With the Thunderbolts making their live-action debut soon, Marvel Comics is unleashing ambitious plans for the team in print. The current Thunderbolts are heavily involved in the One World Under Doom crossover, but that's just the prelude. A brand-new Thunderbolts team will electrify the scene shortly after the movie hits theaters.
Marvel unveiled New Thunderbolts—a series written by Sam Humphries (Uncanny X-Force) and illustrated by Ton Lima (West Coast Avengers), with cover art by Stephen Segovia. Check out the striking cover to issue #1 below:
While clearly capitalizing on the movie's hype—Bucky Barnes leads the team, and that intriguing asterisk in the title hints at something more—the roster is radically different. This new squad includes newcomers Clea, Wolverine (Laura Kinney), Namor, Hulk, and Carnage (with Eddie Brock as the current Venom).
The series kicks off with Bucky and Black Widow confronting an existential threat: Illuminati doppelgangers menacing the Marvel Universe. They'll assemble this powerhouse team to tackle the crisis, but managing such a volatile mix of heroes and villains will be a monumental challenge.
"I love every iteration of Thunderbolts," Humphries shared in Marvel's press release. "I'm thrilled to continue the franchise's tradition of high-octane action, explosive personalities, and surprising twists. This is a group of seven of the biggest badasses and loose cannons from across the Marvel Universe. Assembling a super-team is like planning a dinner party—I imagined a dangerous, disastrous, and unhinged Marvel dinner party, and that's what we've got."
Lima added, "I'm having a blast working on this book with Mr. Humphries and the team. Look at this lineup… it's insane! They don't talk; they jump straight into the action! And that's the most fun part to draw. None of them are known for taking it easy, so neither can I!"
New Thunderbolts #1 explodes onto the scene June 11, 2025.
For more on the Thunderbolts movie, delve deeper into Lewis Pullman's character, The Sentry, and uncover the mystery behind the asterisk in the title.
