First appearance

Thanos's first appearance: Iron Man #55

Thanos first appeared in Iron Man #55, cover dated February 1973, published by Marvel and created by Jim Starlin, with Mike Friedrich.

Why it matters

Thanos and Drax the Destroyer both debut, created by Jim Starlin. The Avengers films made Thanos a household name and pushed this issue into the top tier of Bronze Age keys.

Related key issues

• Captain Marvel #25 to #33 (1973 to 1974), Starlin's early Thanos saga.

Before you buy or sell, check

• Reprints and facsimiles exist. An original has a 20-cent cover price.

Then look up what copies in similar condition actually sold for. Prices for keys like this move with grade and with news about the character, so a recent sale tells you far more than a printed guide. Our guides on the grading scale and spotting reprints help you compare like with like.

More first appearances

• Iron Man: Tales of Suspense #39 (March 1963)
• Black Panther: Fantastic Four #52 (July 1966)
• Doctor Doom: The Fantastic Four #5 (July 1962)
• Spider-Man: Amazing Fantasy #15 (August 1962)
• Wolverine: The Incredible Hulk #181 (November 1974)

Questions