Issue(s): Marvel Comics Presents #108, Marvel Comics Presents #109, Marvel Comics Presents #110, Marvel Comics Presents #111 (Thanos story only)
Cover Date: 1992
Title: I, Thanos: "Into the abyss" / "Legion of the doomed" / "Death's dark domain" / "Betrayal"
Credits:
Jim Starlin - Writer
Larry Alexander / Shawn McManus - Penciler
Tim Tuohy / Shawn McManus - Inker
Mark Powers - Assistant Editor
Terry Kavanagh - Editor

Review/plot:
Apparently Infinity War plus Warlock and the Infinity Watch wasn't enough for Jim Starlin, so he also gets a four part story in Marvel Comics Presents to write a solo Thanos story that takes place in the middle of Infinity War.

Thanos is in the process of recalibrating his flying chair after the Infinity Watch has discovered the relay junction when he has an out of body experience, a "spiritual abduction".

He finds himself in Death's realm, fighting a Legion of the Doomed.

A little bit of history from Thanos as he fights the Legion.

Eventually Thanos defeats the Legion, and Death herself confronts him. Thanos says that he is ready to receive her vengeance, although it comes at a time when the whole universe is threatened. Thanos is shocked that Death actually speaks to him in response.

Death explains that, first of all, she could never have accepted Thanos while he was superior to her. But more importantly, the fact that she needed to be rescued from him by someone else, Adam Warlock, is especially angering.

So she tells Thanos to kill Warlock for her, and he will be forgiven and they can be together. Thanos is then sent back to the material world.

But Thanos still feels bitterness over Death's rejection of him...

...and he's not so sure that Death will keep her word.

He also wonders if he really met Death or if it was just a fantasy that he dreamed up himself. Ultimately, he decides not to do it.

Thanos not being sure that his experience in Death's realm was real may temper this a bit, but this seems like a turning point for him. I suppose it's in line with his decision at the end of Infinity Gauntlet to retire to a rural existence, but in this story he's offered an opportunity to redeem himself with Death, and he rejects it. That should affect his motivations going forward.

The art is a little clumsy, i think more in the first chapter than in the ones by by Shawn McManus (who has done a fair amount of DC and Vertigo work). But since this is really a character piece, that's not a big deal. I think this is actually a decent use of the Marvel Comics Presents format.

Quality Rating: C+

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: "This story takes place after the events that end in panel 6, page 26 of Infinity War #3." That is after the Infinity Watch find the relay junction but before the heroes show up. The MCP does list this as a real appearance of Death; maybe it's a good thing that Thanos couldn't check that in realtime.

References:

• While narrating the history of his relationship with Death, Thanos notes that he died trying to serve her (Marvel Two-In-One annual #2) and she eventually resurrected him to put him back in her service (Silver Surfer #34-35). No footnotes.
  
• Death then rejected him after he sought godhood with the Infinity Gems. Still no footnotes, so i'll just link to Infinity Gauntlet #1.

Crossover: Infinity War

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A