Infinity Watch
The Infinity Watch is a fictional superhero team in Marvel Comics, formed to safeguard the six Infinity Stones—artifacts that collectively grant near-omnipotent control over reality, space, time, mind, soul, and power—from falling into the hands of cosmic threats like Thanos.[1] The team was first assembled in 1992 by Adam Warlock following the events of The Infinity Gauntlet (1991), where he distributed the Stones among trusted guardians to prevent their consolidation, acting on a decree from the Living Tribunal to protect the universe.[1] This original lineup included Warlock (Soul Stone), Drax the Destroyer (Power Stone), Moondragon (Mind Stone), Gamora (Time Stone), Pip the Troll (Space Stone), and briefly Thanos (Reality Stone), operating from a base on Monster Island and clashing with entities like the Magus and the Goddess in stories such as Infinity War (1992) and Infinity Crusade (1993).[2][1] Over the years, the Infinity Watch has reformed multiple times in response to evolving threats and the Stones' tendency to seek new hosts, reflecting their semi-autonomous nature after being imbued with souls during Infinity Wars (2018).[1] Notable iterations include Doctor Strange's 2018 team, featuring himself (Time Stone), Captain Marvel (Reality Stone), Adam Warlock (Soul Stone), a Black Widow clone (Space Stone), and others, which confronted the villain Requiem (a deranged Gamora) amid reality-altering crises.[1] Loki later led a short-lived version with members like Emma Frost (Power Stone), Hulk (Space Stone), and Ms. Marvel (Mind Stone) to restore balance after Requiem's rampage.[1] By the 2020s, a newer incarnation emerged with bearers such as Overtime (Time Stone), Quantum (Space Stone), Star/Ripley Ryan (Reality Stone), Apex/Prince Otherone (Power Stone), Colleen Wing (Mind Stone), and Multitude/Ward (Soul Stone), facing challenges including Thanos' creation of a seventh Death Stone.[1] In the most recent developments, detailed in Avengers Annual (2024) #1 and the Infinity Watch series (2024–2025), the team has expanded to include SHIELD agent Phil Coulson as the Death Stone bearer, granting him abilities like inducing pain or appearing at moments of death.[1][3] This incarnation—comprising Star (Reality Stone, enabling short-range reality manipulation), Quantum (Space Stone, for teleportation), Colleen Wing (Mind Stone, with telepathic and psychic blade powers), Multitude (Soul Stone, summoning energy constructs), Overtime (Time Stone, for time travel), Apex (Power Stone, enhancing physical abilities), and Coulson (Death Stone)—was officially united to defend against Thanos and other villains, marking a fresh era of Stone guardianship amid the Marvel Universe's cosmic perils.[3] The team's mission remains central to narratives involving the Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, and broader multiversal threats, underscoring the Infinity Stones' enduring role in Marvel lore.[1]Fictional team history
Adam Warlock's original team
Following the cataclysmic events of The Infinity Gauntlet in 1991, where Thanos wielded the assembled Infinity Gems to nearly eradicate half of all life in the universe, Adam Warlock emerged victorious and reassembled the gems. The Living Tribunal, the cosmic judge of the Marvel Universe, decreed that the gems must be separated and entrusted to worthy guardians to prevent any single being from possessing their combined power again. Warlock, recognizing the peril, formed the Infinity Watch in 1992 as a dedicated team to safeguard the artifacts, with each member bearing one gem. This assembly was detailed in the debut issue of Warlock and the Infinity Watch #1. The original lineup consisted of carefully selected individuals with ties to Warlock's past and unique abilities suited to protecting their assigned gem: Warlock himself held the Soul Gem, attuned to his own history with the entity; Drax the Destroyer guarded the Power Gem, which he internalized by swallowing it to harness its raw energy; Gamora, the deadliest woman in the galaxy, protected the Time Gem; Moondragon wielded the Mind Gem, leveraging her telepathic prowess; and Pip the Troll, Warlock's loyal companion, was given the Space Gem for its teleportation capabilities. The Reality Gem was secretly entrusted to Thanos himself as a test of redemption, making him a temporary and uneasy ally. Later, after Moondragon suffered a severe injury during a conflict, the Mind Gem was transferred to Maxam, a mysterious amnesiac warrior who joined the team and proved both powerful and unpredictable.