What are important Cosmic stories?

[Shadow ES]

Annihilation was my first step into Marvel cosmic, and I enjoyed it alot. Yesterday I bought The Infinity Gauntlet TPB. Can anyone list some other important Cosmic stories that I should check out?

[Expletive Deleted]

The be-all and end-all of cosmic Marvel, for me, is Lee and Kirby on FANTASTIC FOUR. Can't be beat. You've got Ronan and the Kree, Kl'rt and the Skrulls, Galactus with the Silver Surfer and Air Walker, Annihilus and Blastaar in the Negative Zone, alien worlds and alternate dimensions . . . it's at the core of everything that came later. And it's ridiculously affordable, in ESSENTIAL form.

The THOR and NOVA essentials are pretty good, too.

Also good are THE LIFE AND DEATH OF CAPTAIN MARVEL by Jim Starlin (the first Thanos story) and SILVER SURFER: REBIRTH OF THANOS (which leads into Infinity Gauntlet) by Starlin and Ron Lim. Together with IG, those're probably Starlin's best. His later cosmic stories are a mixed bag at best. Avoid INFINITY CRUSADE at all costs.

There's also plenty of great stuff that Marvel has, for whatever reason, not committed to trade. The "Blood and Thunder" crossover, the original Starlin WARLOCK stories, Engelhart's early SILVER SURFER v3, Grue's QUASAR (especially "Cosmos in Collision") and so on.

[dingo]

Just to re-iterate. FF, first hundred issues.

Also : Operation Galactic Storm.

Other than that, generally speaking stories have been matched race to team.

Kree: Avengers
Skrull: Fantastic Four
Shi'ar: X-men.

[Expletive Deleted]

Also : Operation Galactic Storm.Ooh, good call. I totally forgot that one.

To add another pair, AVENGERS FOREVER and "Maximum Security" (in the fourth Busiek AVENGERS hardcover) are pretty darn cosmic. The latter is more relevant to the Annihilation side of things than the former, but they're both pretty good.

[Enigmanaut]

Cosmos in Collision from Quasar.

A second for Galactic Storm. There's a bit where the Avengers split up over whether they should kill the Kree Supreme Intelligence. Cap led the anti-side, Iron Man read the Pro-side. And even there Iron Man simply declared himself the ultimate authority. He even had a semi-fake Thor on his side.

No surprise, Quasar supported Cap.

[agrich]

That original Warlock series by Jim Starlin has been reprinted a lot, notably as "Warlock (Vol. 2) 1-6," in the '80s, and then in another 6-issue miniseries in the early '90s. Perhaps Warlock Volume 3, I'm not sure. Those things show up on ebay pretty regularly.

I personally was fond of Starlin's Dreadstar, as well as the Metamorphosis Odyssey that preceded it. Those have been collected; I think you can buy them right on Amazon. Everybody didn't like them, however, and I don't know that they'd be considered "important." Entertaining though.

If you like Gauntlet, I'd recommend the Infinity War TPB, too. Not, however, Crusade, as noted above.

[Zero Hunter]

The Life and Death of Captain Marvel - Classic

Silver Surfer : Rebirth of Thanos - Leads into Infinity Gauntlet and is a great read.

Warlock Special Edition - You should be able to find this 6 issue limited series that reprinted the really great stuff of the Warlock run.

Infinity War - I know it is not as good as IG, but it is a fun story.

Fantastic Four Visionaries - John Byrne 1-4 - Alot of cosmic stories in this run. You get Galactus, Terrax, Nova II, the Skrulls, the Watcher, a long trip into the Negative Zone, Annihilas, Gladiator, the Shiar, and the Reed Richards on trial by a bunch of alien races for saving Galactus.

Silver Surfer 1-90 of the late 80's early 90's series. Nealry every cosmic character showed up in this run and the Ron Marz/Ron Lim run was fantastic. Alot of the build up to Infinity Gauntlet was in this run between issue 32-50.

When they get around to putting in trade the Current X-Men storyline "The Rise and Fall of the Shi'ar Empire" I would also suggest that one.

[PatchMadripoor]

The classic FF issues with the In-Betweener vs. Galactus

Thanos Quest solidified why Thanos is such a bad ass.

[40yearoldnovafan]

That original Warlock series by Jim Starlin has been reprinted a lot, notably as "Warlock (Vol. 2) 1-6," in the '80s, and then in another 6-issue miniseries in the early '90s. Perhaps Warlock Volume 3, I'm not sure. Those things show up on ebay pretty regularly.

