Thunderbolts: International incident *Spoilers*

[drwho]

I really think the art in this issue and the coloring takes away from the actual enjoyment of the story. It does show more double crossing actions by Tbolts members which at least these books are getting consistent on the themes. The writing over all was good for the most part its just that some of the dialogue such as Norman's and Moonstone seemed like it came off in the wrong voice to me. Like it was trying to be shifty, but not convincing.

Summary:

Tbolts fight some altered humans and it is revealed that they were given powers by Arnim Zola. Norman sends the team out to get Armin Zola. It is revealed that China doesn't want Radioactive Man to go back to China because they are worried he may explode, or radiate everyone. Some fighting going on and then Swordsman makes a deal with Arnim Zola to clone his sister and threatens to explode the base in China to harm people if Radioactive Man doesn't keep his mouth shut. Maybe this is where the current storyline ties in. I really think Swordsman has issues though. Not a bad one shot, but I've liked some of the others better.

[Monty_Cristo]

i rushed through this one but enjoyed it. i like most stories focusing on those nutty Strucker twins. couldn't help but feel sorry for Dr. Lu. Radioactive Man has come a long way since his Masters of Evil days. but he can't trust anyone around him. i wonder how much the events of this issue impacted Andreas' decision to shave his head and turn on the T-Bolts.

[HeckBoy]

Wait, didn't Swordsman make a deal w/ Osborn to clone his sister? or has that not gone thru yet? Arggh cloning...

[Monty_Cristo]

Wait, didn't Swordsman make a deal w/ Osborn to clone his sister? or has that not gone thru yet? Arggh cloning...

he did but Osborn isn't trustworthy, at all. Andreas is convinced that he's being lied to so that he will be obedient. i don't blame him for trying to make a deal with Arnim Zola. Zola's a creep but he likes cloning people and has no reason to backstab Swordsman.

[Capt USA]

Wait, didn't Swordsman make a deal w/ Osborn to clone his sister? or has that not gone thru yet? Arggh cloning...

it was mentioned in this issue, but it's pretty obvious that Osborn is buying time and not really trying to get things done. I mean in the initiative they clone people like they are going out of style, and Swordsman has stated he doesn't need the clone to be 'his sister in essence' that he will handle that part.

[Monty_Cristo]

it was mentioned in this issue, but it's pretty obvious that Osborn is buying time and not really trying to get things done. I mean in the initiative they clone people like they are going out of style, and Swordsman has stated he doesn't need the clone to be 'his sister in essence' that he will handle that part.

he just wants her to sleep with, anyways. i'm surprised that he didn't just have her corpse stuffed and mounted.

[Capt USA]

he just wants her to sleep with, anyways. i'm surprised that he didn't just have her corpse stuffed and mounted.

uggh, he would then mount a stuff and mounted corpse?

[HeckBoy]

he did but Osborn isn't trustworthy, at all. Andreas is convinced that he's being lied to so that he will be obedient. i don't blame him for trying to make a deal with Arnim Zola. Zola's a creep but he likes cloning people and has no reason to backstab Swordsman.

it was mentioned in this issue, but it's pretty obvious that Osborn is buying time and not really trying to get things done. I mean in the initiative they clone people like they are going out of style, and Swordsman has stated he doesn't need the clone to be 'his sister in essence' that he will handle that part.
Ah I see, I was under the false impression that they were already cloning her. My bad. :o I'm not a regular Tbolts reader (I used to read it sporadically pre-Fight Club era, but now I'll pick up an issue here or there only when it's "part" of an event), but I enjoy some of the characters.

[Rock It Raccoon]

i wasnt previously familiar with ben oliver's art, but he definitely made this issue for me. his style's like a cross between yanick paquette and olivier coipel. as for the story, i'm definitely interested in how zola might tie into the current arc, but i'm kinda doubting ellis is gonna use him... i guess we'll see.

yeah. definitely thumbs up from me. a pleasant surprise in lieu of a real thunderbolts issue.

[mattbib]

I really think the art in this issue and the coloring takes away from the actual enjoyment of the story.
I quite like the art, actually. Particularly the coloring...Villarrubia has been my favorite colorist for awhile now.