[2][4] The team's early operations were marked by an immediate crisis when the villainous Man-Beast, a genetically engineered abomination from the High Evolutionary's experiments, abducted the members to Monster Island in an attempt to seize the gems. Warlock and Thanos led the counterattack, defeating Man-Beast in a fierce battle that showcased the gems' individual powers without unification. In the aftermath, the Infinity Watch negotiated a pact with Mole Man, the subterranean ruler of the island, securing it as their fortified base in exchange for protection against external threats. This alliance allowed the team to establish a semblance of normalcy amid cosmic perils, though internal dynamics remained tense—Drax and Moondragon grappled with their history of betrayal, while Gamora's romantic history with Warlock added friction, and Thanos' duplicitous nature sowed distrust. The group operated from Monster Island for several years, confronting threats like the Magus (Warlock's evil future self) and the Goddess during crossovers such as Infinity War (1992) and Infinity Crusade (1993). Thanos contributed to victories against these foes but ultimately departed after his schemes were exposed, leaving the Reality Gem's guardianship unresolved.[5] The Infinity Watch disbanded in 1995 when the extradimensional vampire Rune exploited a moment of vulnerability to steal all six gems in Warlock and the Infinity Watch #42, scattering them across realities and rendering the team's purpose obsolete. The gems were eventually recovered and returned to the Marvel Universe, but the original Watch never fully reformed. Brief reunions occurred later, such as in She-Hulk vol. 2 #1-7 (2004-2005), where surviving members like Warlock and Pip aided Jennifer Walters against cosmic entities tied to the gems' lingering influence.[6]Doctor Strange's assembly
In 2018, during the events of Infinity Countdown, Doctor Strange assembled a new iteration of the Infinity Watch to protect the scattered Infinity Stones from cosmic threats, particularly Thanos, who sought to reclaim them following their reformation after Secret Wars.[1] Using the Time Stone within the Eye of Agamotto, Strange broadcast a mystical summons to the current stone bearers, convening them at his Sanctum Sanctorum within 24 hours to reform the team as guardians against impending catastrophe.[7] The assembled members included Strange himself (wielding the Time Stone), Adam Warlock (Soul Stone), a cloned version of Black Widow known as Natasha Romanoff (Space Stone), Captain Marvel (Reality Stone), Star-Lord (Power Stone, later revealed to be a counterfeit), and the unlikely Turk Barrett (Mind Stone).[8] The team's primary mission was to secure and safeguard the Infinity Stones, preventing their unification by villains like Thanos and his forces, echoing the protective mandate of earlier Infinity Watch formations.[9] A pivotal confrontation occurred when the Infinity Watch engaged Thanos directly in a pocket dimension conjured by Strange's sorcery, where they battled to thwart his attempts to seize the artifacts amid escalating cosmic chaos.[1] This clash highlighted the team's diverse composition, blending mystical expertise with street-level and interstellar heroes, though tensions arose from the counterfeit Power Stone and Barrett's inexperience, straining coordination under Strange's leadership.[8] Ultimately, the Infinity Watch succeeded in temporarily securing the stones during the Infinity Countdown crisis, but their efforts were upended in the ensuing Infinity Wars storyline when Gamora, masquerading as Requiem, stole the artifacts to forge a new reality.[10] With the immediate threat resolved yet the stones lost, the team disbanded by the conclusion of Infinity Wars #6, marking the end of Strange's short-lived assembly as the narrative shifted to subsequent manipulations of the stones.[1]Loki's version
