Jim Starlin on Creating Thanos, Killing Robin and Split with Marvel (Behind The Panel) | SYFY WIRE

Legendary comic book writer and artist Jim Starlin has created some of the most memorable characters in the medium, like Thanos. He also killed Robin back in the 80s. Jim reflects on his career, Robin underwear and more.
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Jim Starlin on Creating Thanos, Killing Robin and Split with Marvel (Behind The Panel) | SYFY WIRE
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[@marcustmachado]

Jim Starlin changed comics forever. He is amazing. He is cosmic master.

[@phillipjames453]

When I was younger I enjoyed reading Jim Starlin's Captain Marvel! It was my favorite comic book!

[@PukusKLB]

Went back and read the Infinity Gauntlet a few years ago, I was so taken with the story that it sent me down into a rabbit hole of reading all of his work on Silver Surfer, Adam Warlock, Mar-vell and Thanos. It's all absolutely stellar stuff, he's a bloody genius

[@Tabish29]

@@phillipjames453 me too. I lived in a country where for some reason we had DC Comics not Marvel except for the odd one. When I got his Cap Marvel against controller and thanos I flipped my wig.

[@matthewquach2705]

He and Stan Lee have revolutionized the comic industry

[@99Michael]

The Warlock and Mar vell cosmic stories created by Starlin were great and it's a shame that comic books were unable to maintain such high standards of artwork and storytelling.

[@KTF0]

It's crazy the artists from the 70s that were also good writers. Starlin, Frank Miller, John Byrne, etc

[@kencoleman5007]

Kirby. Ditko.

[@starmorpheus]

Miller is uh.. not a good artist lol.

[@JR-ju3kj]

I always considered people who are good artists AND good writers to be a rare breed. Because oftentimes, artists aren't good writers and writers aren't good artists.

[@TYBO-xl1xz]

@@starmorpheus Eh, say what you want about his artwork, he made 3 careers out of it

[@MEDZFactor]

He came to the interview as Denny O’Neil.

[@toyhunter2903]

Lol ! I didn't notice the likeness until I read your comment.

[@josephbarbera9220]

When I was teenager back in the 70s I dreamed that one day Thanoes could make it to the movies and 40 years later was thrilled to see it finally happened even though the writers made some changes to the storyline.

[@joeparrigen4982]

Great interview. Jim Starlin seems like a humble guy.

[@MarkLipka]

Almost all comics creators are humble, kind, & very literate.

[@xelgun5408]

@@MarkLipka yes good times.... Good times 😓 sad that how different comic creators from then and now...... From this humble but really great talented guys to the SJW comic creators, big headed hot airs we have now 😒

[@theesweetscience2084]

The pages, story, and artwork that culminated in the image of Batman carrying Robin out of the rubble, lifeless in his arms, hunched over, darkened with sadness... Is Top 3 most iconic, legendary, impactful image of my entire lifetime of comics collecting. Hands down. Im now 47, and I put that Starlin moment in top 3 ever... I agree with him that Lee and Kirby are the best of all time. They created the bible of the characters they wrote. Starlin my friend you are just as important. Created an iconic moment.

[@manbearcarp]

I've been a Starlin fan since the 70's. Avengers annual #7 and Marvel Two-in-One annual #2 are criminally overlooked. I like how he recognizes that the movie and comic mediums are different animals and unlike other writers doesn't moan about changes to their works.

[@paulinthe6194]

Thank you for interviewing the legend Jim Starlin. Been a fan of his stuff for decades. Got a kick out of his perspective on the current movies showing his characters. At the end it was sad to hear that his relationship with Marvel was that of disrespect toward him. Shame on the Marvel execs for treating a legend that way.

[@markye1872]

Thank you Jim for a lifetime of joy and wonder.

[@channelzero1546]

Legendary artist and writer. Very hard to do both at the level Starlin does. personally I would love to see DREADSTAR on the big screen.

[@JohnHenrySheridan]

I never realized until just now that some of my favorite comics specifically Infinity Gauntlet crossover era stuff and Thanos Quest was thanks to Jim Starlin...but I instinctively sensed his name was meaningful to me...probably embedded in my memory from reading those excellent books back in the early 90's. Thanks for this great interview with Jim!!!

[@azaze88]

Starlins Warlock and Strange tales epic , In my opinion are some of the best wriiten and drawn and colored comics ever to be put out, just so amazing and engaging, I would recommend every one read them before there life is over

[@davindeptuck7905]

You mean 178-181 and 9-11? The Magus arc? Yeah I thought it was great especially how it tied in with other more recent comics I'd already read- like Abnett and Lanning's Guardians of the Galaxy run.

[@perv2006]

Are they available in an omnibus or trade paperback?

[@nick.19]

@@perv2006 Yes, Thanos Wars: Infinity Origin Omnibus.

[@IvanOrdell]

Strange Tales epic? Is that a Dr Strange run? Which issues?

[@bigneon_glitter]

Starlin's COSMIC ODYSSEY & GILGAMESH II series' are masterpieces.

[@parsman9914]

The father of Marvel cosmic stuff.

[@JR-ju3kj]

AND Jack Kirby,too.

[@SchizoMelody]

Not even a mention of Dreadstar?!?

[@franciscotbjr]

Frustrating!!! They also didn't mention other works like Gilgamesh II.

[@kenr.9177]

Jim gives credit where credit is due (Kirby and Ditko). IMO, Stan gets a bit too much of the focus.

[@jusiceigi48651]

Truth but I feel without Stan we may not be speaking all these greats names. When I first saw him (on vhs) he said he was an ambassador for comics. So I always saw him as a guide/salesman of comics and to get it hyped. He was the one pushing to get the illustrators and writers recognition. He just also happened to be stuck playing businessman and ambassador but often got blamed for Marvels choices that were made before he was even in a place of power in the company.

[@JR-ju3kj]

Stan ALWAYS get too much of the focus-when so many other people helped to make the comic book industry/(and the Marvel Universe)what it is today.

[@mrhypnagogia]

Infinity gauntlet is amazing

[@TobeyStarburst]

mrhypnagogia no shit

[@bluespaceman7937]

It is pretty cool in most ways, though it loses something without knowing where Thanos came from and where he went later on.

[@andimcgaw]

Jim Starlin's Mar-vell is better than current day Marvel

[@BlackLaval]

By far.

[@scottfree2248]

Andi McGaw Agree! You have cosmic awareness!

[@jimmyjam4ever]

@ Andi McGraw I agree!

[@coreylucas5346]

Andi McGaw Preach

[@Lidoe]

Taylor R Better than carol danvers

[@Tabish29]

Being a DC guy, it was the 70's Mar-vell by Starlin that really caught me. To this day my fav Marvel comics hero.

[@allluckyseven]

Talk about ending on a sad note.

[@jeffnettleton3858]

Starlin quit Marvel twice before (3 times, if you count taking Dreadstar to First Comics); he has a history of getting cross with editorial and leaving. By his own admission, he has a tempter and it certainly played into the past quittings. I wouldn't be surprised if it is more justified and accurate this time, as both DC and Marvel have been editorially weak since the corporate types have exerted more power and fewer editors have been mentored by seasoned ones. Both companies are a mess, editorially; because their mission isn't to sell comics. Their job is to maintain trademarks of intellectual property, for exploitation in bigger media (movies, tv, games and merchandise). Neither Disney nor Warner give a flying copulation about comic books.

[@capmar-vell92returns20]

@@jeffnettleton3858 DC got back on track with Rebirth (sort of) but Marvel is still a mess.

[@wintherr3527]

@@capmar-vell92returns20 and it's going to reboot AGAIN next year, so not that much 'on track'...

[@llongone2]

Religiously collected Silver Surfer back in the day. He and Ron Lim made crafted compelling stories and top-notch presentation of those stories.

[@thetreblerebel]

I love the Infinity war comic. All the characters. Dudes a legend

[@El_oh7199]

I loved his series, Dreadstar. It was like R-rated Star Wars with religious undertones

[@thanosoftitan7086]

EXCELLENT Interview!

[@alanladdseinekatze859]

The Infinity Gauntlet is a must read for anyone not having read it. An outstanding piece of visual and narrative art not to be missed.

[@WhostheMAC1]

Jim Starlin deserves to get paid for his creations, these movies made Millions and millions, it's totally wrong how Marvel treats their help. The real fans know the truth, without the likes of Kirby and Starlin, there wouldn't be any Marvel movies.

[@rickytoddbotelho9555]

Long live Jim Starlin. The master and the great inspiration of the both cosmoses.

[@cha5]

“I stuffed it with Robin” 🤣 A beautiful ROTFLMAO moment.

[@ceez9292]

Starlin said it best; "...if they start undermining your work, especially slating it so it comes before your job then it's time to move on."

[@ceez9292]

Penciler, Ron Lim's imagination did justice to Starlin's work. I didn't start reading ANY of Starlin's work until I saw Ron Lim's artwork.

[@maggoli67]

DREAAAAADDSSSSTAAAAARRRRR!!!

[@wheeljack0]

A legend.

