Thunderbolts

My review:
http://panelsonpages.com/?p=12822

I'm a little worried about this book under Jeff Parker. Apparently his first story arc is the Thunderbolts vs Agents of Atlas. I understand that Agents of Atlas had a small but devoted audience but geez I would have thought a new writer starting on a book might want to do something other than shoehorn his old book into the new one.

What's the difference? The book is full of C and D-level characters at this point all around.

I just dropped this, but if Jeff's arc is good maybe I'll get the trade.

When Andy Diggle moved on the book, I left it alone. Mark Miller's run was amazing.

andy546 wrote:When Andy Diggle moved on the book, I left it alone. Mark Miller's run was amazing.

Millar has never written the Thunderbolts...

As for Jeff Parker, he's the only reason I even plan to read Thunderbolts again (which I dropped early into Fabian Nicieza's run). I eagerly look forward to the TPB.

Aussiemandias wrote:I'm a little worried about this book under Jeff Parker. Apparently his first story arc is the Thunderbolts vs Agents of Atlas. I understand that Agents of Atlas had a small but devoted audience but geez I would have thought a new writer starting on a book might want to do something other than shoehorn his old book into the new one.

I think he just really loves the characters so I can't really blame him for wanting to include them. And as a fan of both books, I would love to see a T-bolts/AoA showdown.

Joshua wrote:

andy546 wrote:When Andy Diggle moved on the book, I left it alone. Mark Miller's run was amazing.

Millar has never written the Thunderbolts...

As for Jeff Parker, he's the only reason I even plan to read Thunderbolts again (which I dropped early into Fabian Nicieza's run). I eagerly look forward to the TPB.

Sorry... I ment Warren Ellis. I somehow got the two mixed up

#138 was kind of boring. But it seems like Parker's got a good handle on the characters, so hopefully it'll pick up next issue.

rwe1138 wrote:#138 was kind of boring. But it seems like Parker's got a good handle on the characters, so hopefully it'll pick up next issue.

if not i will drop this book

rwe1138 wrote:#138 was kind of boring. But it seems like Parker's got a good handle on the characters, so hopefully it'll pick up next issue.

Yep I thought it was very ordinary and now I'm concerned. And while I think he may have the characters sounding about right I thought he was lacking the sense of humour Diggle had with them. I don't know I just found something very unengaging about the way this was written.

And I still think if your first move as a writer on a new book is to bring in the characters from the previous book you were writing then which characters are you actually committed to? There's a real risk the Thunderbolts characters will become the supporting characters.

Thunderbolts #138

Wow, I'm seeing lots of negative reviews on this book. While I wasn't the biggest fan of that double sized issue last month, I enjoyed this. I was a fairly simple story but it showed the lack of trust and continuity within the team. I think the point of this issue is that the Thunderbolts are set for a downfall. I enjoyed this issue like one would a b-movie. There's no stars. There's perhaps really no point. But it was mindless, senseless, pleasure.

This is Jeff Parker's book. And I think he knows his niche of fans. Do you think most of his AOA followers also bought Thunderbolts? It would make sense if they did. I guess there's no scientific proof of this, but I enjoyed the transition of this issue towards the next arc. The Thunderbolts got together, got out in the field of battle after not doing much, and got prepared and set-up for this battle against AoA. What's wrong with that? And as long as these covers are this beautiful, it's going to be awfully difficult to drop this book. Let's see what happens.

3.5/5 Thunderbolts - Good transition story

Bigtymin504 wrote:

Aussiemandias wrote:I'm a little worried about this book under Jeff Parker. Apparently his first story arc is the Thunderbolts vs Agents of Atlas. I understand that Agents of Atlas had a small but devoted audience but geez I would have thought a new writer starting on a book might want to do something other than shoehorn his old book into the new one.

I think he just really loves the characters so I can't really blame him for wanting to include them. And as a fan of both books, I would love to see a T-bolts/AoA showdown.

I have to agree with Aussie. Personally, I fear this will turn into a AoA glorification title. Expect the AoA to go town on the Thunderbolts with snarky comments from a certain gorilla, and girl Namor acting like Namor but due to a lack of stuck-up-edness, it's sweet delicious sass.


Yeah, I'm not a fan of AoA and anything they show up in. I can't care for the characters and whenever I read their series or when they show up in another, I feel as "their awesomeness according to Parker" is being jammed down my throat.

LOOSECANNON wrote:Thunderbolts #138

I think the point of this issue is that the Thunderbolts are set for a downfall.

But we've known that for awhile now. To dedicate a whole issue to it seems pointless.

Yeah, I guess the point was to have this new team of Z-listers fight together and be prepared before a "real" battle. Not that taking on conga armies in Venezuela is easy, but you know

i thought this issue was pretty good.

Dr. Wade Fucking McNasty wrote:

Bigtymin504 wrote:

Aussiemandias wrote:I'm a little worried about this book under Jeff Parker. Apparently his first story arc is the Thunderbolts vs Agents of Atlas. I understand that Agents of Atlas had a small but devoted audience but geez I would have thought a new writer starting on a book might want to do something other than shoehorn his old book into the new one.

I think he just really loves the characters so I can't really blame him for wanting to include them. And as a fan of both books, I would love to see a T-bolts/AoA showdown.

I have to agree with Aussie. Personally, I fear this will turn into a AoA glorification title. Expect the AoA to go town on the Thunderbolts with snarky comments from a certain gorilla, and girl Namor acting like Namor but due to a lack of stuck-up-edness, it's sweet delicious sass.


