Jonni Thunder (a.k.a. Thunderbolt) Appreciation (2021)

[MajorHoy]

First appearance: Jonni Thunder #1 (February 1985) <4-issue series>

NOTE: For anyone who doesn't understand the "Magnum and Marlowe -- make room!" reference on the cover, Magnum P.I. was a popular TV series in the 1980s, and "Marlowe" is for Philip Marlowe, a character created by Raymond Chandler in novels such as The Big Sleep which also became a movie.

To be continued . . .

[OBrianTallent]

This was such a great little mini series. Dick Giordano was such a master, there's no comparison these days.

[Lee Stone]

It's a shame that Mike W. Barr never got asked to do anything with her, considering his excellent Maze Agency series.

I wouldn't mind seeing her dusted off and paired with Black Lightning in a low-powered crime-drama series, ala Power Man & Iron Fist. Of course, it would be called Thunder & Lightning.

(But please don't let Bendis hear this idea.)

[Restingvoice]

What happened to her?

[MajorHoy]

What happened to her?

As far as I'm aware, she seems to have disappeared once Roy Thomas was no longer writing for DC.

[signalman112]

80's ad.

JohnniThunder.jpg

[Lee Stone]

I do remember that her mini-series came out around the time DC was experimenting with digital coloring and I had a copy of an issue that had gaudy bright coloring which wasn't separated well, with some of the coloring being visible over the black shadows.
Quite unfortunate it happened with her book.

[Thor-Ul]

I would like to see her return but her niche is already occupied.

[MajorHoy]

I would like to see her return but her niche is already occupied.

Which "niche", and by who?

[Lee Stone]

Which "niche", and by who?

The only characters like her that I can think of are all at Marvel: Dakota North, Jessica Jones and Jessica Drew (during her times without superhero powers/costume).

[MajorHoy]

The only characters like her that I can think of are all at Marvel: Dakota North, Jessica Jones and Jessica Drew (during her times without superhero powers/costume).

But did Dakota North have any powers?

And with the two Jessicas, were either of them private detectives before they gained any powers?

[OBrianTallent]

But did Dakota North have any powers?

And with the two Jessicas, were either of them private detectives before they gained any powers?

Dakota has no powers. Jessica Drew emerged from her stasis with her powers prior to joining HYDRA so she is a definite no. Jones I think likewise became a PI after powers.

I wish someone would remember this classic character exists and do right by her.

[Lee Stone]

Well, I kinda like her as a detective without the powers, myself. But that's just me.
I think she'd be a great character to go powerless, because she already has the PI skills.

Maybe have her keep a 'spider-sense' type thing, like Elongated Man's nose twitch, but with her she just feels an electric vibration or tingle when her detective intuition picks up on a suspicious thing or clue.

[MajorHoy]

Well, I kinda like her as a detective without the powers, myself. But that's just me.
I think she'd be a great character to go powerless, because she already has the PI skills.

Maybe have her keep a 'spider-sense' type thing, like Elongated Man's nose twitch, but with her she just feels an electric vibration or tingle when her detective intuition picks up on a suspicious thing or clue.

But if you're talking about Jessica Drew / Spider-Woman, she still would fall into the category of a superheroine who started working as a P.I. after she had already been a costumed hero.

Jonni Thunder had her experience as a detective prior to gaining powers, so different "niche".

[MajorHoy]

A few more pages from issue #1: