Thunderbolts, Volume 2: Caged Angels

Thunderbolts (2006) (Collected Editions) #4

by Warren Ellis, Mike Deodato (Artist)

The Thunderbolts' wild ride continues with Caged Angels as Thunderbolts Mountain is being used as temporary incarceration for captured superhuman combatants. With so many super-powered people in one place, how can things possibly go wrong?

Collecting: Thunderbolts 116-121, Thunderbolts: Breaking Point>, Thunderbolts: International Incident

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

192 pages, Hardcover

First published August 27, 2008

About the author

Warren Ellis is the award-winning writer of graphic novels like TRANSMETROPOLITAN, FELL, MINISTRY OF SPACE and PLANETARY, and the author of the NYT-bestselling GUN MACHINE and the “underground classic” novel CROOKED LITTLE VEIN, as well as the digital short-story single DEAD PIG COLLECTOR. His newest book is the novella NORMAL, from FSG Originals, listed as one of Amazon’s Best 100 Books Of 2016.

The movie RED is based on his graphic novel of the same name, its sequel having been released in summer 2013. IRON MAN 3 is based on his Marvel Comics graphic novel IRON MAN: EXTREMIS. He is currently developing his graphic novel sequence with Jason Howard, TREES, for television, in concert with HardySonBaker and NBCU, and continues to work as a screenwriter and producer in film and television, represented by Angela Cheng Caplan and Cheng Caplan Company. He is the creator, writer and co-producer of the Netflix series CASTLEVANIA, recently renewed for its third season, and of the recently-announced Netflix series HEAVEN’S FOREST.

He’s written extensively for VICE, WIRED UK and Reuters on technological and cultural matters, and given keynote speeches and lectures at events like dConstruct, ThingsCon, Improving Reality, SxSW, How The Light Gets In, Haunted Machines and Cognitive Cities.

Warren Ellis has recently developed and curated the revival of the Wildstorm creative library for DC Entertainment with the series THE WILD STORM, and is currently working on the serialising of new graphic novel works TREES: THREE FATES and INJECTION at Image Comics, and the serialised graphic novel THE BATMAN’S GRAVE for DC Comics, while working as a Consulting Producer on another television series.

A documentary about his work, CAPTURED GHOSTS, was released in 2012.

Recognitions include the NUIG Literary and Debating Society’s President’s Medal for service to freedom of speech, the EAGLE AWARDS Roll Of Honour for lifetime achievement in the field of comics & graphic novels, the Grand Prix de l’Imaginaire 2010, the Sidewise Award for Alternate History and the International Horror Guild Award for illustrated narrative. He is a Patron of Humanists UK. He holds an honorary doctorate from the University of Essex.

Warren Ellis lives outside London, on the south-east coast of England, in case he needs to make a quick getaway.

Reviews

[Dávid Novotný · Rating 4 out of 5]

Come on in, we're all crazy here! More straightforward and violent than first volume. As everybody is more or less evil, you don't really have to care and root for anybody, just sit and enjoy action and fun.

[Arno Callens · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Thunderbolts series is all about reforming villains into heroes. Warren Ellis' run is all about them never getting that chance. Whether it's society judging them, or the titular telepaths manipulating them; any push forward on the path to righteousness is followed by two pushes back. I don't really buy that Radioactive Man would actually want to give people cancer, but it isn't too big a stretch of the imagination to think that he could.

The exception to this is Penance, who takes a first step towards actual redemption here. After his supporting status during Faith In Monsters it's good to see him take center stage, as he is by far the most emotionally complex member of the team. Doc Samson gamma-induced bluntness gives Robbie perhaps the best shot any of the Thunderbolts will ever have at becoming a bona fide hero.

The rest of them? Not so much. Despite being manipulated Venom and Swordsman's behavior wasn't that far removed from their evil potential. Moonstone was even more useless this time around, and don't get me wrong, she's a blast to watch nonetheless. Songbird continues to be everyone else's favorite punching bag, not in the least Norman Osborn's, who may be the character removed the furthest from redemption. Even further than Bullseye, who actually comes close to hero status, as he does technically save the day. Of course he does it in a way which is just as twisted as you'd think.

Faith In Monsters took the Thunderbolts outside of the mountain, Caged Angels took a look inside. The use of space, and several spectacular duels are not just a feather but an entire peacock in the cap of Mike Deodato Jr. If that line sounds a little overwrought, thank Warren Ellis' fabulous, delirious, and hilarious dialogue. Deodato Jr. and Ellis' run was short-lived, but sublime. You want proof? They nearly made me forget Baron Zemo, and I love Baron Zemo. Well done, gentlemen, well done.

[47Time · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Thunderbolts compound is infiltrated by superheroes with a plan to take out the team from the inside. The level of violence is even greater than in the last volume since everyone goes all-out in fights that are a sight to see.

Even with the team running the risk of getting disbanded, their reputation has never been better. Caprice and Mindwave give up with no opposition. The two of them, together with Mirage and Bluestreak who are already incarcerated, have a plan to psychically take out the Thunderbolts from the inside.

Doc Samson is brought in to check on Penance and his approach to reach him seems to work. It's also riddled with releases of extreme power. The others on the team descend into chaos and soon fight among themselves because of old animosities. In reality because of the four psychics' mental manipulations.

The Venom simbiote takes control of Gargan and decides to kill everything in his path. The Swordsman also decides to rebel and blows up the Thunderbolts' airplane, then pays off guards to betray Osborn and take over the Thunderbolts base. He stabs Venom and effectively takes him out of the battle.

Osborn has more and more vivid visions of his Green Goblin persona right up until he decides to don his old armor and kill everything in sight. He defeats the Swordsman without even trying, but the fight with Songbird is a stalemate. Moonstone goes after Don Samson in what is a well-balanced fight until Penance unleashes powers he had access to while he was Speedball.

A now-recovered Bullseye kills the four psychics and returns the base under Osborn's control. Osborn spins the report on the event to blame the psychics. Songbird takes advantage of this to demand she be team leader again. The team returns to its normal function, but I expect with some degree of trauma.

[Rodolfo Santullo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Por fin encontré y leí los restantes números (6) que completan el run de Ellis y Deodato al frente de este grupo de pseudo villanos devenidos en agentes de la Ley y el Orden (bueno, más o menos). Y para esta segunda mitad es que el barbado guionista se deja todo prácticamente en un solo argumento, ese que pone a los Thunderbolts contra las cuerdas, atrapados en su propia base y manipulados por un enemigo interno, uno que los ataca directamente desde sus propias celdas. Y, claro, parte fundamental de la premisa es que nuestros protagonistas están tan, pero tan limados que alcanza un soplido para hacer tempestad, sobre todo si hablamos de Norman Osborne, que aquí está pasado de rosca a un nivel que da miedo. Después, se repite todo aquello que funcionaba en el primer tomo: Ellis escribe tan bien que importa poco y nada conocer apenas de nombre a muchos de sus personajes, puesto que le alcanza y sobra con el espacio que tiene para dotarlos de personalidad y objetivos, todo aderezado además por tortas, patadas y explosiones cómo corresponde a toda historieta de superhéroes (o supervillanos en este caso) que se precie de tal. Y Deodato sigue dejando todo en la cancha, con estupendas páginas y brillando en los momentos que todo se va al carajo. Una pena que hicieran tan sólo estos 12 episodios, pero que bien que los hicieron, sí señor.

[Irene · Rating 4 out of 5]

This volume makes most of the pieces set up in the first, Faith in Monsters, come together and pay off, while still having an interesting and engaging plotline of its own. The mental breakdown of the villainous cast, playing into their worst selves, creates both action-packed fun as well as highlighting their personalities, issues, and conflicts.

Ellis writing comes to the fore here, Norman's monologue is delightfully disturbed, on point, and in character, and everything comes together beautifully, even if it feels a bit too British for the American crew - but only in the most delightful way. Having the worst of the worst save the day just cinches the madcap adventure this comic went on. I do love me some Bullseye.

It's all very much good fun with a morbid wist.

