( cover date February 1973). An Eternal– Deviant w ...
replies "yes". The tribute is revealed to be a crate containing the severed heads of many Ahl-Agullo citizens.


Prelude

A week before the current events, Nightmask finds Starbrand drawing pictures with his powers while imprisoned on ''Sol's Hammer''. Starbrand remarks that so much has changed for him and that he would see the hydrogen in the Sun fusing together and he asks what is happening to him. Nightmask states that as his powers evolve, so does his mind. Nightmask then resumes coaching Starbrand. A little while later, Starbrand learns that the prison is not powerful enough to hold both him and Nightmask and asks why don't they leave, but Nightmask says they must wait until he has full control of his powers. Meanwhile, Manifold and
Captain Universe Captain Universe is a fictional character, a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is the guardian and protector of Eternity. Rather than a character with a single identity, Captain Universe is a persona that h ...
have arrived on the alien planet Galador. Captain Universe tells her teammate to return to Earth and tell the Avengers that they have not done enough, that the Machine is not complete as Captain Universe quotes "To protect a world your must possess the power to destroy a world." Manifold leaves as the Galadorian Spaceknights leap into action. Back on Earth,
Bruce Banner The Hulk is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in the debut issue of '' The Incredible Hulk'' (May 1962). In his comic book a ...
warns the Avengers of the approach of the mysterious Organism that has escaped from A.I.M. Island and is headed to their location. Worse yet, Banner then transforms into the Hulk and seriously damages the Helicarrier. The Avengers are then slammed by the Organism, and fight back but are beaten. On A.I.M. Island,
Andrew Forson The Scientist Supreme is a name used by different fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Description The Scientist Supreme is often described to be the top leader of A.I.M., and can also be described to ...
(the current Scientist Supreme) and
Superia Superia (Dr. Deidre Wentworth) is a supervillain and criminal scientist appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Publication history She first appeared in ''Captain America'' #387 (1991) and was created by writer Mark Grue ...
are licking their wounds from the Organism's escape. An A.I.M. Agent then approaches them showing them a 2-D hologram of the Organism beating the Avengers. Taking pride in this, Andrew Forson orders their translocator activated and to retrieve their "lost child". Upon receiving word from Captain Universe of a threat that is coming to Earth, the Avengers are advised to get Ex Nihilo and Abyss on their side and to free Starbrand and Nightmask so that they can help combat this threat. The threat in question turns out to be the Builders who are destroying many "imperfect" planets that don't fit their vision, and have cataloged Earth as a failure ever since they learned of Ex Nihilo's creation. The Avengers follow Captain Universe's suggestion and get Ex Nihilo, Abyss, Starbrand, and Nightmask onto the team. Corvus Glaive and the rest of the Black Order (which also consisted of
Black Dwarf A black dwarf is a theoretical stellar remnant, specifically a white dwarf that has cooled sufficiently to no longer emit significant heat or light. Because the time required for a white dwarf to reach this state is calculated to be longer th ...
,
Ebony Maw Ebony Maw is a fictional supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is a prominent member of the Black Order, a team of aliens who work for Thanos. The character has made several appearances in media, such as a ...
,
Proxima Midnight Proxima Midnight is a fictional supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. She is a prominent member of the Black Order, a team of aliens who work for Thanos. Created by writer Jonathan Hickman, she first appeared ...
, and
Supergiant Supergiants are among the most massive and most luminous stars. Supergiant stars occupy the top region of the Hertzsprung–Russell diagram with absolute visual magnitudes between about −3 and −8. The temperature range of supergiant stars spa ...
) arrive on Earth and appeared at the different parts of the Earth to confront the
Illuminati The Illuminati (; plural of Latin ''illuminatus'', 'enlightened') is a name given to several groups, both real and fictitious. Historically, the name usually refers to the Bavarian Illuminati, an Enlightenment-era secret society founded on ...
. Corvus Glaive and Supergiant arrived at the
Jean Grey School for Higher Learning The X-Mansion or Xavier Institute is the common name for a mansion and research institute appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The mansion is depicted as the private estate of Charles Francis Xavier, a character in X-Me ...
, Black Dwarf arrived in
Wakanda Wakanda () is a fictional country appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Wakanda has been depicted as being in East Africa. It is located in sub-Saharan Africa, and is home to the superhero Black Panther (comics), Black Pa ...
, Ebony Maw arrived at the Sanctum Sanctorum, and Proxima arrived at
Atlantis Atlantis ( grc, Ἀτλαντὶς νῆσος, , island of Atlas) is a fictional island mentioned in an allegory on the hubris of nations in Plato's works '' Timaeus'' and '' Critias'', wherein it represents the antagonist naval power that b ...
.