[@dariusq8894]

Of all Starlin's amazing works, my favorite is a stupid little graphic novel called "The Incredible Hulk and the Thing: The Big Change." Basically an "Odd Couple" style buddy comedy.

[@jeffnettleton3858]

Kirby and Ditko were creating their own plots, with little input from Stan. Stan reshaped many of them in the dialogue stage. He was giving plots to other artists; but, Kirby and Ditko were doing more of their own thing, with Stan adding the dialogue, based on his own idea of the story.

[@kylehill6636]

Jeff Nettleton Sounds about right.

[@michaelconnor1542]

No, not true. Stan gives them a lot of credit. However, you should really look at some of the Jim Shooter interviews on the subject. As well as Todd McFarland. Those two really set the record straight.

[@samus88]

Eveyr now and then I kinda remember the final pages of The Death of Captain Marvel, where Thanos guides Mar-Vell unto the afterlife and it just pause for a bit and think how great that is. This guy was freaking amazing.

[@Tabish29]

The irony for me is that Jim Starlin's Captain Marvel was one of the very few Marvel books I read as a kid other than Ghost Rider because I'm A DC kid and Starlin kills off Cap. I really hoped he would be brought back.

[@Tabish29]

Surprised drax wasnt in avengers. Also starlins art on Shang chi was insane as well.

[@BruceWayne-ri4wr]

Jim starling was the first superstar artist in comics that were people bought the comics just because he drew them

[@gavindoiron4672]

I say that look to the camera when he mentioned Adam Warlock not being in the MCU.... I see you Jim.

[@redskinStu]

Loved Dreadstar, doesn't get better.

[@buggatewood1560]

I saw people mention both books in the comments, Dreadstar and Gilgamesh!! Dreadstar rocked!!!!!!

[@omenriver2399]

Infinity Gauntlet was FANTASTIC!

[@BDarOZ]

I have never realized that he actually is Dreadstar!

[@michaelconnor1542]

I would live to read an independent creation by Starling. He should contact some of the CG creators and see about getting on ComicsGate Live.

[@davidranderson1]

But when will get the Dreadstar movie!

[@jeffnettleton3858]

Plot method does pre-date Marvel, though Stan's heavy use of it ended up renaming it the Marvel Method. However, some people worked that way at DC and some people worked full script at Marvel. It wasn't a law written in stone.

[@hosoiarchives4858]

What is plot method

[@Chronic_Gainz]

I wonder where he's going to go to next. DC again? Maybe try new waters at a different company like Valiant or something else entirely?

[@mecahhannah]

The man's alleged such a huge fan

[@mark1eyeball]

The Death of Captain Marvel.

[@AdisNukicCaptainBosnia93]

jim is a legend.

[@LightYagami-wt1jw]

Wow what a legend

[@donnawright7933]

Infinity Guantlet #4....nuff said!

[@ggaanneesshhaa]

What about Batman: The Cult and Cosmic Odissey?

[@Joenah5]

I think Starlin's Batman run is underrated. The whole run was great, and I got my favorite DC character as a result of it (Tim Drake).

[@gohanson27]

Crazy that the film guys don't call the comic giys just for idead or pointers. Welp, the comics is 100x better anywasys but cool to see them on film .

[@ReaperXC]

Ending it on a high note...

[@Susrek]

Maybe could have asked a happier question at the end instead of leaving it like that. Otherwise it was good.

[@bigjake360t]

Thank God for...Wait a minute. Wong Jim.

[@maggoli67]

SSSSSTAAAARRRRDUUUUUUSSSSST!!!!

[@MrLacSeul]

Hey I saw, and experienced, Thanos before the MCU.

[@FrankZen]

Infinity War cover looks like Art Adams. Am I right?

[@SuedeStonn]

No, not at all. Totally different styles. Can't remember who did the inks on Infinity War (Al Milgrom?) but it just didn't do Ron Lim's pencils any justice. Tom Christopher was a long running inker for Lim and did great. *About ten years ago there was a discussion on CPG about who did the artwork on UXM #214, the cover with Dazzler and Storm... most people were saying it was Barry Windsor-Smith, I said it was Art Adams, though I did concede it could have been BWS. Turns out it was Art Adams pencils and BWS inking. Most artists have distinct styles and "tells", for BWS it was (at the time, and possibly still today) using cross-hatching; for Adams it would be the way he drew legs (the shape, skinny, the feet pointed down from the knee to the toe would be straight), spindly fingers, teeth-lines to the sides but none in the center of the mouth. (*I had a collection of 10,231 comics at one time, I've seen a lot of art, lol.)

