Civil War: Thunderbolts

Thunderbolts (2006) (Collected Editions) #1

by Fabian Nicieza, Tom Grummett (Artist)

The superhuman registration act has been signed into law - sides are being chosen - but what side do our former villains fall on? Well... their identities are already public knowledge - and they sure can get good publicity by hunting down renegade heroes, so... time for the T-Bolts to kick some spandex butt! Plus: Zemo and Songbird? When did that happen? A new base, a new mission statement, and a new outlook face the no-longer-new Thunderbolts! But why have so many Thunderbolts agreed to Zemo's plans? What role does the Grandmaster and his "Squadron Sinister" play in the gambit? And can there be anything worse than having the fate of the universe lie in the hands of Zemo? We're thinking, yes... but wait until you see whose hands our fate does lie in!

Collecting: Thunderbolts 101-105

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Marvel, Civil War, Superheroes, Comic Book, Fiction

120 pages, Paperback

First published May 2, 2007

About the author

Fabian Nicieza is a writer and editor who is best known as the co-creator of DEADPOOL and for his work on Marvel titles such as X-Men, X-Force, New Warriors, and Robin.

His first novel, the Edgar Award-nominated SUBURBAN DICKS, a sarcastic murder mystery, is on sale now from Putnam Books.

The Dicks will return in THE SELF-MADE WIDOW, coming June 21st.

Reviews

[Jim C · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a supplemental piece to the Marvel story event of Civil War. In this one, the Thunderbolts are collecting villains for the government while established heroes are wondering if Zemo and his gang can be trusted.

I liked this collection but I believe my limited knowledge of the Thunderbolts did affect my rating. There were two stories in this collection. The first is the current events of this team in their comic run and then the crossover event of Civil War. I really enjoyed the Civil War aspect as I liked the interaction with the more established characters. I loved the insight into Zemo as we get to see how calculating he is with his plans and wonder if he is legit with his side change or more to it than meets the eye. Unfortunately, the part of the collection that dealt with the Thunderbolts current events were lost in me. I did like where they were going with it and it did peak my interest that I might check it out later. This collection's artwork is terrific so I enjoyed that too.

I am getting to the lesser known pieces of the Civil War story and it is starting to show. I liked this collection but I believe this is meant more for readers that have a pointed interest in this team of characters.

[Dan · Rating 3 out of 5]

First time I have ever read any Thunderbolts. It is a very nice concept for the books, but this one particular volume did not impress me. I really enjoyed the civil war storyline, and this helped fill in some minute details I was unaware of. The start of this book was kind of slow, and I think it was included because of the whole back story about freeing the heroes from the N zone prison during the Civil War, as Zemo had future knowledge of events.

[Gavin · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5 Stars if I could...just better than 1 star. Doesn't help to have a bunch of D-List characters in your book, especially if they're not all that compelling. Baron Zemo is about the only thing of mild interest here...I pretty much skimmed until they came into contact with the Civil War (both sides). Even then, with a bunch of characters I've never seen before or know much about, (other than a couple) there's not much to make me care about here.

Avoid unless you've already been following Thunderbolts, or you're a Civil War completist.

[Simon · Rating 1 out of 5]

Contained some insanely important plot developments to understand the main story, but otherwise wasn't particularly keen. Probably because this was my first encounter with the Thunderbolts, so I had no idea who any of them were or what they were about.

[Matt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kind of boring. But I gave it a 3 star because the art was well done. I just could not get into this one.

[Brenda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Adds absolutely nothing to the Civil War storyline, and is pretty boring too.

[Daniel Sevitt · Rating 2 out of 5]

Working my way through the Civil War side issues. This didn't work for me, mostly because I just don't care about these characters. I read the very first arc of Thunderbolts when their true identities were first revealed, but I didn't know enough about these D-list baddies before then for it to matter beyond the surprise. 100 issues later and it's still attempting to deliver a psychological soap opera with people whose names I can't get straight with powers I don't remember plotting deceptions I can't fathom. Meh to the max.