Core miniseries and Avengers/New Avengers


Part 1 – "Infinity"

Arriving on Earth, the Outrider begins looking for Earth's secrets as he searches through Avengers Tower and the Jean Grey School for Higher Learning. Appearing at a S.W.O.R.D. base, the Outrider is seen killing a S.W.O.R.D. agent in an effort to find Earth's weakness. While badly beaten by the Inhumans, the Outrider is ultimately able to inform Thanos that the Avengers have left Earth, prompting his forces to prepare to invade Earth.


=Avengers – "Avengers Universe 1"

= The Avengers travel in space to the Galactic Council to decide the fate of the incoming Builders. The decision is to lure them into a trap and destroy them. Things go well in the Council's favor until the Builders decloak the rest of their fleet and destroy most of the Council's frigates. The Avengers, together with the remaining ships retreat in defeat.


=New Avengers – "The Cull Obsidian"

= Thanos' Black Order arrives on Earth and demands a tribute in exchange for the survival of its inhabitants. Black Bolt reveals to the Illuminati that Thanos used the demand for the tribute (the heads of young Inhumans between the ages of sixteen and twenty-two) as a cover for the search of his lost Inhuman-descendant son.


Part 2 – "Fall"

Most of the alien empires try to stop the Builders, which causes some catastrophic results. The Black Order arrives on Attilan where they demand a tribute of young Inhuman heads that range from the ages of 16 and 22. Using the Terrigen Codex, Black Bolt discovers that Thanos was using the demand for a tribute as a cover-up to kill his lost Inhuman-descendant son whose actual identity and location are unknown to him.


=Avengers – "Building Towards Collapse"

=


=New Avengers – "The Thanos Seed"

= Black Dwarf retreats after finding a heavy resistance in Wakanda, causing his expulsion from the Black Order. Using the Terrigen Codex, the Illuminati embark on the search for Thanos' son
Thane Thane (; also known as Thana, the official name until 1996) is a metropolitan city in Maharashtra, India. It is situated in the north-eastern portion of the Salsette Island. Thane city is entirely within Thane taluka, one of the seven taluk ...
, but are stopped by the appearance of a new incursion in Australia. Before reaching a decision about what to do about the other Earth, the Illuminati are greeted by an Aleph arriving from the other Earth. The Aleph leads them to the Builders of that universe who explained that the early death of the Multiverse had led to the collapse of the superflow (the space between universes that they used to traverse them). In order to avert disaster and ensure the Multiverse survives, the Builders across the multiverse have decided to destroy all Earths, thus hopefully stopping the incursions. Since the Builders of Earth-616 had failed in their mission, these Builders urged the Illuminati to destroy their own world.


Part 3 – "Kingdoms Fall"

Most of the alien empires have decided to surrender to the Builders. Captain America managed to make himself heard by the Galactic Council and planned a retaliation against the Builders which resulted in the successful liberation of the Avengers who were being held captive and the destruction of numerous forces of the Builders, partially turning the tide of the battle. After the Inhumans deny a tribute to Corvus Glaive, Thanos appears on Attilan to meet with Black Bolt. Black Bolt attacks Thanos with his hypersonic voice.


=Avengers – "The Offer"

= Black Dwarf is given another chance to prove himself by Thanos. Black Dwarf is sent to keep the Peak from being reclaimed by the Avengers.''Avengers'' vol. 5 #22


Part 4 – "Thane"

Captain America still realized they were outnumbered and outgunned, and decided to perform a false surrender. Thor falsely surrendered to the Builder who was under control of Hala and killed him, freeing the planet and gaining powerful lost allies. Thanos eventually survives Black Bolt's attack and continues the fight. As Thanos fights against Black Bolt, he detonates a Terrigen Bomb which decimates Attilan and subjects everyone on Earth bearing latent Inhuman genes to go through the process of Terrigenesis, resulting in the emergence of thousands of Inhumans. Thane's power is unleashed, where it kills the inhabitants of his town in the process. Thanos fights Black Bolt where he demands to be told the location of his son. Black Bolt refuses to reveal the location which results in Thanos getting angry and knocking out Black Bolt.


