Comic Review: Thunderbolts #1

THUNDERBOLTS #1
Written by Daniel Way
Art by Steve Dillon & Guru eFX
Marvel Comics


FLIPPING THROUGH:

     This is a brand new beginning. These are NOT the Thunderbolts of old. If you want to see any of them, read Dark Avengers. This is a whole new team with a different purpose.And we see this team being formed. Each member of the group is getting a very ... personal invite from Thaddeus Ross aka Red Hulk. As the team is slowly being formed, we get a glimpse into the purpose behind Ross's new Thunderbolts group. Um ... A LOT of people get killed in this first issue.

   Wow. Way and Dillon seem to be off to a bloody start.


ART:

   Dillon has been around for quite some time now. He's drawn Frank, the Punisher, before. He's also done stuff like Preacher. This definitely seems to be up his alley. We have an in-continuity book for Punisher to really explore the Marvel Universe. And Dillon is definitely exploring the darker corners of the Marvel U.

   Dillon's style is somewhat unique. Yet, it works well as we see Deadpool, Elektra, Venom and more looking distinct. Emotions are easy and the backgrounds were various and colorful. Guru eFX does a great job of showing off Dillon's pencils and inks. Although with the scenes with  Ross and Punisher, I felt that they may have been colored a bit more brightly. Otherwise, solid job by Dillon and Guru eFX.


WRITING:

  Way does a good job on seeing how Ross personally recruits his team and the whys. He also delves into the impact the Punisher has had on the rest of the Marvel U; which is definitely an interesting speech. Ross goes about his recruitment face to face but each of them while they are killing a lot of people ... save for Frank. Ross uses his recruitment of Frank to help push along the issue and it is done well.  Ross's unique way to bring the Punisher onto the team was very smart and true to both characters.

 While the other members did not seem to be recruited in such a grandiose fashion ... it felt real enough. Ross and Punisher's interplay in the book will be the most interesting from the way things look from this first issue.  My gripes are because of the recruitment being quick ... we did not see much of the rest of the team while having an overall focus on Punisher. It makes sense but still. Plus, the issue felt breezy. This was too much Punisher & Ross, not enough Thunderbolts


OVERALL IMPRESSION:

    Thunderbolts #1 was a good opening issue for the new series. It establishes how the team gets together. It establishes the motivation behind the team and helps display  that this team's purpose will be killing who Ross deems has "bad guys."

   The art is good and the pacing was okay. After consideration, there was entirely too much Punisher & Ross and not enough Team. The story telling technique was okay but over all. It could have been stronger if the issue was perhaps double sized. This is a team book ... but it felt like the Ross/Castle show more than anything.



I give Thunderbolts #1  ... a 3 out of 5. Get ready to feel the pain.