The Infinity Gauntlet #2
The Infinity Gauntlet #2 is the pivotal pivot point of Jim Starlin's six-issue 1991 event, serving as the issue where the surviving heroes of Earth—still reeling from Thanos's universal decimation—begin to coalesce around a resurrected Adam Warlock as their only credible champion against a near-omnipotent Mad Titan. The issue dramatically expands the scope of the crisis beyond street-level carnage: Odin convenes the full Council of Godheads (representatives of every major mythological pantheon in the Marvel Universe) in Asgard to address the threat, while Thanos—growing frustrated with Mistress Death's continued indifference—unleashes a shockwave that reshapes Earth's coastlines and traps the assembled sky-fathers in Asgard. As the second chapter of what would become the direct creative blueprint for the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame, this issue showcases the series' defining ambition: an almost overwhelming roll call of every significant Marvel character, rendered by George Pérez at the peak of his career, bearing witness to consequences that no single hero could reverse.
In "From Bad to Worse," the aftermath of Thanos’s snap continues to unravel across the cosmos as the Kree and Skrull clash anew, and Odin summons the gods to confront the growing threat. With Earth’s heroes rallying under Adam Warlock’s leadership and Dr. Doom seeking answers in Strange’s sanctum, Thanos escalates his campaign—striking at Earth itself and testing even Death’s patience. George Pérez’s dynamic art, with inks by Josef Rubinstein and colors by Max Scheele, brings the cosmic scale and escalating tension to life, while the cover by Pérez captures the moment’s gravity.
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We Buy Collections ▸History
The series was written by Jim Starlin and pencilled by George Pérez, who was recruited to the project after editor Craig Anderson and Starlin learned that Pérez's DC contract was lapsing in 1990; regular Silver Surfer and Thanos Quest penciller Ron Lim was already fully booked. Pérez, unfamiliar with current Marvel continuity, worked from Starlin's full scripts rather than the Marvel method—a process Pérez described as 'a little aggravating, unnerving'—but he took creative license on page layout and famously asked Starlin to expand the cast so his Marvel return would make a statement. The book was originally planned for biweekly release but deadline pressures pushed it to a monthly schedule, and the direct-edition copies carried special Marvel 30th-anniversary artwork in place of the standard barcode. Issue #2 went on sale June 18, 1991, carrying an August 1991 cover date.
Trivia · 8 facts
- Written by Jim Starlin, pencilled by George Pérez, inked by Joe Rubinstein, colored by Christie Scheele, lettered by Jack Morelli; edited by Craig Anderson under editor-in-chief Tom DeFalco.
- On-sale date: June 18, 1991; cover date: August 1991. The issue title is 'From Bad to Worse!' and it is Part 2 of the six-issue limited series.
- First appearance of Epoch, the cosmic entity who contacts Quasar and serves as the conduit through which Adam Warlock announces himself to Earth's heroes.
- Adam Warlock — resurrected in issue #1 after spending years trapped in the Soul Gem — formally presents himself to Doctor Strange in this issue, opening his soul to Strange's scrutiny to prove his good faith as the designated leader of Earth's resistance.
- The Council of Godheads (the Sky-Fathers of every major mythological pantheon: Odin, Zeus, Osiris, Itzamna, Manitou, Nuada, Svarog, Tezcatlipoca, and others) assembles in Asgard to confront the crisis — one of the most expansive gatherings of pantheon figures in Marvel history to that point.
- Thanos, in a fit of rage at Mistress Death's continued rejection, unleashes a cosmic shockwave that physically reshapes Earth: the western coast of the United States collapses into the ocean, a massive tsunami strikes the east coast, and Japan ceases to exist — consequences depicted with greater specificity here than in issue #1.
- The Godheads are subsequently trapped in Asgard when Thanos's shockwave destroys the dimensional exit, sidelining an enormous divine fighting force for the remainder of the story.
- The series was published in both direct-edition (comic-shop) and newsstand formats with identical covers, but direct editions included special Marvel 30th-anniversary interior artwork in place of the barcode — a production distinction noted across multiple collector databases.
Cast · 40 characters
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Reprints
Reprinted in Un Récit Complet Marvel #33 (1992), Infinity Gauntlet #[nn] (1992), Marvel Comics Presenta: Zona M #2 (1993), Marvel Exklusiv #20 (1999), Marvel Exklusiv #20 (1999), Best of Marvel : Le gant de l'infini - Le défi de Thanos #[nn] (2005), Infinity Gauntlet #[nn] (2010), Infinity Gauntlet #[nn] (2011), Marvel Gold : le Gant de l'infini #[nn] (2012), Infinity Gauntlet Omnibus #[nn] (2014), Marvel. Официальная коллекция комиксов #68 (2016), Infinity Gauntlet: Deluxe Edition #[nn] (2018), The Infinity Gauntlet #[2] (2018), Infinity by Starlin & Hickman Omnibus #[nn] (2019), Die offizielle Marvel-Comic-Sammlung #150 (2019), Infinity Gauntlet #[nn] (2020)
Key issues in The Infinity Gauntlet
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