Part 5 - "The Left Hand of Death"

The death of the Builder at Thor's hands and the subsequent liberation of Hala sparks a general insurrection at all Builder-occupied worlds, which are dubbed "Avengers Worlds" by their grateful citizens in honor of Earth's heroes. Meanwhile, Thane has been captured by Ebony Maw, who reports his success back to Thanos. The Avengers receive word that Earth has fallen to Thanos. The Avengers and their allies head to Earth to free it from Thanos.


=Avengers - "...To the Very End"

= Black Dwarf fights the Avengers to keep them from reclaiming the Peak. During the battle, Ronan the Accuser arrives to help the Avengers where Ronan declares Black Dwarf guilty and kills him.


Part 6 - "Amber"

The Avengers, the Guardians of the Galaxy, and Agent Brand and her personnel retake the Peak while Starbrand devastates the majority of the enemy fleet with his power, forcing the survivors into a retreat. In Necropolis the Illuminati confront Supergiant and an enslaved Gladiator, and she is defeated after Lockjaw teleports her to an uninhabited world along with an anti-matter bomb that Maximus detonates. Captain America, Captain Marvel, the Hulk, Hyperion, and Thor confront Thanos and his Black Order in Orollan. Corvus Glaive is killed by Hyperion, but Thanos and Proxima Midnight put the Avengers on the brink of the defeat. Ebony Maw turns on his master and manipulates Thane into putting Thanos and Proxima Midnight into a state of "living death", freezing them in amber. In the aftermath, the heroes and their allies pick up the pieces and rebuild in their own way, while the Illuminati continue to secretly find ways to prevent the impending death of the multiverse, with Thanos and Proxima Midnight in their custody.


Tie-ins


''Avengers Assemble''

When the Terrigen Bomb was detonated in Earth's atmosphere, a housewife named Alice Taylor-Kezierski was exposed to the Terrigen Mists and entered a state of Terrigenesis. After emerging from her cocoon, she accidentally enlarged her husband causing Alice, two of her neighbors, and her house to shrink to the Microverse. With the help of
Wasp A wasp is any insect of the narrow-waisted suborder Apocrita of the order Hymenoptera which is neither a bee nor an ant; this excludes the broad-waisted sawflies (Symphyta), which look somewhat like wasps, but are in a separate suborder. ...
and
Wonder Man Wonder Man (Simon Williams) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, he first appeared in '' The Avengers'' #9 (October 1964). The c ...
of the
Uncanny Avengers ''Uncanny Avengers'' is a comic book series first appearing in the October 2012 debut of Marvel NOW!, published by Marvel Comics. The series follows an interconnected fictional superhero team, featuring members from the Marvel Universe (specific ...
, Alice was able to enlarge her house and her neighbors and shrink her husband back to their original proportions.


''Captain Marvel''

In Captain Marvel 15, after Carol Danvers had lost her memory, she participated in the Battle of the Corridor, temporarily regaining her binary powers as she drew near a black hole.


''Fearless Defenders''

Ren Kimura is a Japanese-American dancer who underwent Terrigenesis and discovered that she can conjure razor sharp metal ribbons from her fingertips. She joined the
Fearless Defenders ''The Fearless Defenders'' was an ongoing comic book series published by Marvel Comics that debuted in February 2013 as part of the company's Marvel NOW! initiative. The series, written by Cullen Bunn with artwork by Will Sliney, centered on the ...
after being rescued from Thanos' forces.


''Guardians of the Galaxy''

After parting ways with Angela, the Guardians were off in space when they received a message from
Abigail Brand Special Agent Abigail Brand is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Joss Whedon and artist John Cassaday, she first appeared in '' Astonishing X-Men'' vol. 3 #3 (Sept. 2004). She is ...
asking them to help free her from the Black Dwarf's forces and liberate the Peak, S.W.O.R.D.'s orbital headquarters.
Star-Lord Star-Lord (Peter Jason Quill) is a fictional character and superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character, created by Steve Englehart and Steve Gan, first appeared in '' Marvel Preview'' #4 (January 197 ...
and
Rocket Raccoon Rocket Raccoon is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Bill Mantlo and artist Keith Giffen, the character first appeared in ''Marvel Preview'' #7 (Summer 1976). He is an intelligent ...
enter the Peak and free Brand, but are cornered by
Badoon The Badoon are a fictional reptilian alien species appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The Badoon Exfulgence are notable for living under strict gender segregation, resulting in two separate societies; the Brotherhood of ...
forces, only to be rescued by Angela. With the help of the other Guardians, they regain control of the Peak's offensive weapons, thus easing the Avengers' assault on Earth when they return.


