Although most frequently associated with Thanos the Mad Titan, the villain of Avengers: Infinity War, there are a number of Marvel characters who wore the Infinity Gauntlet. Since debuting in Jim Starlin and Ron Lim's six-issue event series Infinity Gauntlet, the six Infinity Stones and near omnipotent cosmic weapon has been wielded by a number of heroes and villains across the Marvel comics universe.
Undoubtedly, some characters are more suited for the cosmic powers of the Gauntlet, while some are completely surprising inheritors of such awesome might. So the next time a comic fanatic asks "Is Thanos the only one who wore the Infinity Gauntlet," reference some of the excellent stories below.
Jonathan Hickman and Esad Ribic's Secret Wars is remarkable for a number of reasons. In this 2015 comic. After finding Doctor Strange's secret island, T'Challa the Black Panther works with Namor the Sub-Mariner to assemble and wear the Infinity Gauntlet. Despite his "God Emperor" status, T'Challa confronts Doom with the Infinity Gauntlet in Secret Wars #9. After defeating Doom, Black Panther uses the Gauntlet to transport himself back in time to when he and Doctor Strange first discovered the incursions between parallel worlds.
When most Marvel fans think of Spider-Man's involvement with the Infinity Gauntlet, they think of Thanos destroying the fearless wall-crawler. Despite his heroism, Spider-Man is severely outgunned in original Infinity Gauntlet.
Still, in the all ages Avengers and the Infinity Gauntlet, it's actually Peter Parker who finds himself with the power of the Infinity Stones in his hand. Spider-Man, along with Wolverine and Ms. Marvel, take on Thanos in an epic battle. Thanos briefly loses the Infinity Gauntlet and Spider-Man slings a web to retrieve it and wishes Thanos never had it in the first place.
If there's one character in the Marvel Universe who doesn't need the extra power of the Infinity Gauntlet, it's the Ultimate Comics universe Hulk. Ultimate Hulk is a savage monster, every bit as brutal as Bruce Banner's worst nightmares.
In Ultimate Comics Ultimates #25, Hulk becomes even more dangerous wielding the Infinity Stones. That's right, in the Ultimate universe, there are eight Infinity Stones, meaning the wielder of cosmic might has to use two hands! No enemy of Hulk would like him, even if he was wearing what appear like two gemstone mittens.
If Thanos is the first name that comes to mind when thinking of the Infinity Gauntlet, Adam Warlock should be a close second. Thanos and Warlock are inseparable reflections of dark and light in Jim Starlin's Marvel comics cosmic opera.
Warlock, of course, is the one who prevents Thanos from regaining power to end the universe in the pages of Infinity Gauntlet. Warlock displays just enough control to get the Infinity Gauntlet safely out of the fracas. Adam then entrusts one Gem to each member of his Infinity Watch, including Guardians favorites Gamora and Drax the Destroyer (not to mention, Pip the Troll).
It wouldn't have been a proper Infinity Warwithout the return of the Gauntlet. In the second part to Jim Starlin and Ron Lim's early '90s Infinity trilogy, that's exactly what readers got with the Magus donning the Infinity Gauntlet.
For the uninitiated, the Magus is Adam Warlock's "evil" half, the embodiment of all the negative and impure aspects of the one called Him. Magus is every bit as capable of wielding the Gauntlet as Warlock, except he possesses only nefarious intentions.
The best boy in Marvel Comics might also be the least likely wielder of the Infinity Gauntlet. Nonetheless, in Lockjaw and the Pet Avengers, the Inhumans's resident transporting mutt discovers the Mind Stone on the dark side of the Moon.
Reading Reed Richards's mind to discover the location of the remaining Stones (what else is a pup going to do with a Mind Stone?), Lockjaw assembles his pet Avengers to gather the remaining Stones. Naturally, Lockjaw and company save the day. Would you expect anything less from the Marvel Universe's best boy?
