Thunderbolts # 110 Review
Author: Warren Ellis
Artist: Mike Deodato Jr.
Colors: Rain Bareo
Goodbye Fabe and Tom; Hello Warren and Mike! This is really should be called the New New Thunderbolts. I really read this with hesitation, because I have seen this formula many times with Marvel. Hey let's take Ellis and put him on a perfectly good book. But hey, I'm not in charge of marketing at Marvel and those guys seem to know what they are doing. After all look how successful Their Fight Club Thunderbolts were.
The team now is made up of Songbird, Radioactive Man, Swordsman, Moonstone, Green Goblin, Venom, Bullseye, and ohh shit....suckass Penance (no not the Generation X character, the suckass one). The focus of the book is still the same formula with a different take. The ex-villains are not attempting to redeem themselves by acting like superheroes; villains now are being forced to go on missions against their wills. With Norman Osborn now running the team, their assignments are to track down and apprehend unregistered superpowered characters....such as Jack Flag (an old Captain America sidekick).
I read this book three times; the first time I just did not like it, because so many of its ideas. Come on How in the hell am I to believe that the public accepts Norman Osborn (an A list villain) and rejects heroes like Captain America? I mean what the fuck?! Where is the credibility in that? Granted it all takes place after Civil War, but come on! Surely the average working Joe in the Marvel U has a better judge of character than that. Anyway...the second time I read it. I threw all that away and just tried to enjoy it as a new story and it was pretty good. The third time I read it, I came to the conclusion this was Suicide Squad and I really really enjoyed the book. There is a very realistic tone to this story that will keep me coming back for more.
I really did enjoy the book, more than I thought I was going to; considering I loved what Nicieza and Grummett were doing with the title. Deodato's art really flatters Ellis' script, particularly the interrogation scenes with Bullseye and Songbird. It also helps that he is inking his own pencils. I'm giving Ellis and Deodato the benefit of the doubt here and sticking with the title. As long as we see as much of Penance as we did in this issue. Thunderbirds are a go! Err I meant Thunderbolts! A
Omar,
Glad you enjoyed the issue. I liked it, and Deodato rocks when he inks his own artwork. The book was beautiful and I'm intrigued to see how this new team of villains comes together.
I don't know much about Jack Flagg, but Ellis' script was solid and easy to follow. The cover to the book was beautiful, and the story has a lot of potential.
I agree with what you said about Norman and Cap though. Norman is one of the most evil men in the Marvel U, after all he has done to my boy Spidey. I can't believe the goverment would work with such an evil bastard. You made a good point about how the people in the Marvel U can't possibly be dumb enough to fear Cap and praise Norman. It makes no sense, hopefully Osborn will get what he deserves later down the line.