Before making his MCU debut, Thanos had a long history of embarking on cosmic quests to rule, change or destroy the Marvel Universe. While the movies offer an arm's-length view of the depths of Thanos' madness and dedication to death, the comics have occasionally taken a closer, more human look at the cost of his obsession. Perhaps no comic presents a more shocking picture of Thanos' twisted vision than Silver Surfer #55, which was part of 1991's Infinity Gauntlet crossover event.

The Infinity Gauntlet was a six-issue miniseries written by Jim Starlin, with art by George Perez and Ron Lim. Thanos collects all the Infinity Gems, making him the most powerful being in the universe. He uses the gems to destroy half of all living beings in an attempt to impress the embodiment of Death.

Besides the eponymous mini-series, The Infinity Gauntlet saga included tie-ins with several other Marvel series, including Silver Surfer. That's where Thanos' madness crossed new and shocking boundaries.

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At the start of Silver Surfer #55, many of Marvel's strongest heroes are staging a full-frontal assault against Thanos as Silver Surfer and Adam Warlock wait in the wings for an opportunity to snag the Infinity Gauntlet. It's a strategy Silver Surfer doesn't like; it makes little sense to leave two of their heaviest hitters on the sidelines. However, Warlock assures him they are just waiting for the right time to swoop in.

When they finally make their move, the two heroes learn Warlock's strategy has failed terribly. Thanos holds the Hulk by the throat and the other heroes have been brutally killed. Thor's lifeless eyes stare into space. Spider-Man hangs limply from a pike. Cloak's cloak lays on the ground, empty. Even Galactus is dead, drifting in space.

Most gruesomely, Doctor Strange hangs by the neck from his own cape and Cyclops' head rests on the ground, separate from his body. These images aren't rendered in the over-the-top style so frequently associated with comics in the '90s. The drawings are clean, close-up "Marvel style." That's what makes them so shocking.

Thanos then proceeds to turn Warlock into stone, then dust, before depowering Silver Surfer. His intention here is to force Silver Surfer to chronicle Thanos' rise to godhood. When Mephisto disagrees with the wisdom of allowing even a depowered Silver Surfer to live, Thanos turns on him and easily chokes the Lord of Hell to death.

Related: Beyond Infinity: Marvel's OTHER Gauntlets, Explained

Despite these displays of power, the most shocking revelation in this issue comes after Thanos creates a planet and populates it with a billion people. Such an impulse for creating life from someone so dedicated to ending it perplexes Silver Surfer. That is, until Thanos shows the Surfer the purpose of those souls: They are born to die.

The new planet's populace is shown entering a Temple of Death, where they are killed by Thanos' minions as an endless offering to Mistress Death. The Surfer decries such needless suffering and calls it an "obscenity," then collapses in anguish at the sight of such senseless suffering.

In the MCU, Thanos' "snap" eliminates half the population in his twisted attempt at rebalancing the universe. Though horrific, his actions are dispassionate. In Silver Surfer #55, however, Thanos' motivations are revealed to be truly malicious. It's a story that couldn't be told within the films' context and is surprising to find in the pages of a mainstream Marvel comic of the '90s.

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