The story was good. I liked seeing mor einterplay between the various characters, and the spotlight on Chen. Radioactive Man has become one of Marvel's more intriguing characters over the past several months IMO. I also really appreciated the reference to early TBolts history with the mention of Zola's responsibility for Jolt's powers.

[PaxHouse]

The story was good. I liked seeing mor einterplay between the various characters, and the spotlight on Chen. Radioactive Man has become one of Marvel's more intriguing characters over the past several months IMO. I also really appreciated the reference to early TBolts history with the mention of Zola's responsibility for Jolt's powers.

Yes....It appears that Gage that shown {once more} how well he understands the T-Bolts.....:D

Although I will admit {and I'm certain that most of the T-Bolts' readers will probably agree on this} that the abstance of the monthly series is really becoming more annoying......:evilangry

[enkithoth]

The story was good. I liked seeing mor einterplay between the various characters, and the spotlight on Chen. Radioactive Man has become one of Marvel's more intriguing characters over the past several months IMO. I also really appreciated the reference to early TBolts history with the mention of Zola's responsibility for Jolt's powers.

I'm glad they're not only focusing on Chen, they're also making him into a believable character. He's more interesting then some soft spoken green man we know nothing about. It's nice to see a bit of what he's like and what he wants.

Still dreaming of the return of Jolt...

[pauladin]

I too liked the color and art - but the tone of the storytelling tone is so dark at times that I would have preferred the colors to match it. They were kinda bright.

But really liked this one-shot. I really like it how Gage managed to make this issue feel so fluid-like in context with the regular series even though it surely takes place before the last TBolts issue that came out.

I've always been interested in Andreas as Swordsman and now I CANNOT WAIT until Ellis explores Andreas' new road to darkness. Ellis has said that he picked him for the team because of how creepy his relationship to his sister is and I'm just eager for him to break that down for us on an entertainment level.

I think Andreas isn't going to go fully down the fascist path and tendencies his father had, more so he wants the respect and power that his daddy commanded and he'll be as bad as he has to to get what he wants - like a cloned sister say.

Which is going to be pretty weird once he gets it. We'll see how Ellis pulls this off. :cool:

Oh yeah. Cool Collective Man appearance. I <3 mutants.

---Have Gun Will Travel

[Cthulhudrew]

I liked this one better than the previous one-shot, but I still got the same feeling I did with the last one that Christos just isn't being given enough time to properly develop the stories that he's telling in them. Due to the one-shot nature, they just seem rushed or incomplete (I got the same feeling when reading his otherwise good Iron Man one-shot, as well). I wish he were given at least a two issue arc to allow him more time to develop the characters and stories.

I didn't care much for the art myself, but it was better than either of the previous one-shots Christos has written (the TBolts and Iron Man ones). The art didn't hinder the story in any way, like I think some of the artists he's been given to work with have done (I'm especially looking at the Ka-Zar story in MCP here!)

The development of the Chen/China arrangement was very interesting, and believable. I can totally see where they'd rather have a living nuke/gamma bomb go off on American soil than at home. I suspected where the Swordsman plot was going to go when I first saw Zola in the preview, but it was handled well, and hopefully will be followed up on at some point (which goes back to my issues with the one-shots and not enough development).

His upcoming Norman/Venom story should be interesting.

[Dpool]

I love everything about this series because its so different from the norm. I had a few issues with the one shot which some of you touched on, mostly the art and more specifically the penciling but the color wasn't to my taste either. The story made up for it though so I was happy.


Oh and what was the previous one shot called I missed it and want to ebay it.

[ukblueky]

Overall I liked this issue.I have nothing new to add that hasn't already been stated in previous posts a couple times over.Art was not so good but the fun little story saved this book.Just curious as to when this story was supposed to take place.The appearance of Penance threw me.

[rogerio]

more books by Christos Gage please...:)

[enkithoth]

Overall I liked this issue.I have nothing new to add that hasn't already been stated in previous posts a couple times over.Art was not so good but the fun little story saved this book.Just curious as to when this story was supposed to take place.The appearance of Penance threw me.

There's a Penance chronology at Comic Book DB (http://www.comicbookdb.com/character_chron.php?ID=10138), though I think this is more publishing order, not necessarily story chronology. I feel like the one-shots are happening either just before or during the Caged Angels arc, mainly because of the mannerisms of Venom. If anyone can find an accurate answer for this, I too am interested.