[Eddie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know this is very late but I started breaking up with Marvel due to the Civil War and rarely look back. Those web site sales tricked me, 2.99 I will try it. Nicieza wisely put a better plot within the Civil War plot and Zemo might be the best good Bad guy ever written. Or is the best bad Good guy. Sad it end in a cliffhanger and my childhood fav, Nighthawk, looks like a loser. Art was Ross' best, love it.

[B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Songbird and Zemo? Yuck. It's not clear who is playing who but even as a pretense, it's unlikable.

The book wisely turns the pages on the weirded stuff in Nicieza's previous work and largely becomes a matter of Zemo collecting supervillains for some sort of great conjunction where it is obvious that he will try to steal power to set the Earth right.

Separately, there's a plot where Joystick beats up the Squadron Supreme. Really? And maybe Delilah will take on Thanos.

[Ben · Rating 5 out of 5]

Used this book as a way to get to know some of the more obscure characters in the Marvel universe, and honestly didn't expect to enjoy it so much. Zemo and Songbird make for a superb central pairing, around which swirls a complex web of plans, goals and morality. Civil War remains one of the most interesting backdrops for any Marvel story, and this Thunderbolts arc fits it perfectly. It's a great read even now, almost 20 years on.

[Steven W · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been avoiding the civil war books because I know how they end, but this was much better than I imagined!!

[James DeSantis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Better than the last volume. Basically Zemo plotting how he'll save the world while being the "hero" some cool moments with Cap and now I'm digging Songbirds angle.

[MannyLikesPie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Slow in the first 2 issues because I’m not familiar with these characters but the last 3, wow. Really great, excited to see what’s next, I’ll read up to the dark avengers I think

[Fizzgig76 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reprints Thunderbolts (2) #101-105 (June 2006-October 2006). A war is coming, and it isn’t the Civil War. As the Thunderbolts regroup, they find that the Grandmaster has reassembled the Squadron Sinister with plans for Earth. Using the Civil War as a cover, the Thunderbolts are assembling an army of villains to combat the Grandmaster…but who is plotting against whom? The Thunderbolts have always have always skirted the edge of being heroes, but as in a world where Captain America is a renegade, could Baron Zemo be a hero?

Written by Fabian Nicieza and illustrated by Tom Grummett (with additional art by Dave Ross), Civil War: Thunderbolts ties in with Marvel’s big crossover event Civil War. The series picks up after Thunderbolts returned to its original numbering from New Thunderbolts title collected as New Thunderbolts: Right of Power.

I always enjoyed the Thunderbolts. The original series started strong with a unique concept and developed into one of the more interesting team books of the late ’90s. The series hit a rocky point with the whole professional wrestling storyline, but New Thunderbolts showed potential. The Civil War once again provided an interesting war ground for the villains turned heroes with true heroes like Captain America being outlaws.

The storyline in this collection is a little divided. The first two issues of the storyline are set-up for the bigger story of Zemo vs. the Grandmaster and then it segues into the true Civil War crossover. The Civil War did provide a great cover for the team’s “collection” of villains for their upcoming war and Nicieza does a better job than many in truly tying into the big event.

Part of the problem I generally have with big events (today) is that they feel that everyone should have a separate mini-series to tie into the bigger limited series. This title decided to just have a tie-in with Civil War which was smart. You didn’t have to really read Civil War to understand this title and it didn’t disrupt the flow of the comic’s storyline…that is how a big event should be used!

Civil War: Thunderbolts is one of the better and smarter Civil War tie-ins. I think that the Civil War portion of this story could have even been bigger to really explore the idea of the villains being heroes and the heroes being outlaws, but the story had a nice concise tie-in to the event. The overall Thunderbolts story is a bit truncated with the meat of the Grandmaster vs. Zemo battle occurring in the next collection Thunderbolts: Guardian Protocols.

[Brad · Rating 1 out of 5]

The least essential Civil War crossover I've read.
Thunderbolts got a massive reboot halfway through the war (collected in Thunderbolts: Faith in Monsters), yet this book doesn't even wrap up the old Thunderbolts' story.
The Thunderbolts reform under Baron Zemo and scheme against the Grandmaster and the Squadron Sinister (also know as the Squadron Supreme and Supreme Power). Then, when the Civil War starts, the U.S. government deputizes them to capture other villains and absorb them into their team.
The connection to the main Civil War story is quite tenuous. At one point Baron Zemo fights Captain America's team, but it plays out like one of the many, many fights Cap had that Mark Millar didn't see fit to include.
The only enjoyable part of the book is the character Joystick, a vicious teenager that just enjoys fighting.

