Thanos Quest

Jim Starlin and Ron Lim's 1990 two-parter in which Thanos wins all six Infinity Gems.

The Thanos Quest is a two-issue Marvel Comics limited series released in September and October 1990, written by Jim Starlin and drawn by Ron Lim. It follows the Titan Thanos, freshly resurrected by Death, as he tracks down the six Infinity Gems one by one, outwitting or overpowering the cosmic beings who hold them. The story picks up threads from the Silver Surfer title and serves as the direct lead-in to three linked limited series: The Infinity Gauntlet, The Infinity War and The Infinity Crusade. It is the origin point for the gem-hunting saga later echoed on screen.

Quick Facts

Format: Mini-series
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Date: September–October 1990
Issues: 2
Writers: Jim Starlin

Facts from the source article.

Background

Death brings Thanos back so he can wipe out half of all life. Gazing into her Infinity Well, he learns what the Infinity Gems really are: remnants of a godlike being that existed before the universe and ended itself out of loneliness. With Death's blessing he sets out. He frees the In-Betweener from Lord Chaos and Master Order, then seizes the Soul Gem. He tricks the Champion of the Universe into wrecking the planet Tamarata and trades him a ride for the Power Gem. He uses that gem to overcome the Gardener and take the Time Gem, ages the Runner into an infant to claim the Space Gem, and trades the baby to the Collector for the Reality Gem.

Did You Know?

Thanos drops the Champion into a planet's atmosphere, noting he never promised a soft landing.
The Collector had been watching Thanos since the Champion encounter.
A 2000 one-shot reprinted the series.