In the 2018 Infinity Wars storyline, Gamora, operating as the villainous Requiem, stole the Infinity Gems and used the Soul Gem to merge countless souls into a distorted pocket dimension called Soulworld, fundamentally altering reality by combining elements from various universes.[1] Within this illusory realm, Loki—retaining his full awareness of the unaltered Marvel Universe—manipulated the chaotic environment to assemble a deceptive version of the Infinity Watch, ostensibly to retrieve the Gems and confront Requiem. This team, sometimes referred to as the Cosmic Avengers, included Loki wielding the Soul Gem, Emma Frost with the Power Gem, Hulk bearing the Space Gem, Ant-Man holding the Time Gem, Ms. Marvel possessing the Mind Gem, and Kang the Conqueror entrusted with the Reality Gem; these assignments drew on each member's inherent traits to mimic the original Infinity Watch's structure.[1] The illusory team engaged in battles against perceived threats within Soulworld, such as the universe-devouring entity Devondra and warped hybrids of Marvel heroes born from the soul-merging process, believing their efforts safeguarded the merged reality.[11] Loki guided the group toward defeating Requiem, using their collective power to access and wield facsimile Infinity Gems created by the realm's properties, which allowed them to overpower Gamora's defenses in a climactic confrontation. However, this was part of Loki's broader deception: as the God of Stories, he pickpocketed the genuine Gems from his unwitting teammates—replacing them with illusory rocks—and exploited the team's victory to escape Soulworld, advancing his personal quest for ultimate power by venturing to the God Quarry.[11] The revelation of Loki's betrayal came too late for the team, whose actions inadvertently facilitated his liberation and the storyline's escalation across Infinity Wars #1-6. Upon the collapse of Soulworld following the event's resolution—triggered by the Gems' separation and the restoration of the primary Marvel Universe—the false Infinity Watch dissolved entirely, leaving no enduring members, structure, or influence in the main continuity.[1]Modern reformation
In the lead-up to the 2024 Marvel Annuals event, Adam Warlock initiated the reformation of the Infinity Watch by leveraging the Infinity Stones' established sentience, first granted in Infinity Wars (2018) #6, to allow them to select worthy hosts and prevent cosmic threats like Thanos from reclaiming them.[1] This process unfolded across multiple 2024 Annual issues, where the sentient stones bonded with new bearers, embedding themselves physically to ensure mutual protection and ethical use of their powers.[12] The event culminated in Avengers Annual (2024) #1, where Warlock assembled the team for the first time, uniting the stone hosts against Thanos' assault and establishing their role as guardians in the main Marvel Universe (Earth-616).[13] The reformed team's roster includes seven members, each bonded to one Infinity Stone, reflecting the stones' autonomous choices for hosts who could balance their immense power with restraint. Overtime (Hector Bautista) wields the Time Stone, enabling precise temporal manipulation for tactical advantages; Quantum possesses the Space Stone, facilitating short-range teleportation and portal creation; Star (Ripley Ryan) controls the Reality Stone, allowing localized alterations to physical laws; Apex (Prince Otherone) channels the Power Stone to amplify physical strength and energy projection; Multitude (Ward) harnesses the Soul Stone to generate lifelike energy constructs and interact with spiritual realms; Colleen Wing holds the Mind Stone, granting telepathic abilities, psychic weaponry, and mental intrusion; and Phil Coulson, resurrected by the newly manifested Death Stone in Thanos (2023) #4 and Thanos Annual (2024) #1, leads as its bearer with powers over mortality, including inducing pain or appearing at moments of death.[1][3] Unlike prior iterations, this group emphasizes the stones' free will, leading to internal tensions as the gems occasionally override their hosts' decisions, raising moral questions about autonomy and control.[1] Launched in December 2024 by writer Derek Landy with art by Ruairí Coleman, the Infinity Watch vol. 1 5-issue miniseries (2024–2025) explored the team's early operations from a hidden base in Central Park, New York, focusing on their adjustment to gem symbiosis amid high-stakes missions. In issues #1–2, the group assembles for their inaugural outing against brand new villains and confronts threats from alternate-universe stone bearers led by Avery Zavala.[14][15] Issues #3–5 depict the use of the Infinity Gauntlet rewriting reality and compromising the heroes, who must restore themselves in a climactic battle against Zavala wielding the Infinity Blade, concluding the series in May 2025.[16][17][18] These narratives emphasize ethical dilemmas, such as the Death Stone's influence on Coulson's resurrection-driven worldview and the gems' push for proactive interventions, contrasting the team's diverse backgrounds—ranging from reformed villains like Star to seasoned agents like Coulson—to forge unity against escalating cosmic perils.[3]Publication history