I personally was fond of Starlin's Dreadstar, as well as the Metamorphosis Odyssey that preceded it. Those have been collected; I think you can buy them right on Amazon. Everybody didn't like them, however, and I don't know that they'd be considered "important." Entertaining though.

If you like Gauntlet, I'd recommend the Infinity War TPB, too. Not, however, Crusade, as noted above.

I agree about Dreadstar. I loved that title. I thought I was the only person who did. Did you read the limited series where Vanth's grown daughter was the "new Dreadstar?" I didn't like the art, but I was happy to see old friends.

Just an aside,

Jimmy

[Nova3333]

I'd loved to have read the original Starlord comics from the 70's. But most of you have mentioned all the other notable cosmic sagas..though one I'm enjoying at present which is, God forbid, a DC title, is Jim Starlin's Mystery in Space with Captain Comet; good art, good story and a subtle tip to Nova's costume in the good Captain's (sorry just Comet) new uniform. Next issue (8 issue limited series) will be drawn by Ron (Silver Surfer) Lim.

[BeastieRunner]

Silver Surfer Volume 1 #1.

It is his complete origin.

[agrich]

I agree about Dreadstar. I loved that title. I thought I was the only person who did. Did you read the limited series where Vanth's grown daughter was the "new Dreadstar?" I didn't like the art, but I was happy to see old friends.

Just an aside,

Jimmy

Dreadstar definitely had some low points but by and large it was pretty good for a while. I might be the only one, but I even liked the depressing stretch from 31-40 when Starlin only wrote it and Dreadstar was faced with an evil bureacratic government; I just thought it was a really underrated stretch of comics -- grim but entertaining.

I did read the limited series, but I was pretty disappointed. I think on its own merits it might have been okay, but I had high expectations and the story we got was pretty weak. Hated the art, too.

[Shadow ES]

thanks for all the suggestions so far. I picked up the essential Silver Surfer, and it ends in a bit of a cliffhanger. where does the story pick up after that?

[Cosmic Book Fan]

By far the best cosmic story of all time IMHO is the Thanos Quest. It's fast paced, full of action, awesome art, just an all around great story.

Don't get me wrong, back in the day, I loved the Infinity Gauntlet and Infinity War, and didn't even mind Infinity Crusade, but looking back, I realize that they were primarily Starlin's way of asserting himself and making sure that he and his signature characters would be the most important things going on. Personally, I think Thanos got very boring after IG, kind of a Wolverine for the Cosmic world, too popular, too powerful, too cool, but really not worth any of it. And while I'll grant that Ron Marz did okay by the Silver Surfer for a while, he ultimately drove the series into the ground (literally).

After Thanos Quest, I'd recommend the first 30 or so issues of SS v.3, I just re-read them myself and remember why they were one of the 3 titles on my pull list at the time (Doesn't seem like 20 years ago already.)

The last thing I have to say about it is to avoid completely Silver Surfer V.4 not only are they one of the worst character hack jobs ever, and one of the worst continuity hacks ever, but issue 1 is in the top three for flat-out worst comics I've ever read.


BTW- Thanos Quest is reprinted in "Silver Surfer : Rebirth of Thanos" but there was also a cheap combined reprint that you might be able to find.

[StoneGold]

I'd loved to have read the original Starlord comics from the 70's.

I've read them, they really don't have much to do with the modern character. For one thing, the original character was definitely not in the MU.


And just a warning, for a cosmic book, Annihilation didn't have much to do with the usual cosmic themes. No avatars for existential concepts, no messianic beings, nothing. The closest it came was Galactus, and he was used pretty much at face value, as a guy who eats things. But if you liked the Essential Silver Surfer, then you are pretty good to go with most cosmic stuff, anyways. It doesn't continue anywhere though. It's pretty much Surfer swears his revenge on humanity, and then cancellation and nothing.Someone please correct me if I am wrong, but I don't believe the whole revenge upon humanity thing was ever really followed up on.

[Pendaran]

Never really got a follow up, no, dude went back to general mopery.

[Shadow ES]

But if you liked the Essential Silver Surfer, then you are pretty good to go with most cosmic stuff, anyways. It doesn't continue anywhere though. It's pretty much Surfer swears his revenge on humanity, and then cancellation and nothing.Someone please correct me if I am wrong, but I don't believe the whole revenge upon humanity thing was ever really followed up on.
That's too bad :(

What about the Thanos series? Was it any good?

[Expletive Deleted]

It was good, but I don't know how well it stands on its own.

The first six issues (collected as THANOS: EPIPHANY) are by Jim Starlin and are basically the finale of his most recent foray into Marvel cosmics. It's a decent little storyline, but you should probably read INFINITY ABYSS and MARVEL: THE END first. The latter is technically not in continuity, but Starlin treats it as if it is for the purposes of these issues.

