Thunderbolts #1 (2023)

Thunderbolts,by way of Nextwave? I didn't hate this?

Ok, I guess we'll play here then. Bucky (Mr. Barnes if you're nasty) takes the convoluted wrap up of what felt like five simultaneously disappointing Cap related titles and puts a very satisfying bow on all of that nonsense. Bucky is going to kill the Red Skull. He's going to use the resources of Contessa Von Veep (Val to her friends) to finance and provide intel to do just that. He's going to get a bunch of people who hate N@z!s to join him.

Then, since a new one always pops up, they're going to do it again. And again. And again. And again.


Its a surprisingly clean cut path considering it has two writers. Its a surprisingly good (and dark) looking book, although there are four pages of action near the end where artist Geraldo Borges feels a little rushed and detail light.


The thing is? I don't think you'll care. It's right on the cusp of having Max level content for violence and language, so that's dialed back with Nextwave style covered profanities that all YOU, the reader, to fill in the blanks for what's being said. Like Nextwave, the characters are also maybe 15% more self aware about how silly this all is, and that they're being read right now. That didn't feel derivative, so I'm in. If it stays this good, I'll raise my grade, but for now this will be the first Thunderbolts #2 I'll be reading.