[@theblacktide9474]

Open game silver surfer Ron Lim ya heard thnx Jim starlin

[@bbbabrock]

Something isn't coming together w this here. Starlin mentions visiting the set of t "Fourth Avengers movie" yet he was actually in Endgame for a cameo sitting next to one of t Russos. I think he had a line or two.

[@stevenlennon12]

I dont even like dudes but I love this dude lol

[@toyhunter2903]

I love him too ! Without him there would be no "Thanos", no "Infinity Gauntlet" and thus no "Avengers Infinity War" movie ;)

[@gregoryldismukes]

Jim should go to DC. They really need help in film.

[@jeffnettleton3858]

He worked at DC through the 80s. It was a bit of a mixed bag. Some really good stuff, some not so great.

[@capmar-vell92returns20]

His DC stuff is not as good as his Marvel stuff.

[@Cuddyscott84]

Would think sells would go up on a character after being killed off.

[@oh-totoro]

Creates Thanos. Kills off Robin. This guy is a hero!

[@capmar-vell92returns20]

Jason Todd came back as Red Hood.

[@michaelconnor1542]

"I am Darkwing Duck, and this is my trusted sidekick, Decoy."

[@joelgoodwin8805]

CapMar-Vell92 Returns yes. The story was still epic though - as is Red Hood. And Jason wouldn’t be who he is today without being “killed off” first b

[@daddyaf945]

Thanos is popular because Dr. Doom was unavailable.

[@willriley994]

Thanos is this generation's Vader

[@JR-ju3kj]

@@willriley994 Ironically,Darth Vader was influenced and inspired by Dr.Doom(and Thanos was influenced and inspired by Darkseid).

[@willriley994]

@@JR-ju3kj I know. It is kinda ironic. I always thought that Darkseid might have served as a physical inspiration for Vader

[@thepixalking6589]

Starlin was the boss.

[@macsnafu]

I love Starlin's artwork, but I'm not so impressed with his comic writing. It's often depressing, especially when he was writing Batman, and I don't just mean the Death of Robin, but overall. Occasionally he had some interesting ideas, or added some much needed drama to a title, like when he worked on the Legion of Super Heroes, so I'm not saying he was a *bad* writer, just that it didn't always appeal to me.

[@DJJunkfoodJay]

Marvel Editorial. I knew they were thee problem. The House Of Stealing Ideas.

[@caronte008]

They have been for a long time now.

[@RogerioPereiradaSilva77]

Marvel indeed has had a poor track record with regards to their treatment of their creators. If rumour on the street is to be believed, Starlin actually had to buy his own ticket from his own pocket to see his creation on the movie theater. They had to be pushed HARD to credit Jack Kirby on some of these MCU movies. It is easy to see why some creators prefer to distance themselves from them (and on that note from DC as well) once they've been established and go the creator-owned route.

[@liverusrock6789]

How on topic for you to say that, since he created Thanos by ripping off Darkseid

[@liverusrock6789]

D L. Nah, I don't mind Thanos enough to hate something, I just hate how there's some many people being like "Thanos can only be written right when done by Starlin" a guy who has been basically ingnored by the publisher since they let him do whatever he wants but most of what he does is not taken seriously in continuity by the rest (except maybe Al Ewing)

[@popeye697]

Live To Rock Thanos is literally a combination of Darkseid and Metron. That's why he's sitting most of the time.

[@Novaargh]

Such a shame that the company that runs the people that creates the books, can ruine the patch of great future stories and destroys the connection between people that used to make the product they are banking off now through all those other media outlets.. Such a shame.

[@HenriqueCarvalhoCosta]

Cosmic master! Come back to DC!

[@Clay3613]

DC is a sinking ship.

[@TobeyStarburst]

Clay3613 how so?

[@Clay3613]

Constant comic relaunches and unsatisfactory box office results.

[@thoomolong]

But Rebirth is said to be a success.

[@AngelXO96]

Clay3613 are you stupid lmao marvel comics is a sinking ship right now, their comics have been pure garbage and marvel has relaunched 2 times in 1 year and now they’re about to relaunch again with fresh start. Marvel comics are failing bad

[@TheFunkyFiend]

"It was the image at DC, whereas it was the story over at Marvel". Yep.

[@adversitycartoons4050]

This guy kinda reminds me of that bad guy from fargo season 1

[@anunexaminedlife1207]

The executives at Marvel comics ruining their own company and shooting themselves in the the foot?? How surprising!

[@michaelbelcher2766]

4 robin fanboys gave this video a thumbs down

[@FangsFirst]

I appreciate that Jim likes the movie versions of his characters and I'm glad he feels well-treated by the movie folks, but I think any comments on maintaining some semblance (even distant) to even the *spirit* of his characters in the movies is a complete joke. There's nothing left of his versions of Thanos, Drax, Gamora...just the post-Starlin versions, which are what most people identify anyway.