''Infinity: Against the Tide''

On the
Skrull The Skrulls are a fictional race of extraterrestrial shapeshifters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The Skrulls first appeared in ''Fantastic Four'' #2 and were created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. They originated fro ...
-owned planet of Hy'lt Minor, the Builders are brutally destroying any civilization the Skrulls created over time. Two best friends, a boy named K'eel R'kt and a girl named Rhena desperately attempt to survive. As they struggle, they are intercepted by a Skrull commander who is trying to make himself the only survivor. He quickly hits Rhena and presumably kills her. As the chaos grows,
Silver Surfer The Silver Surfer is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character also appears in a number of movies, television, and video game adaptations. The character was created by Jack Kirby and first a ...
arrives telling K'eel and the rest of the Skrulls that he is here to save the planet. However, the Skrull commander (believing that Norrin Radd is the herald to
Galactus Galactus () is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Formerly a mortal man, Galactus is a cosmic entity who consumes planets to sustain his life force, and serves a functional role in the upkeep of t ...
) starts a riot to further his troubles. Luckily, Rhena regains consciousness and Norrin pushes back some of the forces. However, they soon return.


''Infinity: Heist''

Since the death of
Mandarin Mandarin or The Mandarin may refer to: Language * Mandarin Chinese, branch of Chinese originally spoken in northern parts of the country ** Standard Chinese or Modern Standard Mandarin, the official language of China ** Taiwanese Mandarin, Stand ...
,
Blizzard A blizzard is a severe snowstorm characterized by strong sustained winds and low visibility, lasting for a prolonged period of time—typically at least three or four hours. A ground blizzard is a weather condition where snow is not falling ...
II was seen robbing banks with
Whirlwind A whirlwind is a weather phenomenon in which a vortex of wind (a vertically oriented rotating column of air) forms due to instabilities and turbulence created by heating and flow (current) gradients. Whirlwinds occur all over the world and i ...
. While the Avengers were away from Earth fighting the Builders,
Spymaster A spymaster is the person that leads a spy ring, or a secret service (such as an intelligence agency). Historical spymasters See also *List of American spies *List of British spies * List of German spies *List of fictional spymasters This ...
approached Blizzard II and Whirlwind who offered them to join up with him, Constrictor, Firebrand IV,
Titanium Man The Titanium Man is the name of two supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The original Titanium Man first appeared in ''Tales of Suspense'' #68 (September 1965) and was created by Stan Lee and Don Heck. Fic ...
,
Unicorn The unicorn is a legendary creature that has been described since antiquity as a beast with a single large, pointed, spiraling horn projecting from its forehead. In European literature and art, the unicorn has for the last thousand years o ...
I, and
Whiplash Whiplash may refer to: * The long flexible part of a whip * Whiplash (medicine), a neck injury ** Whiplash Injury Protection System (WHIPS), in automobiles Film and television * ''Whiplash'' (1948 film), a US film noir about a boxer * ''Whiplas ...
IV in a plot to attack the almost-defenseless Stark Tower. During the briefing, Blizzard suddenly collapses. When Blizzard regains consciousness, he discovers that his skin has turned white and he can generate ice on his own. Blizzard had been exposed to the Terrigen Mists unleashed upon the face of the entire Earth by Black Bolt. Being secretly an Inhuman descendant, Blizzard suffered Terrigenesis which causes the manifestation of his latent powers. Blizzard thought that this was his opportunity to "be part of something bigger" and decided to leave Spymaster's team. However, he and Whirlwind where brutally attacked by Spymaster and Titanium Man when they tried to leave. Blizzard and Whirlwind were forced into taking part of the assault to Stark Tower. After Spymaster used teleporter discs to teleport some Iron Man Armors to the buyers, he escaped and left Blizzard and the rest of his accomplices to be discovered by the heroes which were using the tower as a base. They managed to defeat the heroes, and they were offered to be taken to Spymaster by Titanium Man. When they arrived to a spaceship where Spymaster was, they were ambushed by him and Titanium Man who revealed himself as
Captain Atlas Captain Atlas (Att-Lass) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Mark Gruenwald and artist Mike Manley, the character debuted in ''Quasar'' #9 (April 1990). He was introduced as th ...
of the Kree (who were the masterminds behind the heist). They managed to escape custody and started fighting Spymaster, Titanium Man and the army of Iron Men (which were controlled by the first). The actual Iron Man arrived to the spaceship after having tracked down the armors and helped Blizzard and his allies defeat the enemies. During the fight, Blizzard used the powers he discovered of being like a human battery to overcharge the armors and deactivate them, but he fainted and fell off the spaceship's cargo door. A suit Iron Man was controlling rescued him. But in order to let his friends escape, Blizzard froze himself and the suit. Blizzard was taken to S.H.I.E.L.D. custody and was left under the simulation he had been delivered to the Inhumans in order to prove himself as the changed man Gill thought he was....until S.H.I.E.L.D. could know what to do with him.


