Issue(s): Silver Surfer #52
Cover Date: Aug 91
Title: "The hero in absence"
Credits:
Ron Marz - Writer
Ron Lim - Penciler
Tom Christopher - Inker
John Lewandowski - Assistant Editor
Craig Anderson - Editor

Review/plot:
In Infinity Gauntlet #2, we saw that Starfox was teleported away from Titan by Thanos. And Alars/Mentor had already been disappeared. So that leaves Firelord and Drax on Titan, and Drax is brain damaged in his current incarnation, and doesn't know if he can trust Firelord. So the suspicions begin immediately.

Before they get to fighting, they come across what i assume is one of Starfox's many love children on Titan.

The boy, Tycho, takes them to a computer room. They find satellite footage of Silver Surfer fighting that Thanos statue from Silver Surfer #50. But the footage is in black & white and without sound, so it appears that Surfer fought the real Thanos and defeated him. To Firelord, that rules out the possibility that Thanos is behind the disappearances. Firelord also uses the computer to confirm that the Surfer is now on Earth.

But at this moment, Drax finally remembers what it was he was supposed to tell Alars and Starfox when he got to Titan.

But he's still not able to communicate it very well to Firelord, and in his current mental state that reinforces the fact that Firelord is an enemy.

They fight until Tycho becomes endangered.

At that point Drax breaks down.

Drax in his current state is often played for laughs (including in this issue) but it's actually a tragic situation, as this scene ably demonstrates (it also reminds me of this Frank Miller cover).

Drax and Firelord then head to Earth, but their journey is shortened by a teleportation spell from Dr. Strange.

This whole issue would definitely be skippable if you just wanted to read the core Infinity Gauntlet story. But accepting the fact that the Silver Surfer book won't be doing anything important during the crossover, this isn't bad. It's nice to get some focus on Firelord and Drax. There are not particular insights for Firelord, but it's actually good character work for Drax. It's a nice choice to show things from his warped perspective, and the fact that he's aware on some level that he's mentally damaged adds a layer to him. I also think the misinterpretation of the satellite footage was a good twist. And Ron Lim drawing a fight between Drax and Firelord is of course welcome.

Quality Rating: B-

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: A footnote at the beginning of this issue tells us that Infinity Gauntlet #1 is required reading. But the scene of Starfox disappearing happens in Infinity Gauntlet #2, and the gathering of heroes at Dr. Strange's house doesn't happen until Infinity Gauntlet #3. There's never a perfect place to put books when they are happening concurrently, but i've placed this after Infinity Gauntlet #2, since the pivotal scene comes from an event there.

References:

• This book opens with a repeat of the scene of Silver Surfer crashing through Dr. Strange's window, from Infinity Gauntlet #1.
  
• Starfox is taken from Titan in Infinity Gauntlet #2.
  
• The footage of the Silver Surfer fighting the Thanos statue is from Silver Surfer #50.
  
• Drax was killed by a mindblast from Moondragon in Avengers #220, which explains his current brain damage. No footnote, but there is a flashback.
  
• Drax was revived by Kronos in Silver Surfer #35.
  
• But he failed to defeat Thanos in Silver Surfer #46-47.

Crossover: Infinity Gauntlet

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A

How much of a geek am I that I knew precisely the comic and issue number you linked to Re: Frank Miller Cover before hitting the link. :(

Wait, you mean Firelord got in a misunderstanding fight and it wasn't because he's a hot-headed idiot?

I refuse to believe this issue ever happened.