Thanos - Iron Man #55Sometimes the idea of something is better than the reality.  You can make a plan and everything can go as you expect, yet your original vision is unattainable for some undetermined reason.  Much like these reality shows that have people make a cake or wrap a gift, the end result is usually a nice try but far from perfect.  Did I just describe Thanos and his planned story arc?

The first full cycle of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) came to its culmination with a showdown against Thanos...and then Thanos again, but a version from the past.  Confusing, cop-out, blah blah blah.  I remember when we first got a teaser of Thanos following the Avengers credits.  It gave most of us a sense that something amazing was going to come to fruition if we put our faith in Marvel.  I enjoyed Thanos and his role in challenging the Avengers, but did we necessarily need to hype up a character over a span of several years to make him worth it?  Was there a need to defeat Thanos twice?  It is like another wrestler coming in from the back and using the steel chair to muck up a match.  There is always another threat, and most speculators hoped for something bigger than Thanos.

Thanos made his first appearance in Iron Man #55, in 1973.  This is one of the more popular, and more expensive, issues in the Iron Man titles, not only because of Thanos but also because its the first appearance of Drax the Destroyer.  Due to the success of the Marvel movies, these characters have become highly desirable for collectors and prices have soared on the market.  This comic has been listed as high as $9,000 for a 9.8 graded copy within the past year, but there has been an abundance of copies available to buyers.  Perhaps this flooding of the market is causing copies to sit as Thanos fans and speculators have probably attained their copies before the prices peaked.

Although there are 77 (9.8 graded copies) on the census, and this may sound like a boon for buyers, the fact remains that these 77 represent 2.3% of the total graded copies.  However, as of drafting this blog, there are a total of 6 9.8 grade with white pages listed for sale between $6,800-$8,600.  I am a believer in the speculation value of Thanos, but when nobody wants to invest in your first appearance book it is most likely because you are either overvalued or under-performing.  The last 9.8 to sell at an auction went for only $5,000 in November.  Where does the actual price of this comic fall?  Who knows, but I am betting it is closer to the $5,000 sell than the $6,800 ask.

The popularity of Thanos as a villain will always remain, but as the MCU marches on where will his place in history be?  Will he be the greatest threat the Avengers ever faced?  Will his actions with the infinity stones have lasting ramifications or will any problem just be time-heisted again?  It will be interesting to see if Thanos becomes a legend or just another rouge in the gallery.

Do you feel we received the best version of Thanos?  Is there another supervillain you hope to see in the MCU moving forward?  Drop your comments and join the speculation!

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