Thanos: Iron Man #55 and the Original Starlin Cosmic Saga

Thanos — the Mad Titan — belongs to neither the Golden Age nor the Silver Age. He is a Bronze Age creation, born in February 1973: writer-artist Jim Starlin conceived and drew him for the first time in The Invincible Iron Man #55, a story co-scripted with Mike Friedrich. That same issue also marks the first appearance of Drax the Destroyer. Starlin drew inspiration from Freud's concept of the death drive (Thanatos) and from Jack Kirby's Darkseid at DC; the character he produced would go on to anchor one of Marvel's most ambitious cosmic sagas across two decades. Collectors looking for a Silver Age Thanos key will not find one — it does not exist.

This guide cites only verifiable figures: eBay medians from our estimator (eBay.fr + eBay.com, June 2026) and records documented by specialist press (Bleeding Cool, VaultedCollection, Fandom). The eBay median for Iron Man #55 is a blended figure across all printings and all grades — reprints and low-grade copies pull this number down; high-grade CGC-certified copies trade at a very different level, documented below.

Thanos key issue overview (eBay data and records, June 2026)

The table below covers the main keys from the Starlin era. Captain Marvel #25–33 and The Infinity Gauntlet are not in our estimator, so no eBay median is cited for those titles.

Iron Man #55 (1973): the Bronze Age grail

Published in February 1973, Iron Man #55 is the starting point of any Thanos-focused collection. The cover — signed by Jim Starlin — depicts a Thanos who is still relatively slender, far from the purple colossus of the MCU. The story, co-written by Starlin and Mike Friedrich, simultaneously introduces two characters who would become pillars of Marvel's cosmic universe: Thanos and Drax the Destroyer. Starlin's authorship gives this issue a special status: he is the architect who would conceive, draw, and write the bulk of the Thanos mythology over the following years.

Our eBay estimator returns a median of €9 across 73 listings — a solid volume reflecting an active market. That figure aggregates all printings and grades: ungraded and low-condition copies make up the overwhelming majority of listings and pull the median down sharply. In high grade, the picture is entirely different: a CGC 9.8 copy sold for $9,421 at ComicConnect in 2022; an earlier CGC 9.8 with a double cover — a sought-after printing variant — reached $13,025 on Comiclink in 2013. These figures illustrate the vast spread between entry-level and high-grade copies for this Bronze Age key.

The Thanos War in Captain Marvel #25–33 (1973–1974)

From Captain Marvel #25 (March 1973) onward, Jim Starlin took artistic control of the series and launched the sweeping cosmic storyline now known as the Thanos War. The arc runs through issues #25 to #33, with crossovers into Marvel Feature #12, Daredevil #107, and Avengers #125. Starlin co-wrote the early issues with Mike Friedrich before taking over as sole scripter from #29. Captain Marvel #28 (September 1973) is the narrative centerpiece: the cosmic entity Eon reveals that Mar-Vell must be transformed to stand any chance of defeating Thanos, setting up the climax of the saga.

These issues are not in our estimator. Their values depend heavily on condition: broadly accessible in lower grade, they become scarce in high-grade CGC. For a collector aiming to complete the full saga, Captain Marvel #25 (Starlin's debut issue) and #28 (the narrative key) are the two priority acquisitions.

Avengers #125 and Silver Surfer #34: solid secondary keys

Avengers #125 (July 1974) brings the Thanos War to a close within Marvel's flagship team book. Our estimator returns a median of €9 across 54 listings — a reliable entry-level signal, with the same caveat about grade and printing spread. Silver Surfer #34 (1990) marks Thanos's return after a long editorial absence and represents the first key of his modern era. Its eBay median is €19 across 55 listings — slightly higher, reflecting sustained demand from collectors who target the run leading into The Infinity Gauntlet.

The Infinity Gauntlet #1–6 (1991) and the modern era

In 1991, Jim Starlin returned to Thanos for The Infinity Gauntlet, a six-issue series drawn by George Perez (#1–3) and Ron Lim (#4–6). The premise — Thanos assembles the six Infinity Gems to conquer death itself — became the direct source material for the MCU's Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and Avengers: Endgame (2019, Josh Brolin), the latter grossing $2.799 billion worldwide. That cultural impact amplified collector demand for all Thanos keys considerably.

The Infinity Gauntlet is not covered by our estimator. CGC 9.8 copies of issue #1 trade above ungraded copies by a substantial margin, but no public auction record was found in our sources at the time of writing. It remains, however, an essential title for any collector of the Starlin cosmic era.