[StoneGold]

Didn't Fabian kill off the Collective Man in one of the Citizen V minis?


That said, there's an easy out for not killing the Collective Man, in that there was one that didn't die.


Still, why bother resurrecting the Collective Man?

[Monty_Cristo]

Didn't Fabian kill off the Collective Man in one of the Citizen V minis?


That said, there's an easy out for not killing the Collective Man, in that there was one that didn't die.


Still, why bother resurrecting the Collective Man?

i think it's because he's an easily identifiable chinese hero from contest of champions. and the Collective Man did appear after that Citizen V mini (where he was completely unrecognizable and a giant monster for some reason). it was in an issue of Uncanny X-Men i think. all i know is that Polaris, Iceman, and Havok were fighting him.

more books by Christos Gage please...:)

more Gage-written skin wearing Strucker stories please!

[worstblogever]

i think it's because he's an easily identifiable chinese hero from contest of champions. and the Collective Man did appear after that Citizen V mini (where he was completely unrecognizable and a giant monster for some reason). it was in an issue of Uncanny X-Men i think. all i know is that Polaris, Iceman, and Havok were fighting him.



more Gage-written skin wearing Strucker stories please!

Collective Man also appeared post House of M in both X-Men: The 198 and X-Men: Civil War.

[Monty_Cristo]

Collective Man also appeared post House of M in both X-Men: The 198 and X-Men: Civil War.

there was a lot about the 198 series that didn't make any sense, to me. why would a foreign mutant be shipped to the X-Mansion post-decimation? and why would Scalphunter and Arclight be allowed to go on a mall shopping trip?

[worstblogever]

there was a lot about the 198 series that didn't make any sense, to me. why would a foreign mutant be shipped to the X-Mansion post-decimation? and why would Scalphunter and Arclight be allowed to go on a mall shopping trip?

I said he appeared, Monty. I didn't say it was a book of acclaim. ;)

[Xero]

Keep it up Marvel, this is exactly how you pissed off JMS enough for him to walk away from Squadron Supreme.

[Monty_Cristo]

I said he appeared, Monty. I didn't say it was a book of acclaim. ;)

true enough! :D but c'mon, Scalphunter seeks the O.N.E for shelter instead of Sinister? this guy has been living under the radar for decades. how was he not executed on sight for his crimes against mutantity?

Keep it up Marvel, this is exactly how you pissed off JMS enough for him to walk away from Squadron Supreme.

i thought he just ran out of ideas for everyone but Hyperion.

[Walter Hill]

How is it?

[La Fea]

I bought the issue, but I haven't gotten around to reading it yet.

I was disappointed when I flipped through it and didn't see those new characters again after the preview pages. :o

[prodigy]

This book was better than just about anything Marvel has put out in the last 5 years. I am very, very impressed.

Not only am I starting to hate the Thunderbolts a little less, but they're also starting to do their jobs.

Amazing.


10 stars out of 5.

[LungerTony]

This was a decent issue. Nothing spectacular.
I am glad that they printed it with all the annoying Tbolts delays.

I really hope Strucker doesn't go incest on us. Imagine Marvel, or just popular culture, presenting a reformed Nazi.

[StoneGold]

This was a decent issue. Nothing spectacular.
I am glad that they printed it with all the annoying Tbolts delays.

I really hope Strucker doesn't go incest on us. Imagine Marvel, or just popular culture, presenting a reformed Nazi.

Andreas was never a Nazi per se. His dad was, but he wasn't born until long after the war was over. At best, he's a whatever the hell HYDRA is. Their political philosophy has always been ill-defined, at best.

[LungerTony]

I was always under the impression Strucker shared his father's Nazi ideology though (atleast initially). I referred to him as a Nazi in the sense of believing in the ideology and being ethnically German. Not as an actual Third Reich card carrying member of the Nazi party.

In that sense, I would like to see him go legit. Make him one of a kind in that sense - unless someone knows of someone I obviously don't. But really, the prospect of him going good has been on a downward spiral ever since Ellis took over.

[StoneGold]

I was always under the impression Strucker shared his father's Nazi ideology though (atleast initially). I referred to him as a Nazi in the sense of believing in the ideology and being ethnically German. Not as an actual Third Reich card carrying member of the Nazi party.

