The Collector (Taneleer Tivan) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Don Heck, the character first appeared in The Avengers #28 (May 1966), during the Silver Age of Comic Books, and has been a recurring antagonist in various storylines over the course of the ensuing decades.
Different versions of the character have been adapted into various feature films, animated television series, video games, and other properties. In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the character was portrayed by Benicio del Toro in the films Thor: The Dark World (2013), Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), and Avengers: Infinity War (2018), and in the Disney+ television series What If...?
Publication history
The Collector first appeared in The Avengers #28 (May 1966), and was created by Stan Lee and Don Heck. The Collector made his second appearance in The Avengers #51 (April 1968) in a story titled "In the Clutches of... The Collector" where he confronted the team. He also appeared in Iron Man #26 (June 1970) during this early period, establishing his pattern of targeting various Marvel heroes beyond just the Avengers.
He returned during the Bronze Age, appearing on the cover of The Avengers #119 (Jan 1974) and continuing as a recurring antagonist to the team.
Fictional character biography Taneleer Tivan is one of the Elders of the Universe and is close to his fellow Elder En Dwi Gast (the Grandmaster). He apparently came to self-awareness billions of years ago, on the planet Cygnus X-1. He is an enormously powerful being who wielded the Power Primordial and, though at first he took the appearance of an old human, his true form is a powerful alien.
For millions of years, the Collector lived on an unknown world with his wife and child, spending his days in thought and contemplation. Over three billion years ago, when his wife, Matani Tivan, lost the will to live and relinquished her immortality, the Collector realized he would need a hobby to maintain his own sanity, and began collecting interesting artifacts and creatures from around the universe. Eventually, his obsession reached such heights he collected anything he considered rare or valuable often just for the sake of collecting. As such, he has a variety of rare or unique items at his disposal.
The Collector also had the power of prophecy, allowing him to foresee the rise of a being powerful enough to pose a threat to the Elders: Thanos. To protect life in the universe, the Collector created a massive museum of countless life forms to keep them safe from Thanos. For a time, he even possessed one of the six Infinity Gems, unaware of its true power, until Thanos took it.
At some point over his billions of years of life he came into contact with other beings who, like him, are the sole survivors of the first species in the universe. He often refers to these fellow elders as brothers though they usually only work together if they have a common goal.
In the modern era, the Collector eventually traveled to Earth. He captured the Wasp and sought to "collect" the other Avengers with help from the Beetle, but was defeated by them.The Avengers #28. Marvel Comics. Marvel Comics. He later enslaved Thor, then captured the Wasp and the other Avengers. He restored Goliath's size-change powers, but was then defeated by the Avengers again.The Avengers #51. Marvel Comics He next compelled Iron Man to serve as his pawn against the warrior Val-Larr.Iron Man #26. Marvel Comics. He attempted to "collect" the Avengers once more, in Rutland, Vermont.The Avengers #119. Marvel Comics.
In The Incredible Hulk vol. 2, the Collector uses the previously captured Man-Thing and the Glob to capture the Hulk. After capturing the Hulk, the Collector muses on capturing the rest of the original Avengers. The Hulk escapes, freeing several of the Collector's exhibits. The newly free exhibits die from old age because they are no longer artificially preserved by the power of the Collector's ship. Man-Thing also escapes disappearing into the Swamp. The Glob remains aboard the ship and though it is not shown, it is suggested that the Glob kills the Collector. The lines from the comic book are "What the Glob wants here is quite simple: He wants the Collector's life! The Collector's anguished scream fades long before it can filter through the museum-ships long corridors. For several seconds silence reigns both within the ship and without--"The Incredible Hulk vol. 2 #197-198. Marvel Comics.
The Korvac Saga In the 1978 storyline "The Korvac Saga", after Thanos was defeated by Earth's superheroes, the Collector foresees another major threat: Korvac, a cyborg from the 31st century. The Avengers were also aware of a new threat but did not know his identity. In an attempt to protect them, the Collector added some of them to his collection and was probably planning to enlist their aid, when a second group of Avengers appeared and defeated him in combat.The Avengers #174. Marvel Comics. After the defeat, the Collector remained in seclusion until a human named Peter Tran of Avondale summoned him to Earth.
Sensing that his end was at hand, the Collector revealed that having learned of Korvac, he had made his own daughter Carina into a spy and living weapon to use against the Machine Man, imbuing her with the Power Primordial. Just as he was about to tell the heroes who their enemy was, Michael learned of his duplicity and used his cosmic powers to blast the Collector into atoms, proving the prediction of the aged scholar's own end to be correct.The Avengers #172-174. Marvel Comics.
