REVIEW: the Thunderbolts #1 [SPOILERS]

[Kieran_Frost]

THE THUNDERBOLTS #1
~ There Is No High Road: PART I ~

writer. Jim Zub
artist. Jon Malin
colorist. Matt Yackey
spoilers:

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: a new Thunderbolts team lead by the Winter Soldier [James Buchanan 'Bucky' Barnes] has infiltrated a S.H.I.E.L.D. base to erase data gathered during the "Pleasant Hill" incident. Upon completing their mission, the team return to their base, to look after their newest member, a fusion of the Cosmic Cube energy called Kobik. After a brief respite, they head on their next mission, to take down on of Nick Fury's so called "outsiders"... ~ cliffhanger: Meteorite [Dr. Karla Sofen, M.D.] challenges anyone who can take her moonstone to try, and they'll become team leader. Kobik thinks it's a fun game, and ripes the moonstone out of Karla's body!!!! [grade: A+]

end of spoilers

~ cover: nothing beats the classic. EVERY 1st issue of Thunderbolts should recreate Bagley's perfection.

LOVED
1. MOONSTONE! As my favourite comic book character, that comes as no surprise. But it was her voice. This is CLASSIC Busiek Karla. I loved Jeff Parker's run, but he never quite got her voice. Karla hasn't sound this authentic since the days of Fabian; and since it was Busiek that made me love her, you can imagine how STOKED I am for this! All her dialogue was dripping in the right amount of arrogance, sophistication, power AND PETTINESS (many forget that part) that made Karla perfection for me.
2. MOONSTONE: Silly boy, you forgot the third option... SENDING YOU TO HELL!
3. MOONSTONE: I cant help it if he fell... and if he's not smart enough to use his boot jets than that's not on me killing him. That's just natural selection.
4. that GORGEOUS red silhouetted shot of the team, that was stunning.
5. Winter Soldier. Okay, well played Zub, in one issue you've made me love him. He's full of such doubt, warmth and concern; plus: sexy sexy!
6. Shirtless Bucky! HELLS, YES!!! I'm in love!
7. the hubristic fall of Karla. I know, big fan, WHAT? Karla was salivating at Kobik, but she was getting lazy, and underestimated her foe. And paid one hell of a price. I love it because Karla only comes back stronger, you only fool her once. Watch out, Kobik!!!

LIKED
1. The art. I know, I know, but me out. It. WORKS! This story has a nostalgic feel, almost like a le Carre novel. And the ol' school art works PERFECTLY in that environment. It's like a haze on the screen of a film, it adds (rather than detracts) from the feel of espionage and past deeds. This isn't a stand alone run, it's a callback to the greatest of Busiek' run
2. I didn't read the past event (I haven't read any event in years), was it called "Standoff" or "Pleasant Hill"? Regardless, I didn't need to read the event to enjoy this; WHICH IS CREDIT TO THE WRITER. He gave us all the exposition we needed, while moving his own story forward. Kudos.
3. Mach-X really does sound best.
4. the 'evac' montage; very cool/not wasting pages on unnecessaries
5. Kobik. New additions are always hard (though a major KUDOS to Zub for adding a new, young member to the team, all the best Thunderbolt writers do Busiek - Jolt/Fabian - Charcoal/Parker - Troll). And I've warmed to her already. How the team treat her, and react to her. Especially Winter Soldier, instantly the "big brother", sooooo cute.
6. "The Man on the Wall" still love that title.
7. Atlas. He was shirtless, and not a complete moron. FINE! Fine, I'll give him ONE MORE CHANCE to not piss me off. Better keep the shirtlessness coming...
8. Bucky getting shirtless to call Steve... oh, the subtext...
9. how cute and creeeeeeeepy Kobik is; a perfect balance of innocence and ultimate power. She's the most dangerous team player, and doesn't even know it. Which plays out beautifully at the end.
10. Bucky being the perfect big brother.
11. the cool lighting use of blue, for reflections off the intel screen, love artists that think outside the box!

OVERALL
In one issue Jim Zub has crafter an engaging story, while delivering a comic that evokes classic Busiek's Thunderbolts. Everyone's voice "sound" well researched and convincing, and the group dynamic really works wonders. Zub has made me care more about this team in one issue than in the entirety of "Redbolts". It's captivating and exciting; and the art works so, SO MUCH BETTER in the context of the story to the point I like it, and want more. SWEET CHRISTMAS! I haven't been this pumped for a Thunderbolts comic since Jeff Parker. It was GLORIOUS!
~ rating: 5 out of 5 [grade: A+]



N.B. Question: what does KDX stand for???