Original series and early stories
The Infinity Watch was conceived by writer Jim Starlin and artist Angel Medina as a spin-off from the 1991 miniseries The Infinity Gauntlet, building on the idea of distributing the Infinity Gems among select guardians to prevent their misuse. The team debuted in Warlock and the Infinity Watch #1 (cover-dated February 1992).[19] The flagship series, Warlock and the Infinity Watch, ran for 42 issues from 1992 to 1995, with Starlin handling writing duties for most of its duration and Medina providing art for the initial run. Starlin's narratives centered on the guardianship of the Infinity Gems, exploring philosophical and ethical dilemmas tied to their power while integrating the team into broader cosmic threats. The series was complemented by the Warlock Chronicles miniseries, a 9-issue limited run published from October 1992 to June 1993, which expanded on character backstories and standalone adventures linked to the main title.[20][1] Notable story arcs in the original series included the Man-Beast conflict spanning issues #1-6, which established the team's dynamics post-formation, and the Rune theft storyline in #35-42, which concluded the run amid escalating cosmic perils. The title crossed over with major events like Infinity War (1992) and Infinity Crusade (1993), positioning the Infinity Watch as key players in universe-spanning conflicts. Members also reunited briefly for the Maximum Security crossover in 2001.[21][22][23] After the series ended in July 1995 due to declining sales during the mid-1990s comic market crash, the team saw sporadic early appearances, including tie-ins to Annihilation: Conquest (2007-2008), reinforcing their foundational role in Marvel's cosmic storyline framework.[21][24]Revivals and recent developments
The Infinity Watch was revived in 2018 as part of Marvel Comics' "Infinity Countdown" event, appearing prominently in Infinity Countdown #1-5, where Doctor Strange assembled a new iteration of the team to protect the Infinity Stones from escalating cosmic threats. This reformation served as a tie-in to the broader storyline, emphasizing the team's role in safeguarding the gems amid a universe-wide hunt. The event was written by Gerry Duggan with art by Mike Deodato Jr. and others, marking a return to the concept after years of dormancy.[25] Building on this, the team featured in Infinity Wars #1-6 later that year, introducing a variant led by Loki known as the Cosmic Avengers, which incorporated the Infinity Stones into multiversal conflicts. This miniseries, also penned by Duggan and illustrated by Deodato, explored divergent team dynamics and further integrated the Infinity Watch into major Marvel crossovers, concluding the 2018 narrative arc. The team received a dedicated relaunch with Infinity Watch vol. 1 #1 on December 11, 2024, launching a 5-issue limited series concluding in May 2025, written by Derek Landy and illustrated by Ruairí Coleman. The arc focused on the sentient gems' vulnerabilities, with covers by Salvador Larroca, and expanded through the "Infinity Watch" annual crossover event in summer 2024, spanning tie-in annuals including Thanos Annual (2024) #1, Amazing Spider-Man Annual (2024) #1, Immortal Thor Annual (2024) #1, Ms. Marvel Annual (2024) #1, Wolverine Annual (2024) #1, Hulk Annual (2024) #1, and Infinity Watch Annual (2024).[14][26] The 2024 limited series concluded in May 2025, with the team's role continuing in broader Marvel cosmic narratives. As of November 2025, no new dedicated series or major crossovers have been announced, though the storyline leaves potential for future iterations amid universe-spanning narratives.[12][27][28]Membership
Original members and Infinity Gems
