Was Marvel's Thanos actually copied from a DC villain?
His own creator admitted the ripoff - but the real story has a twist.
The answer
When Jim Starlin created Thanos for Marvel in 1973, he was actually inspired by DC's Metron, a contemplative New Gods character created by Jack Kirby. Starlin's early sketches showed a lean, philosophical figure. But Marvel editor Roy Thomas looked at the designs and said, 'Beef him up! If you're going to steal one of the New Gods, at least rip off Darkseid, the really good one!' Starlin obliged, transforming Thanos into the hulking, purple-chinned tyrant fans know today. So while Thanos is frequently called a Darkseid clone, his original concept drew from a completely different Kirby creation. The editorial nudge made him iconic.
Source: Nerdist
- Thanos
- Darkseid
- Jim Starlin
- DC Comics
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