Thunderbolts Appreciation 2020

[H-E-D]

I was thinking of Matthew Rosenberg but typed James Robinson LOL. Rosenberg's X-men work was atrocious and I've yet to read anything good written by him.

I'd rather Rosenberg than Robinson, honestly.

That being said, I'm not supremely fond of this concept for the Tbolts being used again – I wasn't fond of it back in Rosenberg's Punisher either. The cast itself isn't bad per se; it's just lacking members like Songbird and Moonstone, who have provided the connective tissues throughout most eras of the team.

Overall, this looks like an homage to the Ellis Thunderbolts, especially with that cover. It's not what I want them doing with the team but I'd rather this than a revival of the Red Hulk iteration.

[K7P5V]

It's a good thing. I hated that she left the Avengers to go back to the Thunderbolts.
She should move on and go full Avenger.

Agreed. The prophecy must be fulfilled (at least according to Busiek's timeline from Avengers Forever):

[Digifiend]

The creative team weren't forward thinking, were they? Probably wasn't smart to use Jack of Hearts there (he was killed off in Avengers Disassembled, blowing up and killing Ant-Man), instead of someone more likely to remain on the team long term. And Janet no longer looked like that by the 90s - she looks like she did in the 60s. Janet was always a chameleon, she's not the type to revert to a retro costume.

[K7P5V]

The creative team weren't forward thinking, were they? Probably wasn't smart to use Jack of Hearts there (he was killed off in Avengers Disassembled, blowing up and killing Ant-Man), instead of someone more likely to remain on the team long term. And Janet no longer looked like that by the 90s - she looks like she did in the 60s. Janet was always a chameleon, she's not the type to revert to a retro costume.

LOL! Couldn't agree with you more about Jan's costume choices, Digifiend.

And about Jack... I know many consider him a wildcard, but I've always thought he had great potential. Probably needs a creative team that cares, I guess.

[Timber Wolf-By-Night]

That's Busiek writing that scene. I can't remember if Avengers Forever came out before, during, or after the Steve Englehart-penned Avengers mini that had him team up with a group of Avengers in space, but that mini did come out during Busiek's run. Jack of Hearts didn't join until Geoff Johns' run, which was immediately after Busiek. So actually Busiek kinda WAS being "forward-thinking." But after he left, seemingly no writer after him had any interest in having Songbird join the Avengers until Waid's run. I guess she's too much identified as a Thunderbolt in Marvel's mind. (Actually, at this point, I'm shocked nobody at Marvel has tried to undo her conversion to being a hero like they usually do with any villain who reforms. They keep putting Zemo, Moonstone, Fixer, and Atlas back on the wrong side of the tracks, after all.)

TL/DR: One writer's "prophecy" of what will happen is another writer's "like HELL that'll ever happen."

[Agent Z]

What the hell? Thunderbolts, fighting symbiotes, and they don't use the girl with sonic powers - one of Venom's weaknesses - who was on the original roster?

Do the symbiotes still have that weakness?

[Digifiend]

Most do, unless they've been turned into a Poison (see Venomized).

[stingray]

That's Busiek writing that scene. I can't remember if Avengers Forever came out before, during, or after the Steve Englehart-penned Avengers mini that had him team up with a group of Avengers in space, but that mini did come out during Busiek's run. Jack of Hearts didn't join until Geoff Johns' run, which was immediately after Busiek. So actually Busiek kinda WAS being "forward-thinking." But after he left, seemingly no writer after him had any interest in having Songbird join the Avengers until Waid's run. I guess she's too much identified as a Thunderbolt in Marvel's mind. (Actually, at this point, I'm shocked nobody at Marvel has tried to undo her conversion to being a hero like they usually do with any villain who reforms. They keep putting Zemo, Moonstone, Fixer, and Atlas back on the wrong side of the tracks, after all.)

TL/DR: One writer's "prophecy" of what will happen is another writer's "like HELL that'll ever happen."

Jack of Hearts actually joined in Busiek's run. He was brought in for the huge Kang storyline, and stuck around after.

[Blu_Spyder]

rosenberg's hawkeye is one of the best books of the year

Cosigned on that one, plus if there is a sequel to Freefall, Matt Rosenberg & Otto Schmidt seemed receptive to putting Songbird. and Diamondback (those two are former SHIELD agents) to help Mockingbird put the boots to Clint if he "breaks bad" and adding Moonstone as well

[Dermie]

The creative team weren't forward thinking, were they? Probably wasn't smart to use Jack of Hearts there (he was killed off in Avengers Disassembled, blowing up and killing Ant-Man), instead of someone more likely to remain on the team long term. And Janet no longer looked like that by the 90s - she looks like she did in the 60s. Janet was always a chameleon, she's not the type to revert to a retro costume.

Jack Of Hearts was not an Avenger yet when AVENGERS FOREVER came out -- he hadn't even turned up in the run yet. His inclusion in that scene was intended to demonstrate that it was in the future and to foreshadow Busiek's intention to add Jack to the team as well.

[Kingkalamari]

Rosenberg's series seems fine for a miniseries, I dont particularly care for the redesign of Batroc (seems very "we are too cool to use that goofy costume!"), and Taskmaster not wearing his mask on a mission feels very off brand(and weird he looks just like Steve Rogers, unless it is Steve Rogers pretending to be Taskmaster which would be kinda cool) and looks like we get two new characters who are either there to die or maybe will be coming around again later. I would love a miniseries follow up that at least gives Zub's cliffhangers conclusive explanation to what happened to Songbird(She was at Wiccan's wedding which is nice), Ghost, Jolt, and Mach X. If the rumors are true about MCU Bolts, I feel like its inevitable to get a more proper series given the track record of runs being made to run parallel to MCU stuff.

Also hope if Leah Williams gets a non-X team book, we see Erik on that book. She wrote him great in the Giant Man miniseries and then even used him briefly in Gwenpool, I like she writes him as legitimately trying to be a better person and atone for his mistakes hes made.

[juan678]

[Hypestyle]

how many issues did the Luke Cage era last?

[Yin&Yang]

how many issues did the Luke Cage era last?

30 issues I think. From Thunderbolt issue 144-174

[juan678]