Avengers/Thunderbolts #1
Originally Presented at Comixtreme.com.
Quick Rating: Great
Title: The Cause of Justice
The Thunderbolts are making the world a better place. So why are the Avengers upset?
Writers: Kurt Busiek & Fabian Nicieza
Pencils: Barry Kitson
Inks: Gary Erskine
Colors: Brian Reber
Letters: Albert Deschesne
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Cover Art: Barry Kitson
Publisher: Marvel Comics
REVIEW: This book is exactly what I needed.
Not so long ago, Avengers and Thunderbolts were my two favorite Marvel comics month after month. Then Thunderbolts abandoned the characters I’d grown to care about and got cancelled in six months, and Avengers was hurt by Geoff Johns going exclusive to DC and leaving the book without a rudder. Putting the two teams together with the writers that made them great only a few years ago is a fantastic move, and it results in a fantastic first issue.
Since the first Thunderbolts series essentially ended, the team of villains-turned heroes have been wandering the world, putting down despots, capturing stockpiles of nasty weapons and generally making the world a better place. Back home, former Thunderbolts leader Hawkeye is pleased as punch, while Captain America is none too happy at the way these ostensive heroes are taking matters into their own hands.
Only one thing hurts this series, and it’s something the creative team had no control over - the story, at least in this first issue, feels very similar to the recent JSA/Hawkman crossover “Black Reign.” In that story, however, the Justice Society was angered by the actions of former teammates - here the Avengers are taking a stand against former enemies, giving the book a different feel.
Busiek and Nicieza pick up right where they left off, taking a few moments to show the Thunderbolts’ new place in the world and checking in on characters that, while not with either team anymore, haven’t seen a lot of action lately such as Warbird and Mach-3. Every character is written dead-on in character, and it’s like no time has passed at all. If this issue had been published as Thunderbolts #76, guest-starring the Avengers, I never would have known the difference.
Barry Kitson is one of the best artists in comics - he makes his women look strong and beautiful at the same time while his men are rough-and-ready. He draws one of the best mainstream Captain Americas since Ron Garney, and a brief prologue sequence featuring one of Baron Zemo’s ancestors has me itching for Kitson to try his hand at a high fantasy comic. The only artistic complaint one might have is Moonstone’s costume - it’s just plain ugly. Then again, I think every costume Moonstone has ever had has been pretty ugly.
This issue tears me in half. On the one hand, I want issue two right now. On the other hand, I want it to last as long as possible. If you’ve ever been a fan of either team, get this book, and let’s all cross our fingers and hope for a new Thunderbolts series to rise from the ashes when all is said and done.
Rating: 4.5/4
Note: Not only did the Thunderbolts, obviously, return following this series, but New Thunderbolts has since abdicated to the original, going back to the original title and numbering. If you accept this six-issue miniseries as Thunderbolts #76-81, you'd never know the difference.