Thanos’ Infinity Stones have become a defining part of Marvel lore, thanks to universe-shaping stories like Jim Starlin’sThe Infinity Gauntlet(1991). Their legacy only grew stronger after being introduced to the MCU inAvengers: Infinity War(2018) andAvengers: Endgame(2019). Now, Starlin shares the surprising story behind how the Infinity Gauntlet was created.
…he realized the design made Thanos look too similar to Superman villain Brainiac.
Jim Starlin is a legendary comic writer, best known for killing off Jason“Robin”Todd in 1988’sBatman: A Death in the Familyand forwiping out half the Marvel Universe inThe Infinity Gauntletthrough Thanos, who was determined to impress Mistress Death.
In a recent interview with Popverse, Starlin discussed Robin, Death, and Thanos. During the interview, he also revealed how the Infinity Gauntlet came to be, includingits surprising inspiration and the"Plan B"that saved the concept.
The Secret Origin of the Infinity Gauntlet Revealed by Its Creator
Jim Starlin’s Religious Upbringing Helped Forge Marvel’s Most Powerful Weapon
In the interview, Starlin recounted how Gil Kane and Roy Thomas created the Soul Gem, whilehe created the other five stones: Space, Mind, Reality, Power, and Time.Although some fans debate whether Starlin truly created the Time, Mind, and Power Gems, he was the one who first began identifying them as having distinct properties in 1977’sAvengers Annual#7.
A decade later,Starlin gave each stone its individual name and introduced the Infinity Gauntlet in 1990’sSilver Surfer#44.As for the gauntlet itself, Starlin revealed that his religious upbringing as a child served as a key inspiration for Thanos’ cosmic weapon.
Starlin explained,“I went to a parochial school in grade school and had religion pounded into me on a regular basis. And so, I started questioning as to what a god who is not benevolence, but malevolence would be like. The Stones are basically my way of breaking reality down into six different working categories.”However,there was one problem during his early brainstorming.
Why Jim Starlin Ditched the Infinity Stone Crown for the Legendary Gauntlet
Blame Brainiac For Missing Out on the INFINITY CROWN
Starlin originallyintended to place the Soul Stoneson Thanos’ head like a crown. But after doing a few sketches, he realizedthe design made Thanos look too similar to Superman villain Brainiac.As a result, he went with his backup idea and put the stones on a gauntlet, which he felt“worked much better.”
It is fascinating to see how Starlin’s creative process evolved into what is now one of the most iconic pieces of Marvel lore. Although the Infinity Stone crown was scrapped, the core idea remained thanks to some creative reworking. Today,Thanosand his Infinity Gauntlet are recognizable to even the most casual superhero fans.
