With the Thunderbolts poised to make their much-anticipated live-action debut, Marvel Comics is not letting the excitement wane on the printed page. The current Thunderbolts team is central to the gripping One World Under Doom crossover event, and fans have even more to look forward to. Marvel has just announced the arrival of a brand new Thunderbolts team, aptly titled New Thunderbolts*, which is set to launch shortly after the movie hits the theaters.
The series is penned by acclaimed writer Sam Humphries, known for his work on Uncanny X-Force, and illustrated by Ton Lima, who brought West Coast Avengers to life. The captivating cover art for issue #1 is crafted by Stephen Segovia. Here’s a sneak peek at the cover:
Art by Stephen Segovia. (Image Credit: Marvel)
While New Thunderbolts* is strategically timed to ride the wave of the upcoming movie, it distinguishes itself with a unique team lineup and the intriguing asterisk in its title. Bucky Barnes takes the helm as team leader, joined by an eclectic mix of newcomers to the Thunderbolts, including Clea, Wolverine (Laura Kinney), Namor, Hulk, and Carnage, with Eddie Brock currently embodying the latter.
The series kicks off with Bucky and Black Widow confronting a dire existential threat posed by doppelgangers of the Illuminati. To tackle this crisis, they recruit a formidable new team. However, managing a group of such diverse and volatile personalities will be no small feat for Bucky.
"I love every iteration of Thunderbolts,” Humphries stated in Marvel's press release. “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."
"I'm having a blast working on this book with Mr. Humphries and the team,” Lima added. "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."
Art by Mark Bagley. (Image Credit: Marvel)
New Thunderbolts* #1 is slated for release on June 11, 2025. As anticipation builds, dive deeper into the Thunderbolts* movie, exploring Lewis Pullman's portrayal of The Sentry and the mysterious significance of the asterisk in the title.
