When Titans Collide : Every Appearance of Thanos : Part 5

Captain Marvel v1 #28 “When Titans Collide”, Written by Jim Starlin and Mike Frerich was Published in September 1973.

Table of Contents

Captain Marvel v1 #28 : When Titans Collide

The opening scenes of “When Titans Collide” continues on from episode #27 within the Avengers Mansion.

When Titans Collide : Captain Marvel v1 #28

Rick Jones, having helped defeat Thanos’ army on Titan has returned to Earth to discover his lover Lou-Ann lying like a zombie.

Hearing the conversation between Rick Jones and his alter ego Mar-Vell, Iron Man recognises the name Thanos from his encounter with him in Iron Man #55.

Rick Jones explains that Thanos is obsessed with conquering the Universe, “and the thing is – He can do it”.

The Avengers Learn About The Threat of Thanos

While the Avengers discuss Thanos, Marvell witnesses a monstrous apparition appear with him in the Negative Zone. The vision calls itself Eon. Eon ponders if it is time for it to act. It concludes that it will reappear when tensions have risen further.

Eon then disappears “like a twisted nightmare”.

Meanwhile, a shadowed figure enters the Avengers Mansion undetected by their security monitors.

Captain Marvel returns from the negative zone to address the Avengers. He explains that Thanos is the “Greatest Menace this Galaxy has Ever Known”.

Mar-Vell describes how Thanos destroyed Titan and has come to Earth to gain the Cosmic Cube – A weapon so powerful that he could use it to destroy the Earth.

Avengers Meet The Controller

Black Panther goes to retrieve the recording that Iron Man made during his previous encounter with Thaos from another room.

However, on his way to locate the recording, he is attacked by the intruder and knocked unconscious.

Meanwhile, Iron Man and Mar-Vell discuss the disc Thanos placed in the skull of Lou-Ann to control her.

The disc cannot be removed without killing her but Tony Stark has found a way to slow down the effects of it on her.

Vision notices that T’Challa was taking a long time to find the Thanos tape. He decides to investigate.

Vision, too, is knocked unconscious by the shadowed intruder who hurls a large computer component at him.

The Avengers hear the noise and run to apprehend the intruder. Scarlet Witch suffers a blow from the stranger and Captain America’s shield bounces off his chest without causing injury.

Iron Man goes to confront the intruder while Mar-Vel waits with Lou-Ann to protect her. Captain Marvel hears the noise of the battle grow silent.

A figure approaches Mar-Vell who he mistakes for Thanos. But the figure reveals that he is in-fact an ally of Thanos. He is the one responsible for the slave discs. He calls himself – The Controller!

Thanos Vs Drax the Destroyer

Deep inside a cavern beneath Isle Dernieres in Louisiana, we rejoin Thanos in his hunt for the Cosmic Cube. In the previous issue, Thanos was confronted by Drax the Destroyer as he was about to gain possession of the Cube.

In response to to Drax threatening to deny Thanos access to the Cosmic Cube, Thanos introduces the cloaked figure who has been travelling with him. “The one you’ve cheated too often… Death!”

Drax explains that the sole reason for his life is the destruction of Thanos.

Thanos responds with declaring that Drax must now face “Death by Time-Mind Sync-Warp!”

The two competitors become trapped in the World of Sync-Warp.

In this realm, Drax is attacked in a variety of stages. First, he is “Assaulted by Fists of Shattered Illusions and Broken Promises”

Thanos uses the Death by Time-Mind Sync-Warp on Drax The Destroyer

Then he is “Menaced by Sinister Ghosts from Past Deeds and the Grim Threatening Spectres of Future Evils”

The intention of Thanos is to drive Drax mad by allowing his mind to run amok.

Through various illusions, Thanos claims that Drax will be locked within his prison of madness “cursed to a life of lunacy.. a seemingly endless nightmare…”

Drax The Destroyer attacked by Illusions

But the Mind of Drax the Destroyer is stronger than Thanos believed. Drax was able to break free of the sync-Warp.

While Drax lay unconscious, Thanos now believes that he has nothing left to fear in the Universe.

And since Drax has been disposed of, he is able to claim The Cosmic Cube!

Captain Marvel and the Controller

Back in Avengers HQ, Captian Marvel wrestles with the Controller. The Controller reveals that he is empowered by the mental energy of those who he controls with the Slave Discs.

Mar-Vell confirms that it would take someone with the strength of Thor to match the Controllers power.

the Controller then attempts to insert the Slave Disc into the skull of Mar-Vell making him the first of his Super Slaves.

But what the Controller did not calculate is that Mar-Vell and Rick Jones are two minds combined. The Slave Discs are therefore not powerful enough to control the strength of their minds combined.

Captain Marvel breaks free of the Slave Disc and knocks him back with a blow to the head.

In his rage, The Controller breaks a large part of the building into his arms and hurls it at Captain Marvel. The building collapses over Mar-Vell who is buried in the collapsed rubble.

The Controller leaves the scene with Lou-Ann in his arms.

Below the collapsed building, Mar-Vell has left the body of Rick Jones who is desperately trying to call Captain Marvel back to help him escape.

But Captain Marvel is engaged in a realm outside of space. Mar-Vel once again meets the creature he caught a fleeting glimpse of in the negative realm.

The creature declares that he is fully aware of the threat of Thanos and that is why it has arrived.

The creature claims that “To combat a universal poison, A universal antidote must be prepared.” The antidote, it suggests is Captain Marvel. But before he can become effective, Mar-Vell the soldier must die!

This article was part of the complete Thanos Chronological Appearances in Marvel Comics.

There is a long way to go before we cover every Thanos story, and we welcome you to join us to uncover the history of the Mad Titan.

Geek Hut are working on producing the full chronological order of every Thanos appearance in Marvel Comics. If you would like to watch the full video playlist follow the link below.

Chronological Order of Every Thanos Appearance in Marvel Comics

You can also read more about Thanos on our page dedicated to the Mad Titan.

Everything you need to know about Thanos.