Story by Jeff Parker
Art by Kev Walker, Jason Gorder, & Declan Shalvey
Leading into this issue, the Thunderbolts’ newly anointed leader Luke Cage returned from a recruiting mission to find that Warden Walker had begun the process of recruiting a Thunderbolts B-Team led by Songbird. Upon their return the main Bolts are immediately turned around for a supposedly straightforward snatch ‘n’ grab mission while, back at the Raft, Songbird and Mach V begin preparations for training their merry band of backups.
This issue makes an interesting and successful choice to alternate between two very different artists depending on the team being depicted. Declan Shalvey’s grungy, heavy line work is used to depict the ‘Bolts B-team, while Kev Walker’s clean detail brings the A-team to life, and the stylistic choice offers a fitting compliment to each team’s story.
There aren’t many surprises in this issue, in spite of some rather heavy setup in the previous story. While the primary group is occupied, the backup team – or the “Underbolts”, as they are referred to – is predictably called into a mission well before they’re ready. The situation immediately tests their restraint, even as they’re joined by most of the A-team directly from a hiccup in their own mission – a hiccup that results in Cage making a potentially detrimental decision.
I was pleased with the dynamic of the Underbolts moreso than the main team in this issue, and I thoroughly enjoyed their interactions. Little moments really make this book (like Shocker’s reaction to the B-team being called to arms), giving lesser characters a chance to get fleshed out and see more of the spotlight. Thunderbolts delivers some good action and intriguing characters, and it’ll be fun to see where the formation of the B-team takes the book in future issues.
