Just in time for the debut of Thunderbolts* on the big screen, Marvel has announced New Thunderbolts*, an ongoing series by Sam Humphries and Ton Lima that’ll debut in June.
The title marks Humphries’ return to Marvel after an absence of about five years or so, as he works with up-and-comer Lima on the title. And while the Thunderbolts have returned recently as a part of One World Under Doom — bringing together a mix of original team members and characters who will appear in the Thunderbolts* film — this title features a cast of characters not normally associated with the team, except for Bucky Barnes and Black Widow.
“I love every iteration of Thunderbolts,” Humphries said. “I’m thrilled to continue the franchise’s proud tradition of hard hitting action, powder keg personalities, and explosive surprises into a new era. This is a gang of seven of the biggest badasses and loose cannons from different corners of the Marvel Universe. Assembling a super team is like inviting the right combination of guests to a dinner party. So I imagined a dangerous, disastrous, unhinged Marvel dinner party, and went with that.”
As you can see on Stephen Segovia’s cover for the first issue, Winter Soldier and Black Widow will lead a team that includes the Hulk, Clea, Namor, Carnage (now bonded with Eddie Brock) and Laura Kinney, aka Wolverine.
According to Marvel.com, the team will face “demented duplicates” of the Illuminati, the unholy alliance that included Iron Man, Mister Fantastic, Namor and more:
Demented duplicates of the Illuminati are threatening the world, and if they figure out how to work together, they’ll be as unstoppable as the originals. Bucky and Natasha need allies who will do anything to take the duplicates out – but wrangling a team of killers and monsters presents its own dangers. Welcome to the New Thunderbolts* – hope you survive the experience!
“I’m having a blast working on this book with Mr. Humphries and the team,” Lima said. “Look at this lineup… it’s crazy. They’re not here to talk; they jump straight to the action! And that’s the most fun part to draw. None of them are known for taking it easy on the job, so I can’t either.”
Original Thunderbolts artist Mark Bagley did a variant for the first issue:
The Thunderbolts first debuted in 1997 in the wake of the Onslaught crossover and Heroes Reborn, as a new team of heroes hit the scene to protect an Earth that no longer had an Avengers or Fantastic Four. In one of comics greatest swerves, Bagley and writer Kurt Busiek revealed the “heroes” were actually villains in disguise, led by Baron Zemo. The team has gone through numerous rosters and reinventions over the years, from a Suicide Squad-esque turn that saw them working for the government to the Fight Club ripoff that no one really talks about anymore to a group assembled by the Kingpin to serve as New York’s official protectors after vigilantes were deemed illegal.
This new iteration, New Thunderbolts*, will arrive in stores June 11.