Yeah, I'm not a fan of AoA and anything they show up in. I can't care for the characters and whenever I read their series or when they show up in another, I feel as "their awesomeness according to Parker" is being jammed down my throat.

Gotta disagree with you big time Wade. I loved the Agents book, it was so different from most other superhero books on the stands right now. Just my opinion of course.

Thunderbolts #138

I thought this was a solid set up issue for Jeff Parker, nothing spectacular but he's just getting his feet wet with the team. But I still enjoyed the gratuitous violence in the jungles of South America lol. I'm liking the make up of this team so far, Mister X is a freakin unstoppable killer and Ant-Man is a great comic relief. He and Paladin are so out of place on this team yet they still work somehow. Personally, I'm glad we're gonna see Thunderbolts vs Agents of Atlas next arc...Parker really knows those characters so the showdown should be epic.

Dr. Wade Fucking McNasty wrote:
Yeah, I'm not a fan of AoA and anything they show up in. I can't care for the characters and whenever I read their series or when they show up in another, I feel as "their awesomeness according to Parker" is being jammed down my throat.

You pretty much summed up my thoughts on them here too. Guess it looks like we've got some real divided opinions on Parker's first issue. Good for discussion!

Bigtymin504 wrote:

Dr. Wade Fucking McNasty wrote:

Bigtymin504 wrote:

Aussiemandias wrote:I'm a little worried about this book under Jeff Parker. Apparently his first story arc is the Thunderbolts vs Agents of Atlas. I understand that Agents of Atlas had a small but devoted audience but geez I would have thought a new writer starting on a book might want to do something other than shoehorn his old book into the new one.

I think he just really loves the characters so I can't really blame him for wanting to include them. And as a fan of both books, I would love to see a T-bolts/AoA showdown.

I have to agree with Aussie. Personally, I fear this will turn into a AoA glorification title. Expect the AoA to go town on the Thunderbolts with snarky comments from a certain gorilla, and girl Namor acting like Namor but due to a lack of stuck-up-edness, it's sweet delicious sass.


Yeah, I'm not a fan of AoA and anything they show up in. I can't care for the characters and whenever I read their series or when they show up in another, I feel as "their awesomeness according to Parker" is being jammed down my throat.

Gotta disagree with you big time Wade. I loved the Agents book, it was so different from most other superhero books on the stands right now. Just my opinion of course.

It's all good. I know alot of people liked him and maybe I'll like him when he's doing someone else other than AoA (like I was with Pak and Hulk - I was not fan of some of his stuff but love his Hercules series (and his take on Spider0man when he showed up in Hercules)). Different folks different strokes.

Aussiemandias wrote:

Dr. Wade Fucking McNasty wrote:
Yeah, I'm not a fan of AoA and anything they show up in. I can't care for the characters and whenever I read their series or when they show up in another, I feel as "their awesomeness according to Parker" is being jammed down my throat.

You pretty much summed up my thoughts on them here too. Guess it looks like we've got some real divided opinions on Parker's first issue. Good for discussion!

Indeed. I'll check it out and hope he does a good job with this one, but I'm wary of what is to come when he takes the helm.

#139 was decent. Ant-Man gets the best lines, natch, and Scourge's reaction to Venus's powers was interesting. I'm not a huge A0A fan though, so their appearance did nothing for me.

Thunderbolts #137 & #138

Just read these earlier this week. #137 was just meh. It didn't really do much for me. I love Iron Fist and Luke Cage, but I was kinda bored by the issue. Also, I'm getting a little tired of the inconsistencies with Iron Fist's costume. He got a new one yet he is still draw in his old one quite often.

#138 was better IMO. I love this team even though I had no exposure to any of the characters prior to them joining Thunderbolts (except for Ant-Man, I LOVED Irredeemable Ant-Man and his short tenure in Avengers: The Initiative). I love all the back stabbing going on. I hope that Parker can do as well as Ellis and Diggle before him. I think based on his first issue that he has the potential to do great.

Thunderbolts #139

I know a lot of you jumped off this with the turnoff-for-some that was Thunderbolts #137, and then many of you complained about the no-name cast in #138. Well, I'm here to tell you that this book, despite no NAMES (other than the Agents of Atlas, if you even consider them names, considering their book got relegated to back-up status), is just fun. The quips from Ant-Man are well adjusted, Paladin thinks he's a lot more dangerous than he really is, Skourge is a lot smarter than we all think, and Mr. X is David Caradine, resurrected. The battle between this group and that of Jimmy Woo's ends up one of the year's best. Panel for panel, this fight is active and robust, full of surprise, and with satisfactory results. What does this all do for the Thunderbolts as a crew? It certainly doesn't help them sell comics; if anything, it disassembles them. All of this enjoyment of these "nameless" foes will pay off come Seige. I can't wait.

4/5 - Surprise of the week?

Thunderbolts #139

I loved it. I'm still really digging this book. I love the cast. The fact that other than Ant-Man I didn't know these characters prior to this book is kinda nice. I get to discover them while reading.

I know nothing of the Agents of Atlas, but I liked them here.

Thunderbolts #139

I was a big fan of Jeff Parker's Agents of Atlas book, so this is right up my alley. Parker is doing a great job with the Thunderbolts team dynamic just like he did with the AoA team. The part with Scourge losing it at the end was crazy! Purple guts?