Marvel Immersion Project: Captain Marvel #30-34, Iron Man #55

Jim Starlin was the primary creative force behind The Life and Death of Captain Marvel, serving as both lead writer and lead artist for a time.  In fact, this might be his most famous work.  He was born October 9, 1949 in Detroit, Michigan.  He was the co-creator of Thanos, Drax the Destroyer, Gamora and Shang-Chi.  He has done extensive work for both Marvel and DC and won numerous awards.  He makes a cameo in Avengers: Endgame as a member of Steve Rogers's support group.

via Wikipedia

Starlin is a Steve Ditko fan and the Doctor Strange influence on this arc is particularly obvious.  

My Recent Reads

Captain Marvel #30

Originally Published January 1, 1974

Writer/Artist: Jim Starlin

• The Controller is back.  
• The newly reinvented Captain Marvel wins the rematch.  
• Disappointed, Thanos destroys the Controller.

Captain Marvel #31

March 1, 1974

Jim Starlin

Moondragon via Marvel Database

• Captain Marvel, accompanied by Moondragon, goes to Avengers' Mansion to enlist their help in the fight against Thanos.

Mantis via Wikipedia

Swordsman via Marvel Database

• Among those present are Mantis and Swordsman.
• Thanos reveals that his dreams of universal conquest are driven by his love for the character Death, who, I realized for the first time in this story, is female. [Thanks to my buddy Mock for the heads-up on that one.]
• Thanos plucks Mar-Vell, Iron Man, Drax and Moondragon right out of the mansion and brings them directly to Titan, to be held in stasis along with Mentor and Eros.
• They get our of stasis and battle Thanos.
• Not only does Thanos win.  He transforms himself into a god.

Captain Marvel #32

May 1, 1974

Jim Starlin

• The battle against Thanos and his minions continues.
• We get origin stories for both Drax and Moondragon.

Captain Marvel #33

July 1, 1974

Writers: Starlin and Steve Englehart

Artist: Starlin

• At long last, the Thanos War comes to an end. 
• First, Mar-Vell is defeated, though he rallies back to victory after he is reminded of his new Cosmic Awareness.

Captain Marvel #34

September 1, 1974

Starlin and Englehart/Starlin

via Wikipedia

• On the orders of The Lunatic Legion, Nitro steals a top-secret, government nerve agent, Compound 13.
• Mar-Vell defeats Nitro but at great cost.  The gas canister is ruptured and Mar-Vell breathes in some of the fumes, a fact which will have dire, long-term consequences.

Iron Man #55

February 1, 1973

Starlin and Mike Friedrich/Starlin

• Jumping back, at this point effectively a prequel to the Captain Marvel run I've been reading.
• Thanos, Drax and the Blood Brothers are all introduced in this issue.