''Infinity: The Hunt''

Shortly before Thanos' invasion of Earth,
Hank Pym Dr. Henry Jonathan "Hank" Pym () is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by penciller Jack Kirby, editor-plotter Stan Lee and writer Larry Lieber, the character first appeared in '' Tales ...
and some other people create a "Contest of Champions" (the name was chosen from a long list of names) which is to serve as a battle tournament between adolescent superheroes. The tournament will be held at the Avengers Compound at
Palo Alto, California Palo Alto (; Spanish for "tall stick") is a charter city in the northwestern corner of Santa Clara County, California, United States, in the San Francisco Bay Area, named after a coastal redwood tree known as El Palo Alto. The city was es ...
. The tournament will be supervised by Hank Pym (representing the
Avengers Academy ''Avengers Academy'' is a Marvel Comics comic book series that debuted in June 2010 as part of the " Heroic Age", and concluded after thirty-nine issues in November 2012. The series was written by Christos Gage, with artwork by Mike McKone and t ...
), Meggan (representing the Braddock Academy), Wolverine (representing the Jean Grey School for Higher Learning), and She-Hulk (representing the
Future Foundation The Future Foundation is a fictional organization appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Jonathan Hickman, the team first appeared in ''Fantastic Four'' #579 (July 2010) and stars in the series ''FF,'' wr ...
). As the various contestants are being selected from the Avengers Academy, the Braddock Academy, the Future Foundation, the Jean Grey School for Higher Learning, the Pan-Asian School for the Unusually Gifted, Wakandan School of Alternative Studies, and the
Latveria Latveria is a fictional country appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is depicted within the storylines of Marvel's comic titles as an isolated European country ruled by the fictional Supreme Lord Doctor Doom, suppo ...
n School of Science, a news broadcast is shown that features the destruction of Atlantis due to Wakanda's Invasion.


''Mighty Avengers''

As the Avengers have left Earth to fight the Builders, Thanos has come to tear the Illuminati apart. Ebony Maw has been tasked to defeat Doctor Strange while Proxima Midnight desires to destroy the city. The
Heroes for Hire Heroes for Hire are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team first appeared in '' Power Man and Iron Fist'' #54 (December 1978), and was created by Ed Hannigan and Lee Elias. The team continued to ap ...
were able to thwart a robbery of robot parts committed by Plunderer's men. Plunderer tries to get away, but is stopped by the Superior Spider-Man (
Doctor Octopus Doctor Octopus (Dr. Otto Gunther Octavius), also known as Doc Ock for short, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko and first appeared in ''Th ...
' mind in Peter Parker's body). After the Superior Spider-Man considered the Heroes for Hire as mercenaries,
White Tiger The white tiger or bleached tiger is a leucistic pigmentation variant of the Mainland tiger. It is reported in the wild from time to time in the Indian states of Madhya Pradesh, Assam, West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, in the Sunderbans region and ...
quits the team. On the other side of town,
Monica Rambeau Monica Rambeau is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Roger Stern and artist John Romita Jr., the character debuted in ''The Amazing Spider-Man Annual'' #16 (October 1982). Monica ...
, now answering to "Spectrum", chases down Blue Streak before a stranger tries to recruit her for a mysterious end. At a diner,
Luke Cage Lucas "Luke" Cage, born Carl Lucas and also known as Power Man, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He first appeared in ''Luke Cage, Hero for Hire'' #1 (June 1972) and was created by Archie Go ...
and Power Man are discussing recent events. Power Man wants to attack Spider-Man, but Luke is a different man now for he wants to care and support his family. Power Man then plans to start his version of the Avengers. Proxima Midnight and her troops jump out of Thanos' ship and land in New York. She stands up in a crater and commands her host to hunt and kill. Spectrum hears the explosions and goes to help out. Her mysterious guest says he cannot be seen in America, and needs her help for a mysterious mission, but she is adamant... he is in a costume shop, and if he wants her help, he'll put on a costume and come help her. At the impact point, Proxima Midnight is leading her people when Luke Cage, Superior Spider-Man, and Spectrum all show up at the same time. They are suddenly joined by Spectrum's mystery man who is wearing a "Spider Hero" costume. The Mighty Avengers continue to battle the forces of Proxima Midnight. Spectrum is seriously injured. Bystanders help the Avengers get back in the fight. Thanos appears in hologram form berating Proxima Midnight for her failure to destroy the city.
Uatu Uatu (), often simply known as the Watcher, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, he first appeared in '' The Fantastic Four'' #13 (April 1963). He is a mem ...
the Watcher visits
Blue Marvel Blue Marvel (Adam Bernard Brashear) is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The Blue Marvel debuted in ''Adam: Legend of the Blue Marvel'' #1 (Nov. 2008) and was created by actor/writer Kevin Gre ...
in his Undersea Science Fortress which he had previously modified. Blue Marvel talks with Uatu about his family life and how he could've taken up the opportunity to join the Avengers while mentioning his humanitarian work. Ebony Maw uses Doctor Strange to summon
Shuma-Gorath Shuma-Gorath () is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Publication history Shuma-Gorath first appears as an adversary for Doctor Strange in ''Marvel Premiere'' #10 (September 1973), created by wr ...
to Earth. After a one-sided conversation, Blue Marvel took up his costume and flew through Shuma-Gorath's head during its fight with the heroes that are with Luke Cage. He was able to heal Spectrum (who had been incapacitated by Proxima Midnight's spear). Blue Marvel was able to boost her powers temporarily to fight off their opponents. After the battle, Blue Marvel was among those Luke Cage declared in his Mighty Avengers.


