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THUNDERBOLTS #60
Recommended (8/10)
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Marvel Comics
Writer: Fabian Nicieza
Pencils: Patrick Zircher
Inks: Al Vey
Colors: Hi-Fi
Letters: Comicraft
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Price: $2.25 US/$3.50 CAN |
From the beginning, Thunderbolts has been built on the idea
of a shifting status quo, and I'm surprised and pleased that the surprises and
changes last, even sixty issues into the run. While Hawkeye has become the true
outlaw, the rest of the team has found themselves in a situation where there's
thematic resonance, but I would never have guessed they were going there. In
addition, while Nicieza has continued to play on the interpersonal dynamics of
the group, he's been joined on art by Patrick Zircher, who does a terrific job
this issue on a variety of settings and characters.
As I've noted many times before, I'm a sucker for alternate worlds, and that's why I've been so happy with most of the material that uses the "Counter Earth" introduced in Heroes Return. Nicieza's take on these alternate world Thunderbolts was entertaining, even if they're only being used for a short guest spot, and Zircher does a simply fantastic job on their visual appearance. In fact, Zircher's approach to the Counter Earth is pretty good in general. There's a sense of things having fallen apart, not unlike what you see in industrialized countries that have suffered harsh economic turmoil or warfare, combined with the post-apocalyptic approach of Road Warrior.
While Counter Earth has seen
more than its fair share of turmoil, the same is true of the Thunderbolts. After
several action-heavy issues, Nicieza gets to focus on some of the big character
changes that have affected the team this issue. The new status quo for Erik
Josten and Dallas Riordan is bizarre, but certainly intriguing, and the team is
still struggling with loss, whether from separation or deaths, and it was also
interesting to see the contrast between Jolt's undiminished sense of heroism and
Abe's desire to live a normal life.
However, while the Counter
Earth story is certainly exciting and interesting, the really intriguing part of
this story is following former Avenger Hawkeye after his jailbreak. In addition
to the moral implications of helping fugitive villains escape the law, we
haven't really seen this type of story told before. Even without a hero in the
middle trying to compromise his values as little as possible, the notion of four
super-powered criminals on the lam is an idea rife with potential. Throw in the
inner conflict of Hawkeye, forced to the front by a confrontation with the law
this issue, and you've got a compelling story.
That isn't to say I don't have my problems with Thunderbolts. Death has become
so incredibly cheap in this title that I don't believe anyone is dead. In fact,
the characters themselves talk about someone coming back as if it was
inevitable, and they're completely serious. It's a somewhat ludicrous state of
affairs, and the constant deaths and returns really need to be scaled back, or
the surprise twists are going to lose even more meaning.
Leaving aside this feeling that the "he's dead!" trick has been used a bit too often, Nicieza's run on Thunderbolts continues to entertain and occasionally
surprise. And with Zircher and Vey on artwork, the title looks as sharp as it
ever has as well.
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