1980s In the 1982 miniseries Marvel Super Hero Contest of Champions, the Elder known as the Grandmaster plays a game called the Contest of Champions with Death, which resulted in Death resurrecting his fellow Elder the Collector.Grant, Steven; Gruenwald, Mark; Mantlo, Bill (w), Romita, John Jr. (p), Marcos, Pablo (i), "Chapter 3: Third Contest: Siege in the City of the Dead!", Marvel Super Hero Contest of Champions #3 (Aug. 1982). Marvel Comics The Collector captured Marrina, then battled Alpha Flight and Spider-Man.Marvel Team-Up Annual #7. Marvel Comics. He aided the Grandmaster by tricking the Avengers into entering Death's realm.The West Coast Avengers vol. 2 Annual #2. Marvel Comics.
1990s The Collector assisted his fellow elders in a plot to kill Galactus and recreate the universe, but he was thwarted by the Silver Surfer and consumed by Galactus.Silver Surfer vol. 3 #3-4, 7, 9, 10. Marvel Comics. Since Death had vowed that the Elders could no longer die, they caused Galactus to have "cosmic indigestion" until they were forced out of him by Master Order and Lord Chaos.Silver Surfer vol. 3 #17. Marvel Comics. The Collector was one of the four Elders who aided the Silver Surfer and Nova in helping Galactus to defeat the In-Betweener.Silver Surfer vol. 3 #18. Marvel Comics. Once the battle was over the five Elders used their Infinity Gems to instantaneously travel very far away from Galactus and his vengeance.Silver Surfer vol. 3 #19. Marvel Comics. He later gave his Infinity Gem to Thanos in exchange for the Runner, who Thanos had recently captured and de-aged. Once released from Thanos's prison, the Runner returned to his true age and began to beat the Collector up for daring to try to imprison him.Thanos Quest #2. Marvel Comics.
The Collector re-appeared when the Avengers fought Thane Ector and the Brethren, who were noted to have escaped from the Collector's collection. It was then noted later that the Collector had planned all of this, intending the Brethren to lay waste to the Earth so that he could "collect" the surviving humans. It was at this point he showed his true form to the Avengers and was noted to be very powerful; enough to subdue Thane Ector. The Collector was eventually thwarted by the Avengers, and the Brethren's Uni-Mind.The Avengers #334-339. Marvel Comics.
The Collector uses the Collection Agency and the Silver Surfer as pawns to capture a virus that caused insanity.Silver Surfer vol. 3 #58-61, 64. Marvel Comics.
2000s In a 2007 story, the Collector becomes involved with Galactus once again when the latter entity wished to devour one of the worlds that held many of the entities the Collector had taken. Among them were the Starjammers and Wolverine.Wolverine #135. Marvel Comics.
In a 2009 story, the Grandmaster makes a bet with the Collector who sets his team of Defenders (Hulk, Doctor Strange, Namor, and the Silver Surfer) against the Grandmaster's team of Offenders (which comprises the Red Hulk, Baron Mordo, Tiger Shark, and Terrax).Hulk vol. 2 #10 (2009). Marvel Comics. The game results in Hulk claiming victory and the Collector complies with the terms of the game, giving the Hulk the lifeless body of Jarella.Hulk vol. 2 #12 (July 2009). Marvel Comics.
2010s Eight months after the events of the 2015 storyline "Secret Wars", the Collector is shown in charge of Battlerealm, the small surviving portion of Battleworld. He engages in a new Contest of Champions with the Grandmaster, with the prize being an ancient cosmic artifact called the Iso-Sphere.Contest of Champions #1-2. Marvel Comics.
In a 2017 story, when the hammer of the Earth-1610 Thor falls to Asgard after, and the Collector finds that he cannot lift it, he takes all of the abandoned Asgard into his possession. When Thor searches for the hammer, the Collector takes him prisoner, threatening to kill other aliens in his collection unless Thor tells him the secret of how to bypass the worthiness enchantment.The Unworthy Thor #2. Marvel Comics. He then encounters Proxima Midnight and Black Swan, who were sent by Thanos to retrieve the hammer. After Odinson, Beta Ray Bill, Odinson's pet goat Toothgnasher and the Helhound Thori escape and battle his army, the Collector tries to recapture Odinson, only for him to break free and grab the hammer.The Unworthy Thor #3-4. Marvel Comics. Odinson chooses not to claim the hammer, but he and Bill are able to channel its power to return Asgard to its true place, simultaneously decimating the Collector's forces, prompting him to kill his last soldier so that he can have the pleasure of destroying something unique.
Powers and abilities The Collector possesses the ability to manipulate cosmic energy for a variety of effects, including projecting concussive force beams, and the increasing of his size and mass (and hence physical strength) at will. He also possesses limited shape-changing abilities. His precognitive abilities give him brief visions of alternate future, although he must meditate for long periods to identify the individuals he sees in the vision and its apparent point in time. He has telepathic abilities that enable him to make limited contact with the minds of other Elders. Due to a vow by Death, the Collector and all the Elders cannot die and are effectively immortal.