''Nova''

After the skatepark was rebuilt following that he had accidentally destroyed during his superhero career, Sam encounters his crush, Carrie. Sam was caught off-guard when she told him that she knew that he was Nova. He then flew away in such a rush that he made a stupid mistake of accidentally removing his helmet mid-flight and fell straight out of the sky. When he awoke from the minor coma he had suffered, he finds
New Warriors The New Warriors is a fictional superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. They traditionally consisted of teenage and young adult heroes, and were often seen to serve as a junior counterpart to Avengers (comics), ...
members
Justice Justice, in its broadest sense, is the principle that people receive that which they deserve, with the interpretation of what then constitutes "deserving" being impacted upon by numerous fields, with many differing viewpoints and perspective ...
and Speedball trying to persuade him into joining the New Warriors. He initially refuses until he learned that they were good friends of
Richard Rider Nova (Richard Rider) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character appeared historically as the star of his own series, and at other times, as a supporting character in team books such as '' ...
. Nova agreed to see what it was like and what they know about the Nova Corps and Force.


''Secret Avengers''

S.H.I.E.L.D. Computer Specialist Sarah Garza was one of the newly surfaced Inhumans after Black Bolt unleashed the Terrigen Mist upon the face of the Earth. Shortly after emerging from a cocoon, her unstable powers created an explosion which decimated her entire apartment complex. She was retained by S.H.I.E.L.D. and
Maria Hill Commander Maria Hill ( ) is a fictional Character (arts), character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Brian Michael Bendis and David Finch (comics), David Finch, the character first appeared in ''The New Ave ...
after finding out she was one of theirs and realized Garza could be a potential asset against Thanos' forces. Although she lacked experience, Maria Hill partnered her with Iron Patriot and gave her an armor to control her powers. She and Iron Patriot arrived to Brooklyn as reinforcements to help Nick Fury, Jr. and
Phil Coulson Agent Phillip J. Coulson ( ) is a fictional character portrayed and voiced by Clark Gregg in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) media franchise. Coulson is depicted as a high-ranking member of the espionage agency S.H.I.E.L.D. and longtime partn ...
fight the invading forces. Sarah created a powerful blast which along with the support of the Iron Patriot Drones, annihilated the aliens. During the sweep, the heroes were attacked by an unknown enemy with apparent telekinetic powers that blamed Sarah Garza for what happened to the apartment complex. When the strain of using his powers made the unknown enemy pass out, the Avengers proceeded to find refuge. As the communication signal was no longer being jammed, S.H.I.E.L.D. managed to get visual on the villain. It was revealed the Junkman of Brooklyn was a man called Gavrel Achter, who was one of the newly surfaced Inhumans after Black Bolt unleashed the Terrigen Mists upon the entire face of the Earth. When Nick Fury Jr. tried to talk to the Junkman of Brooklyn, he threw a car at the team, seemingly crushing Sarah Garza. Sarah raised from the debris and retaliated the Junkman of Brooklyn. When he was about to be killed, Garza stopped upon realizing she could not become a murderer. Before he could react, Nick Fury Jr. sniped at the Junkman of Brooklyn and killed him. Saddened, Sarah mourned the Junkman of Brooklyn's death. Back at the S.H.I.E.L.D.
Helicarrier The Helicarrier is a fictional flying aircraft carrier appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is depicted as the crucial mobile command center, forward operations platform, and signature capital ship of the fictional int ...
, Sarah Garza expressed to Maria Hill the desire to go back to Tech Ops. Sarah Garza was confined in a cell until her powers could be stabilized.


