THUNDERBOLTS #60
"Brave New World?"
Recommended (7/10)
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Marvel Comics
Writer: Fabian Nicieza
Pencils: Patrick Zircher
Inks: Al Vey
Colors: Hi-Fi Design
Letters: Comicraft
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Price: $2.25 US/$3.50 CAN |
When I was a kid, first discovering the vast shared continuity of super-hero comics, I was in awe. With each new comic book, I encountered new faces, new costumes, new powers. It always made for a wondrous experience, and a little part of me still enjoys super-hero comics full of colorful characters. Thunderbolts fits the bill. Though the ongoing plotlines makes this a hard title to delve into for new readers, the variety of characters and the intelligence behind some of the subplots draws one in.
The Thunderbolts find themselves on an alternate version of Earth, the one created by Franklin Richards and briefly inhabited by the Avenvers and Fantastic Four. Without the influence of those heroes, though, Counter-Earth is plagued by anarchy, and a new group of heroes -- led by an alternate version of the original Baron Zemo -- tries to fill the void. They, too, are the Thunderbolts. Meanwhile, Hawkeye and three super-villain prison escapees continue to run from the law.
Zircher's art has improved a great deal since he signed on as this title's regular penciller. His earlier issues boasted cramped panels and hard-to-follow action. How things have changed. He juggles the many characters with ease, and incorporates them into a verbose script. Designs for new characters are always striking as well. He's really made this book and these characters his own.
Counter-Earth has to be one of the most contrived and inaccessible concepts that Marvel has going these days, and I honestly don't have a lot of interest in it. However, it does open the door for Nicieza to put together an entertaining and interesting new group of Thunderbolts, and it makes for some interesting character interaction among the "real" T-Bolts.
The most interesting aspect of this title at the moment is the Hawkeye-chain gang subplot. Nicieza is treating super-villains not as flashy plot devices, but as criminals on the run, looking to keep a low profile, and it makes for believable storytelling in an fantastic context. I can't wait to see where Nicieza is headed with this storyline.
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