[Gavin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. Quite a year long run on this for Ellis.
Bullseye in locked in syndrome, 4 telepaths get sent to Thunderbolt Mt., fuck with everyone, they all go nuts and nearly kill each other.
Meanwhile, Doc Samson helps Robbie "Speedball/Pennance" Baldwin to realize he's still OK, saving him from mental breakdown and showing him how his powers have grown.

Plus Doc pounds on Moonstone, the best psychiatrist psmackdown ever.

Venom takes over Garrigan, and the only thing that saves the Thunderbolts from collapse? The sociopathic killer in purple.

[matt murdock · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is insane! and i love it.

absolutely everyone in this story is crazy and evil. and the thunderbolts aren’t trying to get redemption at all, which is a deviation from past thunderbolts comics. in fact, osborn pretty much Wants them to be crazy and murder people in broad daylight. but i like this darker, more ruthless team. osborn’s ruthlessness and insanity really brings a lot to the table and makes the team more interesting.

love robbie, he’s probably probably my favorite character in this. we see some really dark scenes with him at the beginning but then he does start to become more calm and he just chills and watches rugby with doc samson for a while, which i thought was nice. his powers are really cool and i liked his little fight with moonstone towards the end when he made a little energy shield around himself. i wish he would’ve taken up doc samson’s offer to get better care somewhere else bc that’s what he needs…. but this means i will see more of him in thunderbolts so i’m fine with it.

the last few issues are kinda just a big every man for himself brawl where everyone in the thunderbolts mountain is beating the crap out of everyone else, but i really enjoyed them and i thought they were hilarious. chen and songbird are great together and i loved the bit where he threatened to give everyone cancer. i also loved the bits where venom threatened to eat everyone

[Adam Stone · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm reading this as part of a readthrough of the Venom/Carnage/and other symbiotes corner of Marvel's Spider-Man.

I feel like most writers have approached the Thunderbolts, a team of "reformed" villains working as heroes as a way to show the redemption of at least some of the characters on the team. Ellis, on the other hand, is out to show that every member of this team is beyond redemption, and they're not even going to work together for very long, if they can help it.

It's a fun book, and I reccomend reading it. In light of the exposure of the way Warren Ellis has treated women, I can't recommend spending any money on this book, but it's an interesting read if you can find it in a library or are brazen enough to pirate comics.

[Iranoctis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Caged Angels ist die bildgewaltige Explosion der im ersten Teil aufgestauten Konflikte, Penance' Ausraster, Venomen gegen Swordsman, die explodierende Zeus, hier wird nicht gekleckert. Auch Samsons Therapie mit Penance als ruhiger Gegenpol zur Action ist perfekt ausgewogen und verleiht dem Rest die echte Wucht.
Leider sind die flankierenden Zwischenspiele nicht ganz von der gleichen Qualität wie Ellis'+Deodatos Hauptstory, die Zeichner treffen mit ihrem runderen, jugendlicheren Stil nicht die Schwere der Thunderbolts, während das Script durchaus mithalten kann.

[Lucas Lima · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read the first volume of this run some years ago, and i remember that i really loved this. This were the golden years of the Civil War back in the day in Marvel, and this team it's like a special ops that hunts superheros that aren't registered in the goverment. But they are villains. They're doing this for the wrong reasons and it's awesome.

Warren Ellis is one of my favorite writers, problably the smartest of them and Mike Deodato is in his prime over here. He had the best pencils in Marvel back in that time and over here we see why.

[Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Skvělé pokračování, které z Ellise i Deodata znovu dostalo to nejlepší. Psychopati jako policie pro supráky. Normanův rozpad osobnosti střídaný s léčbou Penance je jako druhá strana téže mince. Napadení základy a bombastická akce v čele s Goblinovým řáděním je třešničkou na dortu. Venom sice moc prostoru nedostává, ale pokec o jídle v šatně je nelepší scénou téhle knihy.

[B · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't really buy the "villains" who destabilized all the characters in the book. I guess it always means more when there are established characters involved. It also feels like the book loses track of the relative disparities in power. The difference between Moonstone and, say, the Swordsman or Venom, is pretty large.

[Brandon Daniels · Rating 4 out of 5]

A crucial book in Marvel’s Architect Era. A Civil War tie-in that provides important context for Secret Invasion and Dark Reign. I’m a big fan of Norman Osborne in this, and this is some of Mike Deadato’s better work. And it’s aged pretty well.