''Superior Spider-Man Team-Up''

Sylvia Prell is a student who is one of the Inhuman descendants. She is exposed to the Terrigen Mists after it was unleashed upon Earth by Black Bolt. The manifestation of her electrical powers caught the attention of the Superior Spider-Man. Upon mastering her powers and becoming Fulmina, she helps the Superior Spider-Man defeat an alien army that works for Thanos.


''Thunderbolts''

Gordon "Gordo" Nobili is the patriarch of a Maggia family known as the Nobili Crime Family and is the father of Carmen Nobili and Joseph Nobili. The Nobilis have been fighting with various rival families including the Paguro family. When he underwent Terrigenesis while evading the Thunderbolts, he finds himself with purple skin, several massive spikes growing from his head, super-strength, and the ability to communicate with his deceased ancestors. Soon after hatching, Gordon, Carmen (who inherited superhuman strength), and Joseph Nobili (who gained elasticity and tendril-like fingers) go to fight the Paguro Family. During the fight with the Paguro family, the Thunderbolts interfered where Gordon loses Carmen and Joseph (one to crossfire in a huge firefight, one committing suicide after seeing what he had become) and vows vengeance on the person he thinks is responsible for everything....
Punisher The Punisher (Francis "Frank" Castle, born Castiglione) is an antihero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Gerry Conway and artists John Romita Sr. and Ross Andru. The Punisher made ...
.


Titles involved

Note: Some of these are involved with Infinity and not necessarily part of it.


Collected editions


Other versions


''What If?''

Five different issues of ''
What If What If may refer to: Film * ''What If'', a 2006 TV film starring Niall Buggy * ''What If...'' (2010 film), an American film * ''What If...'' (2012 film), a Greek film * ''What If'' (2013 film) or ''The F Word'', a Canadian-Irish film Telev ...
'' detail about alternate outcomes for the ''Infinity'' storyline: * "What If? Infinity - Inhumans" details what would happen if Black Bolt betrayed Earth. * "What If? Infinity - Thanos" details what would happen if Thanos joined the Avengers. * "What If? Infinity - X-Men" details what would happen if the X-Men were the sole survivors of ''Infinity''. * "What If? Infinity - Dark Reign" details what would happen if
Norman Osborn Norman Osborn is a fictional character, fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character, created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, first appeared in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #14 (July ...
managed to get his hands on the
Infinity Gauntlet ''The Infinity Gauntlet'' is an American comic book storyline published by Marvel Comics. In addition to an eponymous, six-issue limited series (comics), limited series written by Jim Starlin and Penciller, pencilled by George Pérez and Ron ...
. * "What If? Infinity - Guardians of the Galaxy" details what would happen if the
Guardians of the Galaxy The Guardians of the Galaxy is a fictional superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It may more specifically refer to: Comic book teams * Guardians of the Galaxy (1969 team), the original 31st-century team fr ...
found out the
Illuminati The Illuminati (; plural of Latin ''illuminatus'', 'enlightened') is a name given to several groups, both real and fictitious. Historically, the name usually refers to the Bavarian Illuminati, an Enlightenment-era secret society founded on ...
were hiding Thanos.