The last six issues, by Keith Giffen and Ron Lim, are sort of an unofficial prologue to ANNIHILATION, introducing the Kyln, the Fallen One, and a few other minor pieces that were featured in said event. If you're already into ANNIHILATION, definitely pick these up. They're collected as THANOS: SAMARITAN.

[Green Goblin]

I say the coming of Galactus is a pretty important comic event

[Joe Acro]

I've read them, they really don't have much to do with the modern character. For one thing, the original character was definitely not in the MU.
And yet, according to a Handbook last year, he was. At least, his backstory hasn't changed, despite possible contradictions with known 616 history.

I hope Giffen takes the time to resolve some of this in the upcoming series.

[StoneGold]

And yet, according to a Handbook last year, he was. At least, his backstory hasn't changed, despite possible contradictions with known 616 history.



I don't see how his backstory could have been left the same. He was from the future.

[Joe Acro]

I don't see how his backstory could have been left the same. He was from the future.
No he wasn't. The events that took place may have happened in the future when compared to the publishing date of the issues, but things such as the technology used are easy to believe considering the influence of Stark, Richards, and S.H.I.E.L.D.

[Super-Skrull]

There's a lot of cool cosmic stories from Byrne's run on FF, including The Trial of Galactus, their massive Negative Zone adventure, and the destruction of the Skrull Homeworld. Byrne has a few favorite characters and the Silver Surfer is clearly one of them.

He also loves...The Super-Skrull!

[StoneGold]

No he wasn't. The events that took place may have happened in the future when compared to the publishing date of the issues, but things such as the technology used are easy to believe considering the influence of Stark, Richards, and S.H.I.E.L.D.

No, it was the future. You can retcon it to not be the future, but no one has yet. In any case, if memory served, they all wore silly future clothing anyways, so you'd want to retcon that out, too.

Besides, the whole be an astronaut so I can kill the aliens motivation is kind of silly, when it is so much easier to stay on earth and try to kill, oh, I dunno, the Aquarian or something. He just doesn't really work in the MU as-is. Which Giffen has pretty much gotten around by just avoiding the backstory almost completely.

[40yearoldnovafan]

Dreadstar definitely had some low points but by and large it was pretty good for a while. I might be the only one, but I even liked the depressing stretch from 31-40 when Starlin only wrote it and Dreadstar was faced with an evil bureacratic government; I just thought it was a really underrated stretch of comics -- grim but entertaining.

I did read the limited series, but I was pretty disappointed. I think on its own merits it might have been okay, but I had high expectations and the story we got was pretty weak. Hated the art, too.

I expected more out of that limited series also. I was hoping that it would reboot the series, but it had two problems: 1. Terrible art 2. The company that published it only existed for about 4 months, I think.

I hated when Syz died, that took some of the heart, friendship and excitement out of the series. Also, when Willow jumped into a computer -well, I didn't like that either.

And like you, I felt issues 31 - 40 were too depressing and was not the Dreadstar I grew to love.

I would love to see a limited series with the entire cast and great art.

Jimmy

[Cicero]

Thor vol. 2 #21-25 (along with the second story of Thor Annual 2000), are an excellent Thor/Thanos/Mangog story, also featuring Firelord, Recorder, and the usual Asgardians.

[hugh45]

How about:
JKK's Eternals
Thor #300
Avengers battles w/Thanos
Marvel 2in1 (Her,Thing,H.E. were searching for Adam Warlock)
Avengers story-line of fighting Micheal (The Enemy)

[Albert]

Has Starlin's Metamorphosis: Odyssey ever been reprinted from Epic Magazine? I have the original run, but no TPB. I don't know how "important" it is as it relates to contemporary continuity-- actually, it has nil value in that department-- but its a great story. I wish that Za could make a reappearance, he's a great character.

[Lord S]

I liked 'Cosmic Powers' 1-6 by Ron Marz. There wasn't much in the way of in-depth storytelling or anything...it was just Thanos, unsure of himself and his abilities, (after his fight with Odin), looking to refine his skills and generally kick some ass. It was a fun little story.

[Joe Acro]

No, it was the future. You can retcon it to not be the future, but no one has yet. In any case, if memory served, they all wore silly future clothing anyways, so you'd want to retcon that out, too.
When the story was published, the "future" events of Star-Lord took place in the eighties, which was the future at that time. It's no longer the future. I think it's safe to assume that either his adventures didn't actually happen as previously depicted, or at least to the utmost detail.