[Matt J · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will never see Norman Osborn in another comic and not be reminded of the unhinged, crotchety monologue he gives here. The rest is great, too.

[Fizzgig76 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reprints Thunderbolts (1) #116-121 (October 2007-August 2008). The Thunderbolts are finding that bringing vigilante heroes to justice seems to be getting easier. When a number of heroes surrender, the Thunderbolts begin to realize that something is not right with the team. As all their faults begin to magnify, a visit by Doc Samson to assess Penance’s mental state puts added pressure on Norman Osborn’s plans. Thunderbolts are close to cracking…and they are all trapped together.

Written by Warren Ellis, Thunderbolts by Warren Ellis—Volume 2: Caged Angels is a Marvel Comics superhero comic book collection. Following Thunderbolts by Warren Ellis—Volume 1: Faith in Monsters, the collection features art by Mike Deodato Jr. The issues in the collection were also collected as Thunderbolts by Warren Ellis & Mike Deodato—Ultimate Collection.

Warren Ellis’s run on Thunderbolts was short but sweet. It felt like it was really picking up…then it ended. The second volume of Thunderbolts by Ellis is a nice follow-up to his first volume, but it feels like Ellis left it unfinished.

The Thunderbolts actually come off as pretty stupid in this volume. They easily capture three people who refuse to register and don’t realize it is part of a plot to infiltrate the compound. When the plan is sprung, the “team” aspect of the book really falls apart. No one got alone since the Thunderbolts were reformed, but here, they spend most of the volume trying to kill each other.

The problem with the book (in general) is that Osborn is totally unhinged the whole time. I never bought him as even a realistic fake hero (like Lex Luthor as President). Here his issues are amplified by the prisoners in the jail, and he’s completely insane. It continues to not make sense.

One of the better aspects of this volume is the inclusion of resident Marvel psychiatrist Doc Samson. Speedball as “Penance” was a horrible idea, and curing him begins here. Samson also is a good foil for fellow psychiatrist Dr. Karla Sofen aka Moonstone, and the Thunderbolts in general are so screwed up that I wish Samson had stuck around.

While it is fun, Thunderbolts is so unbalanced and almost feels like it is a What If? Story at times. The Ellis’s run on the series also abruptly ends with a lot of threads not tied up by Ellis. If Ellis had run another two or three arcs, I think that this run would have even been better. It was nice (and weird) while it lasted, but Ellis’s Thunderbolts doesn’t hold up in the bigger picture. Thunderbolts by Warren Ellis—Volume 2: Caged Angels was followed by Thunderbolts: Secret Invasion.

[Holden Attradies · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off the art work was stellar. The coloring worked perfect with the artist, the detail in the faces really standing out. I especially appreciated this because to often the art in superhero comics is purely defined by rippling muscles and T&A. I always appreciate art in this medium that draws more attention to the character aspect of the characters. And as others have said Mike Deodato's art work, which is very dark and shadowy works very well in this story and adds a lot to the feeling of claustrophobia within the Thunderbolt Mountain.

The story was also well crafted and very well rounded. I very much enjoyed that you really didn't get a full understanding of what the main plot/who the main antagonists were until pretty late in the story. And this was one of the most subtle, realistic feeling mind control stories I've very read, especially within the Superhero genre. Seeing these already dark characters get taken to even darker places was a wonderfully horrifying thrill ride. Osborn especially got the shine, in his maniacal whaca-dooery.

The resolution of the story was also really satisfying. At first I felt it was a too convenient way to wrap things up, but then I really thought it through and it was perfect. It was a great use of a character who had little to do, it showed how maniacal and crazy he is, and it resolved their problem is a very unheroic way which seemed perfect for this story which seemed to be about how exactly unheroic they all had the potential to be.

One of the reasons I am so fond of the Thunderbolts is that it gets to explore in many different ways the idea of redemption, and so far few characters that have come through the roster have had the chance to explore that more deeply than Penance. It was good to see his character get some meaningful development. I also really appreciated that his character chose the morally harder road of staying where doing what he feels is his penance would be the hardest. Like he said, the point isn't that it could have happened to anyone but that it happened to HIM.

