With the Thunderbolts set to make their much-anticipated live-action debut, Marvel Comics is gearing up to expand the team's presence in their comic universe. The current Thunderbolts squad is already making waves in the "One World Under Doom" crossover event, and fans can look forward to an entirely new Thunderbolts team launching shortly after the film hits the theaters.
Marvel has just unveiled the new series, titled "New Thunderbolts*," crafted by writer Sam Humphries, known for his work on "Uncanny X-Force," and artist Ton Lima, who previously worked on "West Coast Avengers." The cover art for issue #1 is brought to life by Stephen Segovia. You can get a glimpse of the stunning cover below:
While "New Thunderbolts*" is set to ride the wave of the upcoming movie, it introduces a fresh twist with Bucky Barnes as the team leader and a mysterious asterisk in the title. The lineup, however, diverges significantly from the film, featuring newcomers like Clea, Wolverine (Laura Kinney), Namor, Hulk, and Carnage, with Eddie Brock currently embodying the Carnage mantle.
The series kicks off with Bucky and Black Widow confronting a dire threat posed by doppelgangers of the Illuminati, which jeopardizes the entire Marvel Universe. To tackle this crisis, they assemble a new team of formidable yet unpredictable members. Leading such a diverse group of powerful and volatile characters will prove to be a challenging endeavor for Bucky.
Sam Humphries expressed his excitement about the project, stating, "I love every iteration of Thunderbolts. I'm thrilled to continue the franchise's proud tradition of hard-hitting action, powder keg personalities, and explosive surprises into a new era. This is a gang of seven of the biggest badasses and loose cannons from different corners of the Marvel Universe. Assembling a super team is like inviting the right combination of guests to a dinner party. So I imagined a dangerous, disastrous, unhinged Marvel dinner party, and went with that."
Ton Lima shared his enthusiasm as well, saying, "I'm having a blast working on this book with Mr. Humphries and the team. Look at this lineup... it's crazy. They're not here to talk; they jump straight to the action! And that's the most fun part to draw. None of them are known for taking it easy on the job, so I can't either."
"New Thunderbolts* #1" is scheduled for release on June 11, 2025.
For those eager to dive deeper into the Thunderbolts* movie, learn more about Lewis Pullman's portrayal of The Sentry and uncover the significance behind the asterisk in the title.