The Infinity Watch was initially formed by Adam Warlock following the events of The Infinity Gauntlet, with its core purpose being the distributed guardianship of the six Infinity Gems to prevent their misuse by any single individual.[29] Warlock selected a diverse group of allies based on their unique abilities and histories, assigning each a specific gem that complemented their strengths while imposing limitations to maintain balance. This original lineup emphasized philosophical oversight, raw power, strategic precision, psychic insight, dimensional mobility, and subtle reality management, forming a cohesive unit despite internal tensions.[2] Adam Warlock, the team's founder and leader, is an artificial being engineered by the High Evolutionary as the perfect human specimen, emerging from a cocoon with superhuman physiology, energy manipulation, and a messianic complex driven by cosmic balance. He was entrusted with the Soul Gem, embedded in his forehead, which grants dominion over life, death, and souls, allowing him to commune with the gem's internal pocket universe and resurrect beings, though it risks ensnaring him in existential dilemmas.[30] Warlock's philosophical approach to power distribution underscored his role, viewing the gems as tools for universal harmony rather than domination.[29] Drax the Destroyer, originally Arthur Douglas, was resurrected and bio-engineered by eternal forces to serve as Thanos's ultimate nemesis, possessing immense physical strength, durability, and energy projection capabilities honed for relentless combat.[31] Assigned the Power Gem, which amplifies physical and energy-based abilities to godlike levels, Drax's brute force became the team's frontline enforcer, though his initial ingestion of the gem led to temporary instability before it was secured in his belt.[2] His unwavering loyalty to the mission, rooted in his anti-Thanos directive, provided the group with unyielding protection against direct threats.[31] Gamora, known as the deadliest woman in the galaxy, was raised by Thanos as his adopted daughter and assassin, granting her unparalleled martial arts mastery, enhanced agility, and lethal precision across interstellar cultures.[32] She received the Time Gem, enabling temporal manipulation such as foresight glimpses or accelerated aging of foes, though her reluctance to fully engage its power reflected her haunted past and preference for subtlety over overt cosmic intervention.[32] Gamora's strategic insight and stealth expertise added tactical depth to the Watch, often mediating high-stakes decisions with calculated restraint.[2] Moondragon, or Heather Douglas, hails from Titan and possesses potent telepathic and telekinetic abilities amplified by rigorous mental discipline under the Titan priesthood, making her a master of psychic warfare and emotional equilibrium.[33] The Mind Gem enhanced her innate psionic talents, granting total control over thoughts, illusions, and mental domination on a universal scale, positioning her as the team's psychic shield and mediator in conflicts.[2] Her role emphasized internal harmony, using the gem to detect deception and foster unity among the volatile members.[33] Pip the Troll, originally Prince Gofern of Laxidazia, was transformed into a diminutive, jovial troll-like figure after consuming enchanted ale, endowing him with surprising resilience, marksmanship, and innate dimensional awareness from his royal wanderings.[34] He was given the Space Gem, which facilitates instantaneous teleportation across vast distances and spatial warping, turning his roguish hopping between realms into a vital utility for rapid team deployment and evasion.[35] Pip's lighthearted demeanor offered comic relief, balancing the group's intensity while his gem ensured logistical supremacy in cosmic operations.[34] Among additional early affiliates, Maxam joined as a mysterious amnesiac warrior from a dystopian future, driven by a subconscious quest tied to the gems, briefly seeking the Reality Gem before his memories revealed a vendetta against Warlock's darker aspects.[2] Thanos, the Mad Titan, was secretly assigned the Reality Gem by Warlock due to his intimate understanding of its perils, allowing subtle alterations to matter, energy, and existence itself without full team knowledge, as a safeguard against misuse.[36] The Infinity Gems themselves represent primordial singularities from the universe's birth, each embodying a fundamental aspect: the Soul Gem governs life essences and mortality; the Power Gem channels boundless energy and amplification; the Time Gem controls chronological flow and probability; the Mind Gem dominates consciousness and intellect; the Space Gem manipulates location and portals; and the Reality Gem reshapes physical laws and illusions.[30] When bonded to a bearer, each gem synergizes with their inherent traits—enhancing Warlock's spiritual attunement, Drax's might, Gamora's foresight, Moondragon's empathy, Pip's mobility, and Thanos's cunning—while their separation curbs absolute tyranny, embodying the Watch's core tenet of distributed responsibility.[36]Later and variant members
In the 2018 Infinity Countdown and Infinity Wars storylines, Doctor Strange assembled a new iteration of the Infinity Watch to safeguard the Infinity Stones amid rising threats. This team featured Doctor Strange (Time Stone), Captain Marvel (Reality Stone), Adam Warlock (Soul Stone), Star-Lord (Power Stone), a Black Widow clone (Space Stone), and Turk Barrett (Mind Stone), with gem allocations temporary to emphasize adaptability.[1] During the same Infinity Wars event, Loki led a short-lived version of the Infinity Watch, including Emma Frost (Power Stone), Hulk (Space Stone), and Ms. Marvel (Mind Stone), along with other members like Kang the Conqueror and Ant-Man, to restore balance after Requiem (Gamora) merged the stones in her Soulworld realm.[1] The modern Infinity Watch, reformed in the 2024 comics spanning Avengers Annual #1 (2024), Thanos Annual #1 (2024), and the ongoing Infinity Watch series (2024–present), reflects the stones' evolved sentience in selecting hosts, a trait imbued by Adam Warlock to ensure ethical guardianship. This lineup prioritizes diverse, often non-cosmic heroes and anti-heroes, blending street fighters, agents, and reformed villains to counter multiversal threats without relying solely on godlike figures. Key members include Phil Coulson, bearer of the newly manifested Death Stone, whose leadership and resurrection abilities stem from his S.H.I.E.L.D. background and the gem's omnipresence over mortality; Colleen Wing (Mind Stone), a martial artist specializing in hand-to-hand combat and enhanced telepathic and psychic blade powers via her Daughters of the Dragon expertise; Overtime (Hector Bautista, Time Stone) for temporal manipulation; Star (Ripley Ryan, Reality Stone) for localized alterations; Quantum (Space Stone) for teleportation; Apex (Prince Otherone, Power Stone) amplifying physical abilities; and Multitude (Ward, Soul Stone) summoning energy constructs. These roles underscore a shift toward grounded, collaborative dynamics, with the stones merging directly into hosts to amplify personal strengths rather than overriding them.[3][37][14][1] Variant iterations in future timelines and crossovers occasionally feature brief cameos by cosmic entities, such as the Silver Surfer clashing with the team over gem-related suspicions in Silver Surfer: Rebirth - Legacy #2 (2023). The stones' autonomous selection process continues to drive these variants, favoring hosts who align with their sentient will for balance, as seen in Thanos #4 (2023) where the Death Stone chooses Coulson for his unyielding sense of duty. This evolution distinguishes later teams by incorporating everyday resilience alongside cosmic might, fostering broader alliances in Marvel's ongoing narratives.[1]In other media
Video games
The Infinity Watch makes a conceptual appearance in the 2017 fighting video game Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite, developed and published by Capcom for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Microsoft Windows. In the game's cinematic story mode, the Infinity Stones trigger a convergence that merges the Marvel and Capcom universes, leading to a global crisis exploited by the fused antagonist Ultron Sigma, who seeks to eradicate organic life using an evolved Sigma Virus and the stones' power. Heroes from both universes, including Gamora, Captain Marvel, Spider-Man, Ryu, and Chun-Li, form temporary alliances to retrieve the six scattered stones—Power, Space, Reality, Time, Mind, and Soul—and construct the Infinity Buster device to confront the threat. This collaborative effort to secure and wield the stones against cosmic peril parallels the Infinity Watch's role as guardians in the comics, though no formal team by that name is established.