With the Thunderbolts set to make their much-anticipated live-action debut, Marvel Comics is gearing up to expand the team's adventures on the page. The current Thunderbolts lineup is already integral to the high-stakes One World Under Doom crossover event, and fans can look forward to a fresh iteration of the team right after the movie's release.
Marvel has just announced New Thunderbolts*, a new series penned by Sam Humphries, known for his work on Uncanny X-Force, and illustrated by Ton Lima, who previously worked on West Coast Avengers. The striking cover for issue #1, crafted by Stephen Segovia, has been revealed and can be seen below:
Art by Stephen Segovia. (Image Credit: Marvel)
While New Thunderbolts* aims to ride the wave of excitement from the upcoming movie, featuring Bucky Barnes as the team leader and sporting an intriguing asterisk in the title, the team composition diverges significantly from the cinematic version. The new roster introduces Thunderbolts newcomers Clea, Wolverine (Laura Kinney), Namor, Hulk, and Carnage—with Eddie Brock, formerly Venom, now donning the Carnage mantle.
The series kicks off with Bucky Barnes and Black Widow confronting a dire threat posed by doppelgangers of the Illuminati. To tackle this crisis, they assemble a team of powerful yet unpredictable members. Leading such a diverse group of fierce personalities and potential villains will be a monumental challenge for Bucky.
Sam Humphries expressed his enthusiasm for the project, stating, "I love every iteration of Thunderbolts. 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."
Ton Lima shared his excitement about the series, saying, "I'm having a blast working on this book with Mr. Humphries and the team. 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 scheduled for release on June 11, 2025. For those eager to learn more about the Thunderbolts* movie, delve into details about Lewis Pullman's character, The Sentry, and uncover the significance of the asterisk in the title.