[@haggardcoop8003]

You should've ended the interview on a good note. Thanks for depressing us. and Starlin's spirits could have been lifted.

[@MrThankman360]

It's unbelievable that the movie people don't respect and involve the creators of these characters.

[@evanjazzista]

Yeah, that's beyond disrespectful, both towards them and towards us (comics fans).

[@JR-ju3kj]

It's not unbelievable.Creators have been screwed over by Marvel and DC for decades,so of course it would be the same with the movie people.

[@franciscotbjr]

Jim Starlin is great, but this interview is poor for only have mention the DC/Marvel slice of his career.

[@nomadxlive]

Umm thanos was always a big deal.

[@MinscFromBaldursGate92]

Thanos wasntt a relevant character until Infinity Gauntlet.

[@JR-ju3kj]

@@MinscFromBaldursGate92 Agreed.Prior to that,he was pretty much just a rip-off of Darkseid and Metron.

[@DoubleO88]

“Warlock is not in the MCU” I wonder if that’s what the NDA told him to say because he quite clearly is in the MCU as evidenced by the ending of guardians of the galaxy Vol 2

[@TobeyStarburst]

DoubleO88 that was just an Easter Egg.

[@thoomolong]

Tobey Starburst no it wasn't. The director has said Warlock will be in Guardians Of the galaxy 3

[@Check1Comedy]

Tim Terrell he never did tho

[@Check1Comedy]

Tim Terrell twitter.com/JamesGunn/status/994300791572709376?s=19

[@cha5]

Check1Comedy They even dropped his name ‘Adam’, I’d say an Adam Warlock appearance is definitely in the works.

[@dominic4414]

The interviewers shirt is so distracting lol

[@windso878]

MARVEL>

[@Butiguessilovememore]

Even Jim was fed up with marvel comics terrible run recently

[@davidwebster2849]

What is all this talk about Marvel focusing on selling comics?! You mean there was a time when Marvel actually tried to sell comic books? No way.

[@acheron426]

they sure did. They also made continuous runs that didn't require buying 10 different series with 20 variant covers each.

[@ytubeanon]

Nobody knew Thanos possibility until the Avengers movie? wtf is he talking about, everyone who read comics knew in the early 90's with the Infinity Gauntlet that this was the most epic storyline and villain in modern comics history. The reason they added him to the movie was based on the fandom that already knew his worth and potential, not the other way around.

[@TheVetoSkreeemer]

Comic book readers are a small minority of the people that go to watch movies. Before the Avengers movies Thanos was unknown to the general audience. I remember reading when the first Avengers movie was released that Thanos appeared on the post credit scene because Joss Whedon decided that. He liked the character since he read comics about him when he was a child.

[@Superstacco]

Wha, no Dreadstar? Booooo

[@inktheillsceneillustrator4387]

Terrible decision to change Thanos into a human looking American rather than insane space being. And to have his motive be some altruistic kill half universe to save it like some bill gates spaceman. He retires to a cabin to drink tea and watch sunset? That’s not why villains try to rule the universe.

[@fica1137]

Because he is not the villain in MCU, he is antagonist

[@TYBO-xl1xz]

So looking “American” versus Human was the problem 😮

[@inktheillsceneillustrator4387]

​@@TYBO-xl1xz Either. Like Josh Brolin. Missing the point. In the early movie end credits he looked like the comic book version crazy being. Much better.

[@TYBO-xl1xz]

@@inktheillsceneillustrator4387 Copy

[@BrettOG]

important artist...I never liked his style..TOOO busy 4 me. I understand his importance

[@donaldallen9804]

I love Jim but I will never forgive him for what he did to Jason Todd

[@stuart6478]

MARVEL IS TRASH NOW NO WONDER

[@KennethMoreland]

The guy who ripped off Darkseid.

[@jonathanw1019]

Everybody ripped off everybody, and they've long since acknowledged it. If you want to get technical, he was more based on Metron than Darkseid. So yeah. I bet you didn't know that Aquaman ripped off Namor. Or that Deadpool is in fact Deathstroke. WGAF

[@MinscFromBaldursGate92]

Their similarities are surface level at best.

[@robkenner5456]

Actually, he was trying to emulate Metron. Jim Shooter, who was editor at the time advised him beef up Thanos to emulate Darkseid

[@MinscFromBaldursGate92]

Roy Thomas not Jim Shooter.

[@comicbookguy6361]

Yeah! everybody ripped-off the work of the "King" Even the scumbag of Stan Lee.