In that sense, I would like to see him go legit. Make him one of a kind in that sense - unless someone knows of someone I obviously don't. But really, the prospect of him going good has been on a downward spiral ever since Ellis took over.

Even then, like I said, HYDRA's ideology has always been... well, non-existent, really. There's no doubt it grew out of Nazism, and there's a general take over the world nature to it, but it is lacking any of the real important stuff.

[Cthulhudrew]

I was always under the impression Strucker shared his father's Nazi ideology though (atleast initially). I referred to him as a Nazi in the sense of believing in the ideology and being ethnically German. Not as an actual Third Reich card carrying member of the Nazi party.

I can see where he might believe in the notion of a master race- particularly given his and his sister's genetic alterations to make them "superior" to normal people. His initial appearances in X-Men would seem to bear this viewpoint out somewhat as well.

I think that he is definitely (or was) party to other Nazi ideals as well, though I see more of an Italian Nazi viewpoint than a German one to Andreas and his sister- at least in the sense that they are more corporatists than socialists.

[Cthulhudrew]

Even then, like I said, HYDRA's ideology has always been... well, non-existent, really. There's no doubt it grew out of Nazism, and there's a general take over the world nature to it, but it is lacking any of the real important stuff.

It's been a while since I read Roger Stern's (excellent and tragically short-lived) Marvel Universe series, but didn't the first arc with Strucker and time travel sort of cover the major differences between Hydra and the Nazi party? I know that it dealt with Strucker assembling the Hydra organization during the twilight of the Nazi regime (Strucker could already see the writing on the wall).

[Monty_Cristo]

This was a decent issue. Nothing spectacular.
I am glad that they printed it with all the annoying Tbolts delays.

I really hope Strucker doesn't go incest on us. Imagine Marvel, or just popular culture, presenting a reformed Nazi.

they've already done something similar with Zemo. it was Helmut who put Andreas down this path, in the first place. me, personally, i never thought that Andreas had the strength of character or will that allowed Zemo to reform. he was always the weaker (lazier) of the twins.

[Mangaman]

Even then, like I said, HYDRA's ideology has always been... well, non-existent, really. There's no doubt it grew out of Nazism, and there's a general take over the world nature to it, but it is lacking any of the real important stuff.

Their ideology is "Hail Hydra, Immortal Hydra, cut off a limb and two more shall take it's place"

:D

[LungerTony]

This may be a bit more off-topic, but HYDRA really has it going on.
It must be one hell of an ideology (assuming its more elaborate than cut off one, two nmore grow back) since the organization has no problem finding recruits worldwide or funding.

And Monty Cristo, not long after my post I recalled Zemo. He is kind of reformed, but then kind of not. He isn't a real 'hero' by any means yet, but has been moving in the right direction.

[StoneGold]

This may be a bit more off-topic, but HYDRA really has it going on.
It must be one hell of an ideology (assuming its more elaborate than cut off one, two nmore grow back) since the organization has no problem finding recruits worldwide or funding.
They have an amazing dental plan

[Monty_Cristo]

This may be a bit more off-topic, but HYDRA really has it going on.
It must be one hell of an ideology (assuming its more elaborate than cut off one, two nmore grow back) since the organization has no problem finding recruits worldwide or funding.

my speculation is that there is a lot of inbreeding (breeding, period) within Hydra. i'm guessing that a lot of Hydra's recruits were actually raised to be Hydra recruits.

[Cthulhudrew]

my speculation is that there is a lot of inbreeding (breeding, period) within Hydra. i'm guessing that a lot of Hydra's recruits were actually raised to be Hydra recruits.

There would definitely be some selective breeding going on. I know that in the past Hydra's participated in this sort of thing (the program that led to the births of Team America (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thunderiders), for one.)

Could be cloning, too. Strucker's got ties with Arnim Zola (though I'm not sure if their association lasted much beyond WWII).

[BrikHed21]

Little late to add my two cents - but I liked the issue but did not love it. Gage is one of my favorite writers (bring back Stormwatch PHD) but he did have to rush through this one to get the story all in for us. I was not crazy about the art but it wasn't terrible.

I think the point that we all seem to miss is that due to Ellis getting us a book every six weeks Marvel has had to resort to these one shots (this is the third one now I believe) to keep us interested in the series. This is one of my favorite books but I just wish Ellis could get it to us more timely.

Exit soap box now