When Kurt Busiek and Mark Bagley launched the original Thunderbolts, I was fascinated. It was a great super-hero concept, bringing darker characters and interesting ethical questions to the forefront. Nicieza and Grummett capture that same sort of energy and originality here. The appeal that T-Bolts offered the first time around is recreated here, but Nicieza brings a freshness to the core elements at the same time. Now, toward the end of the previous series's run, I felt that accessibility was a major problem for the book, but Nicieza has left that weakness behind. The T-Bolts' history plays a part here, but new readers can dive right in without worrying about being lost.
Abe Jenkins, formerly known as the villainous Beetle, is fully reformed and has emerged from jail to take on a new identity: MACH-4. In the wake of the dissolution of the Avengers, he's decided to re-establish the Thunderbolts, not only to help fill the void but to give others like himself a chance to turn their lives around. Songbird, Abe's one-time girlfriend, discovers that among his new recruits is Blizzard, the cold-powered villain who often fought Iron Man. Their heroic endeavor begins just as it's needed, as a team of amphibious baddies attacks New York.
Grummett's crisp, clear and light style suits the traditional tone of this super-hero team book perfectly. His tweak of the MACH-1/2/3 designs for the new MACH-4 look is sharp, bringing a sleek, modern look to the book, but I love that some of the older, simpler designs -- such as the Blizzard's costumes -- are still around with maintain color and personality.
I'm overwhelmed by how accessible this first issue is. Nicieza doesn't allow the exposition to dominate the dialogue either. There's a sense that the background information is revealed naturally. I also appreciate how the plotting is both accelerated and lesiurely at the same time. There's an energetic, even frantic tone to the action at times here, and it fosters an air of excitement. At the same time, Nicieza only incorporates even half of the cast of characters here. The cover shows us this team is far from fully formed, and I look forward to the added dynamics the others characters will bring.
Villains working to become heroes. Check. An incorporation of diverse and lesser-known characters from the Marvel Universe. Check. A leader who's keeping a secret agenda/background from his teammates. Check. And former villains acting less than heroically and ideally, resulting in even more secrets. Check. Nicieza has followed the Thunderbolts formula to the letter, but at the same time, he hasn't rehashed anything from the previous series. Though he strikes all of the right notes here, it's as though he's doing so with different instruments. The music is familiar, but the arrangement is new. 8/10
