What a fun surprise! After seeing the new Thunderbolts* movie in the theater a few weeks ago, I was excited to jump into this Thunderbolts Epic Collection Trade Paperback…and it didn’t disappoint! Filled with charming villain-turned heroes, Bonker brings together a surprising and enjoyable Thunderbolts, a battle with deep Cutbuds and several tragic relationship dramas targeting death.
Written primarily by Kurt Busiek, Joe Casey, and Fabian Niceza, this plot of Thunderbolts Collection is adjacent to being meaningless at times, but that does not undermine the solid writing and legitimate character development found throughout ARCS. Plus, the art of Mark Bagley, Leonardo Manco, Norm Brayfogle and Richard Howell are really happy to flip through this trade with Joe Rothus and Tom Smith colouring.
Amazing
This epic collection edits Thunderbolts #26-41, and Avengers Annual 2000 and Thunderbolts Annual 2000. Interestingly, a lot happens during this Thunderbolts run, but it definitely doesn’t seem to be underestimated for complex teams. The team’s Marvel Fandom Page turns the entire run of this 15 publication into less than two paragraphs. This is an incredibly inadequate summary of the major events that befall characters such as Hawkeye, Songbird, and Moonstone.
The trade begins with a massive Bang, featuring an absolutely gorgeous story drawn by Bagley and Pussy. I’ve noticed that the action sequences are amazing and that I spend more time on these Bagley pages than some of the other issues. The majority of the collection focuses on the team reenergizing a more heroic life with Hawkeye as leaders, with MACH-1 imprisoned and presenting on a mystical new base. New characters like Jolt and Charcoal, the winners of Wizard Magazine’s “Create-a-Villain” contest, have an ongoing romantic tension between Clint and Carla, who add spice to their teams.
Amazing
Overall, this Thunderbolts Epic Collection Edition is a fun time, but there are two much doubtful choices from both author Fabian Nicieza (I love that writing!) that gave me a big pause. First of all, I think it was a terrible decision to kill the shock in No. 34. She eventually returned, but the ironic electric teen was at the heart of the team, and her death was a huge loss to the social dynamics of lightning. Secondly, and more importantly, Nishieza decided to take back Mach-1…but he changed him from white to visually black man. Yes… you read it correctly. To get to know his true identity and get away from the public, Techno/Ogre used technology to turn him into a black man.
This plot felt very unnecessary, even if Nishieza was trying to show the effects of modern racism. Thirty years before this issue debuted, Lois Lane was transformed into a black woman for a day to show the experiences of American black people…and it feels like this plot has added nothing to an already controversial moment in comic history. Abe’s visual transformation into a black man led to an incredibly nasty racism from his longtime girlfriend, Sombard. I’m sure someone smarter than me can write a really thoughtful way of thinking about this moment, but for me it felt inappropriate from the field on the left.
If you enjoy early 2000s comics, things related to lightning, or stories of superheroes with an incredible amount of hearts, I think this book is worth it. It was a fun read, even if some of the weird, suspicious and offensive things were scattered around there, I promise! If you are an avid collector of Marvel’s epic collection, this will add solidly to your shelf, and I even managed to see you read this again in a few months.
‘Thunderbolts Epic Collection: Deated for Death’ TPB is an amazingly fun time and has a really insane twist
Thunderbolts Epic Collection: Targeting death
If you enjoy early 2000s comics, things related to lightning, or stories of superheroes with an incredible amount of hearts, I think this book is worth it. Even some of the strange things scattered there, it was a fun read, I promise! If you’re an epic collection of Marvels from avid collectors, this will definitely add to your shelf, and I’ve even managed to see you read this again in a few months.
An exciting and wild plot
Character development is really strong
The art remains dynamic and vibrant
Some plots feel complicated and out of place
The whole “Abe” is now black” The plot is strange
Killing the shock felt like it hurt the series