[Matej Kondas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Warren Ellis udělal z Thunderbolts senzaci. Udělal z nich tým marvelu, který pod vedením Normana Osborna chytá neregistrované superhrdiny proto aby ochránil americký lid, který se těžko vyrovnává se zmizením idolů typu Captaina Ameriky a dalších během Občanské války. Sekundárním cílem je získat Osbornovi politické body.

Kdo četl první díl "Faith in Monsters" ví, že Osbornův tým rozhodně není nějakým uskupením pravověrných skautů. Ale smečka nespolupracujících šílenců a deviantů, kteří v poli moc vavřínů nepoberou. Pennance se hroutí a jeho spirála sebepoškozování pokračuje. Venom rád žere lidi
a Bullseye se po zpackané akci ocitl v komatu.

A do tohohle blázince jsou v Thunderbolts Mountain internování čtyři telepati. Jejichž cíl je jasný, dostat se do hlavy Osbornovi a jeho týmu a nechat je se ideálně pozabíjet navzájem.

Je smutné že u nás vyšla pouze první polovina tohohle spektáklu, který je vlastně kompletním runemWarrena Ellise u Thunderbolts. Který sérii nakopl, rozjel a ze které potom Christos Cage v Secret Invasion a Dark Reign eventech navázal.

Venom začne požírat stráže. Swordsman se rozhodne navázat na svoje nacistické kořeny a vyhlásí čtvrtou říši. Proč by taky ne, každý by asi chtěl následovat nacistu, jehož schopnost je vázána na jeho mrtvou sestru, a proto si Struecker kůží svojí sestry potáhl jílec meče, aby se o ní pořád mohl třít...

I Jamie Lanisterovi by se z téhle představy asi měsíc nepostavil.

A aby to nebylo málo, Norman Osborn si v hlavě zapne písničku od Muchy a podle hesla "Mrdá mi v hlavě, Mrdá mi v hlavě" si oblékne Goblinské tepláky.


Pokud se Vám líbilo "Faith In Monsters" tak "Caged Angels" je ještě šílenější, masakrálnější a brilatněji napsaný comics. Kde kromě nezbytného násilí, precizních zvratů, nechybí ani černočerný Ellisovský humor.

[guanaeps · Rating 5 out of 5]

Warren Ellis was the first writer in comics to ever shock me. I had no idea comics could be so insane. Granted, at this point most of my exposure to comicdom was Bendis' Ultimate Spider-Man, so I was young. Ellis and Mike Deodato Jr. showed me what comics were capable of, and I was awed.

In the previous arc, Ellis brought the team to a boiling point; disaster was in the air, it just needed a little push. And when Thunderbolts mountain has to be used as an auxiliary prison, things go off the rails in the most magnificent fashion.

Deodato draws some of my favorite action scenes in all of comics in this arc. The synergy from page to page is just incredible. Again, huge credit to Rain Beredo, who makes Deodato's pencils look like painted art.

I must say, Ellis is pretty ingenious with this book, moving the story in such a way that allowed all these characters to "Strut their stuff". Which leads to my absolute favorite part of the entire run: Norman Osborn.

Watching this character slowly lose it was an absolute joy to witness. So well done. Deodato draws an amazing Green Goblin. And oh my does the Green Goblin goblin.

This is a biased review. This book revealed to me the wonder and incredible potential of the Comic book medium, and so I can't help but love it.

Three cheers for Warren Ellis. Three cheers for Mike Deodato and Rain Beredo. Three cheers for Comics.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started reading Thunderbolts years ago and kept on with the series until my end days with college. This is the story I never finished and I'm glad I have the chance to catch up. While this series loses the charm of the original villains trying to be heroes premise that it started on, this take, a government task force for collecting unregistered superheroes, is fun in and of itself.
I loved that the psychics who have been taken into custody cause the Thunderbolts to fall apart so easily. Watching Venom and the Swordsman duke it out, or Norman Osborn go even crazier, is a lot of dark fun. In fact, this Osborn is one of my favorite takes on the Goblin. Crazy, out of his freaking mine, and wacky, all with the intent to kill.
I had forgotten how much I loved the art. It has such a detailed and gorgeous line drawing and does some real superhero action that comes with a sense of punch and flow. Beautiful colors and great designs make it easy on the eyes for sure.

