After the showdown of “Infinity War,” it was kind of surprising to hear that Thanos, arguably the most hated villain in both the Marvel comics and movies, was getting his own book. What was even more surprising was how good the book turned out to be. I could not get enough of this book and ended up finishing it in just one sitting. Writing superstar, Barry Lyga, penned a compelling origin story, starting at the mad titan’s birth and following him to his learning of the infinity stones. It’s a fantastic tale that evokes empathy and compassion for Thanos’ upbringing that I did not think possible.

By highlighting the struggles Thanos faced through his perspective and depicting the rumors surrounding him through the lens of his origins, Lyga emphasizes Thanos’ humanity and outlines the reasoning behind his actions. By telling the story of the friendships he forged on Titan and the hardships he faced being different and an outcast, Lyga creates a character that can be related to and sympathized with. It is not the best comic novelization I have ever read, but it is pretty high up there with staples like “Forever Red” by Margaret Stohl.

There are so many questions I still have about this book so I really hope we get another sequel, or better yet a whole slew of backstories (I personally would love to see Gamora’s upbringing as daughter of Thanos) in the vivid imagery of Lyga’s words.

While this book has no canonical ties to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, “Thanos: Titan Consumed” is a must read for comic book lovers and movie watchers alike.

Caption: The cover of the book depicts Thanos as a phoenix metaphor personified as he rises above the struggles and adversity he faced in childhood to become the strong villain comic book lovers and movie watchers love to hate.