[38] In the storyline's climax, the heroes assault Ultron Sigma's fortress in Xgard, rescue Thanos (who joins their cause), and ultimately defeat the villain's colossal form, Ultron Omega, by channeling their combined willpower through the Infinity Buster to neutralize the virus. However, the Reality Stone cracks during Thanos's attempt to reverse the convergence, permanently fusing the universes and leaving the stones vulnerable. In the aftermath, the surviving heroes, including Gamora and the victors from the final battle, implicitly commit to ongoing protection of the Infinity Stones to prevent future misuse, evoking the Watch's guardianship ethos without direct reference to the group. A post-credits scene shows Thanos pursuing vengeance against cosmic entities like Death and Jedah, hinting at lingering threats to the stones' stability.[38] Gameplay integrates the Infinity Stones as a core mechanic replacing traditional assists, where players select one stone per team before matches to enhance synergy attacks and build an Infinity Meter for special modes. Each stone grants unique abilities reflecting their comic counterparts: the Power Stone boosts damage and enables wall-bounce combos; the Space Stone creates portals for repositioning; the Reality Stone distorts environments for multi-hit projectiles; the Time Stone slows enemies for extended combos; the Mind Stone disrupts foes with psychic blasts; and the Soul Stone drains health while breaking defenses. Collecting all six stones mid-match (via drops or surges) activates an Infinity Hyper Combo, a devastating ultimate that amplifies team assaults, emphasizing strategic resource control akin to the gems' balanced power in the source material.[39][40]Other adaptations
The Infinity Watch has seen limited appearances in animated television series, with brief references to the concept of Infinity Gem guardians appearing in Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy (2015–2019), though the full team is never assembled and no dedicated episodes feature the group.[41] In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the Infinity Stones serve as central artifacts in Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and Avengers: Endgame (2019), where various heroes quest for them amid Thanos's campaign, but the formalized Infinity Watch team does not appear on screen. A post-credits scene in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023) introduces Adam Warlock, a key comic figure in the team's formation, suggesting conceptual ties to the group's lore without depicting the Watch itself. Beyond film and television, the Infinity Watch has been represented in collectible trading card games, including the 2023 Upper Deck Marvel Allegiance: The Infinity Trilogy set, which incorporates team members and Infinity Gem-themed inserts.[42] No prose novel adaptations of the team exist as of 2025, despite the Infinity Stones' prominence in Marvel's broader media landscape.[43] The 2024 launch of a new Infinity Watch comic series underscores the team's enduring appeal and untapped potential for expanded adaptations in non-comic formats.[44]Collected editions
Warlock and the Infinity Watch collections
The Warlock and the Infinity Watch series from the 1990s has been reprinted in two trade paperback collections released by Marvel Comics in 2016, providing a complete reading order for the original run's early stories focused on the team's formation, cosmic threats, and eventual dissolution.[45] These volumes emphasize Jim Starlin's foundational narrative arc, which spans the majority of the series and explores themes of power distribution among the Infinity Gems' guardians.[46] Both are available in softcover format, with each exceeding 400 pages and including key issues that tie into broader Marvel events like Infinity War and Infinity Crusade.[47] Infinity Watch Vol. 1 (ISBN 978-0785195276) collects Warlock and the Infinity Watch #1–22, covering the team's initial assembly after the events of Infinity Gauntlet and the conflict with the Man-Beast, a recurring foe who captures most members and nearly assembles the Infinity Gauntlet against Adam Warlock.[47][2] This 497-page volume primarily features Starlin's writing and artwork contributions from creators like Angel Medina and Tom Grindberg, encapsulating the core setup of the Infinity Watch as protectors of the dispersed Gems.