[Jonathan Forisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good, though I'd have to say probably less as good as Volume 1, and that's due primarily to the fact that it's not on as large a scale.

To me, superhero comic book concepts such as this are really interesting when the writer magnifies the issue and applies it to the modern world at large. With a writer as capable as Warren Ellis, he can definitely accomplish such an otherworldly application, and managed to pull it off pretty well in Volume 1.

Volume 2, however, takes place almost entirely inside the Thunderbolts Mountain. The story is still pretty great, especially when Osborn loses it, and the art is stellar.

If you liked Volume 1, you will also like Volume 2.

[Lissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although I don't think this trade was as good as the one that preceded it (Faith in Monsters), this is still a good read. Before Ellis took over the reigns, I didn't know a thing about the Thunderbolts and didn't care to learn anything about them. Ellis has taken this team of misfits and crafted them into some seriously good stuff. The team's dynamics are fun to watch (as they pretty much implode upon themselves in this trade), and you can see how the Dark Reign event is evolving into existence here.

[Brad · Rating 4 out of 5]

This latest group of villains parading as heroes decide to fight themselves instead of justifying their government sponsorship and personal mountain in Colorado. Warren Ellis finally makes Penance an interesting character, and his version of Norman Osbourne, a quiet, angry Machiavelli who somehow has support in Washington, seems to be the new Marvel standard.
Deodato's extra-shadowy art is actually useful here-it makes Thunderbolts mountain plenty claustrophobic.

[Silas · Rating 3 out of 5]

I believe I have previously read this arc, but it was a pretty good one. The Thunderbolts are subverted by a crew of telepaths, and end up going a bit nuts and fighting each other, while Penance gets some therapy with Doc Samson. It's pretty interesting, and a bit better in context than it was without, but still doesn't make me enjoy this incarnation of the Thunderbolts as much as I did the original.

[Christopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

What do you do to spice up the Marvel world? You turn it upside down and have all the bad guys act like the good guys. What author better to do this than Warren Ellis. He adds a entertaining, yet sick and twisted storyline to the whole super hero registration act. I think this second volume in the series was better than the first. Great entertainment. I am still an Ellis fan. Cheers.

[AGraphicMaduck · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved it...don't know how Ellis does it but the art matches his writing/tone, etc. perfectly...captures the madness of this team...really good, it's stuck with me, the portrayal of the green goblin is nightmarish...perfectly done book in my opinion doesn't get much better than this...I read volume 2 first and will need to check out volume 1...

[Patrick · Rating 2 out of 5]

Second volume and I'm just not feeling it. Bad people doing bad things and getting away with it. Everyone is manipulating someone and there really isn't much of a redemption line. I was hoping for a redemption line.

Ok, maybe Songbird counts, but that isn't enough to make up for the rest.

I'm not interested enough to continue this run.

[Michal Vámoš · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ellisovi tohle sedlo. Výborně to navazuje na jedničku a líbí se mi ta psychologie týmu - tohle se nedá považovat za normální tým. Polovina týmu jsou psychopati, kteří jdou těm druhým po krku. Bylo to skvělé.
A Green oblin rules.
"I was wondering if you could direct me to the arm-eating retard and the sword-waving aristo."

[Jedhua · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book Info: This collection contains Thunderbolts issues #116-121.


ABSOLUTE RATING: {3/5 stars}

STANDARDIZED RATING: <3/5 stars>

[Jakub Rabyniuk · Rating 5 out of 5]

The worst work in the world?
Security in Thunderbolts Mountain.
Thunderbolts of Warren Ellis is one of the best superhero (supervillain) comics in recent years. Too bad that was created just twelve parts.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Thunderbolts continue amongst bad and good press. Norman is losing it a bit, and Venom is goinga bit wild. The team is starting to disintergrate even more. A good character based read, and I really liked the inclusion of Doc Samson.