So I am researching what I need to read to get the full scope of this (working on a scenario but am genuinely interested too) and could use some help.

I already have the Infinity Gauntlet TPB (which did not impress me as much the first time I read it), so what else do I need and what order should I read them in.

So far, I believe this is the read order:

Silver Surfer #34 (Vol. 3)
Thanos Quest #1 & 2
Infinity Gauntlet
Infinity War
Infinity Crusade


I'm only uncertain about IW and IC, so clarification or confirmation would be appreciated. Also, is there anything more after that? Thanks!

After all of that is the Infinity Abyss also by Jim Starlin. I suppose Marvel: The End (or Thanos: The End as far as trades are concerned) would be the final chapter though I haven't read that one. That title as well is by Jim Starlin and concerns Thanos with a new source of a power. There are also a lot of tie in issues for the events you have mentioned but you can find out what they are on the Wikipedia pages for IW and IC.

And some consider "Infinity Abyss" to be non-canon.
It's never really been referenced since it's release.
Except on threads where people argue over wither or not it's canon, that is.

Hope it helps - all of this is simple referance material and not the actual stories. But it is still alot of reading....enjoy.

http://www.comicvine.com/infinity-gauntlet/39-42233/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Infinity_Gauntlet

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanos

http://marvel.wikia.com/Thanos_(Earth-616)

http://www.comicvine.com/infinity-gauntlet/18-40945/

Thank you all for your help!

There is also Black September which details Loki's quest for the gems and the revelation of a seventh gem that serves as an extradimensional prision for a god named Nemesis. This seventh gem had never been found because it was sealed away in another dimension that dimension turned out to be THE ULTRAVERSE (Marvel had purchused Malibu Comics earlier in the year). Well Nemesis possesses the first person who finds the lost infinity gem and then seeks the other gems to unlock the rest of his powers. The whole event culminates in THE AVENGERS & ULTRAFORCE teaming up to stop Nemesis who after gathering all the gems began collapsing one reality atfer another into each other. SERIOUSLY, there is an awesome panel with a huge number of Thors and one of them has a version of Mojinor shaped a christian cross. I bought the issue based solely on that panel alone because Thor: Jesus Christ of Thunder just sounded hysterical at the time.

I would absolutely recommend reading the infinity watch! Its actually a well designed team with lovable character interaction. I love what they do with mole man and how they move to monster island to get away from the world and defend the gems. It is also interesting to read stories with Thanos dedicated to a team. He plays a big part in the stability of the watch. Reading hulk and drax fight eachother was epic! And drax vs thor was fun as well....nothing compares to THANOS VS ODIN! Its a very different comic with its own original villians.....unfortunately everytime the watch starts to go on its own path it is intercepted by a tie in. (Infinity war and infinity crusade) which took about five issues each to recover from the aftermath of each story. It would take awhile for the momentum of the watch to pick up again.....there's actually only a dozen issues involving a solid 'watch' original tale.

The series just ENDS rather abruptly. It is very unsatisfying...if you wish to follow what happens you have to hop comic universes to the now extinct Ultraverse. Rune/silver surfer tpb shows the fate of the gems. Adam warlock also pursues them. I collected every cross over issue just to achieve some sort of 'closure' for the infinity watch...alas it was given in guardians of the galaxy.

Silver Surfer #34-38 to be exact. There is a great TPB called The Rebirth of Thanos that collects those issues along with Thanos Quest #1-2.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Thanos_Imperative

This is something you should clearly just ignore (or even better ignore Infinity and read The Thanos Imperative).

Um...that's required reading for Thanos. I won't say that Infinity won't be bad (not at all) but this is just a different platform for Cosmic Marvel.

Now that being said I don't agree that this version of GotG and the new NINO (Nova in Name Only) is any good. I think it's drek.

But Infinity has a chance to be good. I'll be buying it and checking it out.

Ditto.

Also, Thanos' first contact and use of the gems occurred in Avengers Annual #7 and Marvel Two-in-one Annual #2, though the Gauntlet wasn't around yet (he references it in IG, if I'm not mistaken).

Yes when thanos first discovered the 'soul gems' he didn't use them properly. He didn't understand their true reality warping, infinite potential. Instead he combined them using technology creating a giant super soul Gem. He then proceeded to begin destroying every star in the galaxy. It wasn't until death resurrected him did he discover their true power.....also that's when first referred to them as "Infinity Gems" mainly because it was the well of infinite knowledge located in mistress deaths fortress that revealed to him the origin and power of the gems.

Thanos Imperative is AMAZING. My comment was more that Marvel (cough Bendis cough) has basically ignored everything that happened in the story in his "GotG" series.

I actually don't mind the new Nova though. Ya it's not RR but at least it's good unlike the crud Bendis is feeding us.