[Holden Attradies · Rating 2 out of 5]

At this point I have to say this was an only okay read. If this had been my first Thunderbolts read I probably wouldn't even have finished it, it very much felt like the middle part of the story. I think I also would have been very very disappointed if I had gotten this as a Civil War tie in, very little of it tied in directly.

With that all said I think Once I have read more Thunderbolts, especially the parts of teh series running up to and following this I may enjoy this comic more. But it is very much a super hero comic, with all the drawbacks that can imply. I think once I have read more of the back issues reading up to this I'll read it again and re-review it.

[Mitchell Friedman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yet another completely different incarnation of the Thunderbolts. With vague connections to the Squadron Supreme - a DC knockoff and a pretty good miniseries. These Thunderbolts seem an important part of the Marvel Civil War and yet there is only bare mention of them through the other Civil War books. Some of the characters seem interesting but we really don't get to know them is this book. So kind of not bad but not good. And potential that I'm pretty sure isn't achieved. Though individual characters such as Songbird and Joystick I would expect to reappear.

[Todd · Rating 4 out of 5]

What you're just here because this is a Civil War tie-in? Well, good luck! Fabian did not give a flying fuck whether or not this volume made sense to the people who hadn't been reading his book. The Thunderbolts were going somewhere and a mega-event wasn't worth pausing for.

This book is where the relationships get good. Songbird is really coming into her own. Zemo is nuts, but compelling. Radioactive Man is a strangely calm individual. I just miss Karla.

[Annette Jordan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Time to see what the villains make of the Registration act. I guess I am not familiar enough with the Marvel universe since I didn't recognise any of the Thunderbolts. Even so when Tony Stark suggested that they take over rounding up supervillains while he deals with the renegade heroes, I just know its not a good idea

[Jen · Rating 1 out of 5]

It's not that I didn't finish it, I just skimmed about 1/2-3/4 of this. Boring, don't care about these people (who are they? No familiar names to me whatsoever), no real substance, the chick's motivation is weird, and they are all talking about things I don't know about (even though I read 'Civil War').

[Sylvester · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Thunerbolts joined the supporting side pretty quickly by enlisting the help of captured superviallins to collect theunregistered heroes. Zemo plays an important role in the event which would affect many people.

It was stretched too thin however, not enough story to cover this volume. It's also quite disgusting that Iron man would even consider using supervillains.

[Nate Deprey · Rating 4 out of 5]

The bad guys are good guys, sort of. You would have to spend far more time in the Marvel Universe than I do to recognize most of the Thunderbolts cast but there struggles and dramas do make for a good graphic novel.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

This does not have that much to do with the Civil War. Zemo leads the Thunderbolts to stop the destruction of earth. In the meantime they are asked by the government to capture supervillains. It's quite action orientated, but there'sa few nice bits, mainly with Captain America. A good read.

[Ondra Král · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ještě jeden book a dám Niciezův run. Jo! Celé je to děsně překombinováné, každej si jede svou ligu, prostě plány v plánech plánů. Díky Civil War se to krapet uklidnilo (aby mohli eventuelně naskočit noví čtenáře) a blíží se finále. No... sem zvědavej.
2,5*

[Elliot · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not au fait with the Thunderbolts in particular but this is a quite nice standalone volume with a Civil War twist - basically explaining another step on their paths to redemption. Makes me want to read more.

[Kristen Hewitt]

Confusing...

[Steve Magay · Rating 1 out of 5]

All these tie-ins are just a scam to get more money for the civil war event, it offers a silly illustrations and cheap stories.

[catechism · Rating 2 out of 5]

meh.

[William Dickerson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A complex story, but I think it would have worked better if it weren't split up amongst the Civil War storyline. Too much happens between the issues.

[taeli · Rating 3 out of 5]

read 3/10/16