THUNDERBOLTS #57
"Storm Clouds Gathering"
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 |
It's been a while since I reviewed an issue of Thunderbolts. I've been meaning to get to it, but I either ran out of time or just didn't have much to say about the book. Keep reading... I've got plenty to say now.
Ever since this title debuted, I've had a soft spot for it. My childhood love for super-hero comics and the vast array of characters in a shared continuity persists today. I love seeing lots of characters, but I also enjoy strong characterization and unpredictable plots. Thunderbolts boasts all of those qualities. It's just a shame that it lacks one key trait: accessibility.
Graviton has begun the unimaginable: he's literally reshaping the planet in his own image, much to the horror of his allies, Moonstone and the Fixer. With the world's metahumans incapacitated, only Citizen V (controlled by the consciousness of the villainous Baron Zemo), the powerless MACH-2 and Songbird, and a surprised empowered Dallas Riordan have the slightest chance to prevent tragedy.
Though I've enjoyed much of his work in the past, Zircher's efforts on previous issues of Thunderbolts didn't quite click for me. I found his panels crowded and the action occasionally unclear. I'm pleased to find that's not the case this month. He seems to be settling into his new monthly gig nicely now. He conveys the enormity of Graviton's power with seeming ease, and it's easy to follow the rather large cast of characters. And if you enjoy super-hero comics at all, you're going to love the double spread on pages two and three.
Yeah, I enjoy the expansive cast of colorful characters, mainly because Nicieza does such a good job of fleshing them all out. Unfortunately, it does make for a need for a lot of background information for new readers. And they're not going to find all of that information here. If any Marvel title is absolutely begging for a "Previously In..." feature, it's T-Bolts.
Another aspect of the book adding to that inaccessible quality is the complexity of the plot, but it's also one of the title's strengths. Nicieza is tying a slew of plotlines back together with this climactic Graviton storyline. The writer has obviously planned this story out meticulously, and I love how he still manages to maintain the same theme that's been at the heart of the book since its first issue: redemption.
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