[47] It serves as an essential entry point for readers following Starlin's Infinity Trilogy, bridging Infinity War crossovers within issues #7–11.[46] Infinity Watch Vol. 2 (ISBN 978-1302900625) collects Warlock and the Infinity Watch #26–42 along with Warlock Chronicles #6, detailing the theft of the Infinity Gems by the extradimensional entity Rune and the subsequent fracturing and disbanding of the team.[48][49] This 403-page installment shifts to writers like John Arcudi and Richard Ashford while concluding Starlin's overarching vision, with the Gems' disappearance scattering the members and marking the end of the original lineup.[48] The collection highlights the narrative's progression toward cosmic chaos, including ties to the Blood and Thunder event.[50]Modern and crossover editions
Modern collected editions of Infinity Watch stories encompass post-1995 revivals, miniseries, and crossover events where characters bear Infinity Gems or form ad hoc teams to safeguard them, often integrating into larger Marvel Universe narratives. The 2019 trade paperback Wolverine: Infinity Watch collects the five-issue miniseries written by Gerry Duggan with art by Andrea Di Vito and others, depicting Wolverine's brief possession of the Mind Gem amid a quest to protect the Infinity Stones from cosmic threats.[51] Published by Marvel Enterprises on August 27, 2019, it spans 112 pages and carries ISBN 978-1302915810. The 2018 Infinity Countdown event features Doctor Strange assembling a team including Loki, Captain Marvel, and Star-Lord to track the reemerging Infinity Stones, with relevant tie-ins compiled in the Infinity Countdown Companion trade paperback. This 2018 collection, edited by Jordan D. White and published by Marvel Universe, gathers one-shots such as Infinity Countdown: Adam Warlock #1, Infinity Countdown: Captain Marvel #1, and Infinity Countdown: Doctor Strange #1, totaling 144 pages under ISBN 978-1302913090. The subsequent Infinity Wars (2018) storyline continues Strange's involvement as gem bearers clash, collected in the 2019 trade paperback Infinity Wars, which includes the six-issue core series by Gerry Duggan and Mike Deodato Jr.[52] Spanning 328 pages and published February 12, 2019, by Marvel Universe, it holds ISBN 978-1302913564 and captures the formation of Strange's interim Infinity Watch-like alliance. The 2024 Infinity Watch miniseries revives the team concept with a new roster bearing transformed Infinity Stones, tying into crossover annuals and broader events like Jason Aaron's Avengers run for modern team formation.[44] This narrative arc is compiled in the trade paperback Infinity Watch: Power Corrupts, written primarily by Derek Landy with art by various artists including Germán Peralta and Federica Mancin.[53] Released on March 25, 2025, by Marvel Comics, the 256-page volume (ISBN 978-1302960384) collects Infinity Watch (2024) #1-5, Thanos Annual (2024) #1, The Amazing Spider-Man Annual (2024) #1, The Immortal Thor Annual (2024) #1, Ms. Marvel Annual (2024) #1, and West Coast Avengers Annual (2024) #1, emphasizing Thanos's pursuit of the stone-bearers and the team's defensive role.[54] A companion volume, Infinity Watch: Universal Destruction (ISBN 978-1302964603), collects the core Infinity Watch (2024) #1-5 in a 120-page trade paperback released August 27, 2025.[55]| Title | Material Collected | Publication Date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wolverine: Infinity Watch | Wolverine: Infinity Watch #1-5 | August 27, 2019 | 978-1302915810 |
| Infinity Countdown Companion | Infinity Countdown: Adam Warlock #1; Infinity Countdown: Captain Marvel #1; Infinity Countdown: Darkhawk #1; Infinity Countdown: Daredevil #1; Infinity Countdown: Doctor Strange #1; Infinity Countdown: Ironheart #1; Infinity Countdown: She-Hulk #1; Infinity Countdown: Sleepwalker #1 | September 12, 2018 | 978-1302913090 |
| Infinity Wars | Infinity Wars #1-6 | February 12, 2019 | 978-1302913564 |
| Infinity Watch: Power Corrupts | Thanos Annual (2024) #1; The Amazing Spider-Man Annual (2024) #1; The Immortal Thor Annual (2024) #1; Ms. Marvel Annual (2024) #1; West Coast Avengers Annual (2024) #1; Infinity Watch (2024) #1-5 | March 25, 2025 | 978-1302960384 |
| Infinity Watch: Universal Destruction | Infinity Watch (2024) #1-5 | August 27, 2025 | 978-1302964603 |