To that end, Thanos has hatched many grand schemes aimed at slaughtering untold millions. As a result of his actions, Earth's heroes have stood against Thanos on numerous occasions. Always, they have managed to defeat him -- albeit narrowly, and often on the cusp of his victory. Despite his failures, Thanos has engineered countless deaths -- among them his own mother's, when he dropped a cache of nuclear devices on his homeworld that wiped out much of Titan's population

Through the years, Thanos has been captured, defeated decisively and even imprisoned in dimensions created soley to confine him. Nonetheless, his mad rampage continues. Thanos is single-mindedly driven to eradicate all life and bring about the end of reality, which he hopes will prompt Death to return his love.

Not limited to a single world or certain solar system, Thanos plans and executes machinations on a galaxy-wide scale. The object of his affections is extremely fickle, however and Death has always spurned Thanos' advances and offerings. She was so displeased with Thanos' misplaced feelings that she cursed the mad Titan with immortality, never allowing him to feel her embrace.

The ultimate nihilist, Thanos used to kill for love: now, he kills due to his feelings of betrayal by Death, the only being he has ever desired.

POWERS/WEAPONS

• Near-godlike strength, endurance, reflexes and agility
• Resistance to virtually all forms of injury
• Psionic blasts
• Cosmic-energy projection