Warlock by Jim Starlin

Early to mid 70s Marvel was a strange place. The relative free reign given by editor-in-chief Roy Thomas meant that creators like Steve “Howard The Duck” Gerber and Jim Starlin could indulge in trippy flights of fancy that expanded the Marvel universe onto a surreal cosmic level. They ran with it while they could and created some of the most memorable comics ever published.

Starlin was one of the best, an all-rounder who wrote and drew his creations, and his run on Captain Marvel is legendary. But his strangest cosmic work is this collection, where he takes the character of Adam Warlock (created by Roy Thomas and Gil Kane) and fashions a tortured, messianic figure, full of self doubt and righteous anger.

These collected comics (Strange Tales, Warlock's own comic, an Avengers annual and a Spider-Man/Thing team-up) tell the Starlin's complete Warlock saga, where he fights not only a future , evil version of himself, but also the mad Titan Thanos. Yes, Thanos. Starlin originated the character, along with that of Gamora, who also appears here, and the concept of the Infinity Stones. Much of the Marvel Cinematic Universe draws on these 1970s comics for plot and storylines. Such is the richness of these tales.

Warlock is perpetually beset by disaster and his tortured soul wanders the stars while lamenting his lot. It's not your average superhero fare! The writing and artwork are superb and the book is rounded out with scans of a “lost” issue of Warlock (left in the backseat of a New York cab!) and a brief biography of Starlin.

This really is one of the best. Excelsior!