Reception

''Infinity'' received largely positive reviews. ''Comic Book Round Up'' gave the ''Infinity'' series an average score of 8.0. (''Note: The Average Score ComicBook Round Up gave the Infinity Event on their website consists of multiple comics that link to Infinity instead of being part of it, like the issues previously listed are.'') ComicBook Round Up gave Infinity: Omnibus, which collects Infinity #1-6, Avengers #14-23, The New Avengers #7-12, and Infinity: Against the Tide Infinite Comic #1-2, an average "positive" score of 7.8.
IGN ''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
gave Infinity #1 an 8.4 "Great" Rating, Infinity #2 an 8.3 "Great" Rating, Infinity #3 an 8.3 "Great" Rating, Infinity #4 an 8.4 "Great" Rating, Infinity #5 an 8.5 "Great" Rating and Infinity #6 an 8.4 "Great" Rating. In their review for #1, IGN state "Infinity 1isn't your typical Marvel event comic, and that's definitely a good thing" and, throughout their reviews of each issue, praise the use of the wider Marvel Universe, the pacing, and how it "reads like a natural extension of Hickman's Avengers work", the depiction of Inhumans, the strong sense of scope and drama and the cohesive art, though criticising how it doesn't function well as an isolated story and "reads better with tie-ins".
Comic Book Resources ''Comic Book Resources'', also known by the initialism CBR, is a website dedicated to the coverage of comic book–related news and discussion. History Comic Book Resources was founded by Jonah Weiland in 1995 as a development of the Kingdom Co ...
stated that Infinity is "one of Marvel's strongest event series in years", and gave Infinity #1 a rating of 9.0 calling "a summer comic in all its glory. The cast is immense, the action is intense. The scene between Outrider and Black Bolt elevates the Inhuman king, who becomes one of the most interesting and mysterious characters in the Marvel Universe just by virtue of his "Infinity" appearance.". CBR called Infinity #2 "a must-read.", giving it 9.0, and in their review of Infinity #3, gave it 9.0 and called it "rife with intrigue, twists and poignant moments" and that "Hickman creates a dark, foreboding atmosphere appropriate to a war that seems impossible to win in his narration and dialogue". CBR called Infinity #4 (along with Infinity itself) "testament to Hickman's superb writing that readers should expect something really special yet to come" and called the visuals "simply brilliant", giving it 9.0. CBR also called Infinity #5 a "great comic for those looking for pure, unfiltered, cosmic space adventure, and nothing but. Such an adventure, though, without sufficient characterization to support it and provide a human connection is like a one-note guitar solo, or a one-ingredient recipe", giving it 5.0, and in their review for Infinity #6, gave it 9.0 and stated that it finished Infinity "in a most satisfying manner, presenting a solid template for future events." calling it "easily one of the most visually brilliant comic event conclusions produced in the past few years".
Newsarama Newsarama is an American website that publishes news, interviews, and essays about the American comic book industry. It is owned by Future US. In June 2020, Newsarama was merged with the website GamesRadar+, also owned by FutureUS. History ...
gave Infinity #1 a score of 8 out of 10, Infinity #2 a score of 6 out of 10, Infinity #3 a score of 7 out of 10, Infinity #4 a score of 7 out of 10, Infinity #5 a score of 6 out of 10 and Infinity #6 a score of 8 out of 10.
SciFiNow ''SciFiNow'' was a British magazine published every four weeks by Kelsey Media in the United Kingdom, covering the science fiction, horror and fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction involving magical elements, typically se ...
called Infinity the "best comic event ever", calling it "about life and death", stating it "makes the Avengers truly iconic" and that it "offers closure where other events fail". Jonathan Hickman was nominated a "Best Writer" Eisner Award for ''Infinity'' as well as ''East of West'', ''The Manhattan Projects'' and ''Avengers''.


In other media


Video games

* The plot of ''Infinity'' was adapted as the thirteenth Spec-Ops Mission of '' Marvel: Avengers Alliance'', with Black Bolt as the reward hero, and Thane as the lockbox hero.


Television

* The second season finale of the animated series '' Avengers Assemble'', "Avengers World", loosely incorporates elements from ''Infinity'', with the Black Order freeing Thanos from imprisonment by the
Nova Corps The Nova Corps is a fictional intergalactic military/police force appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Marv Wolfman, the Corps first appeared in '' Fantastic Four'' #205 (April 1979). They have since app ...
, to which he would a scheme to absorb the radiation of the core of New Korban to become titanically powerful in order to conquer the universe.


Film

* Several elements of ''Infinity'' are loosely adapted for the 2018 film '' Avengers: Infinity War''. Most notably, ''Infinity War'' features Thanos invading Wakanda and the inclusion of the Black Order.


Literature

* ''Infinity'' received a prose adaptation in mid 2019, written by James A. Moore.


References


External links


Infinity (Event)
at Marvel.com {{New Avengers 2013 comics debuts Comics by Jonathan Hickman Comics set in New York City Marvel Comics storylines Marvel Comics adapted into films