Marvel Studios has been in a somewhat delicate situation for years. Despite still making box office hits every now and then, like last year’s Deadpool & Wolverine, lately their failures seem to outnumber their successes. The latest one was quite notable: Captain America 4: Brave New World only made 414.2 million dollars, and although it had a budget of 180, it seems that the studio did not recover its investment after advertising and marketing costs.
However, the MCU continues to expand more and more, and Kevin Feige is hopeful that the upcoming movies will balance the scales. This year they will release Fantastic Four and next year Avengers: Doomsday, so everything seems to indicate that their fateful luck will change. However, before that, we will see a more controversial release arriving on May 2: Thunderbolts*.
When this movie was announced, no one seemed very inclined to go see it. The truth is that this pseudo-Suicide Squad didn’t have many followers due to its cast. But as they have shown more trailers and posters, the audience has become more excited. And let’s be honest, the asterisk is an unbeatable cliffhanger. But who are these heroes? If you want to be somewhat up to date on the original lineup, we recommend 5 comics that you can’t miss before watching the movie.
Thunderbolts (1997) #1–12 – The Origin of Deception
The original Thunderbolts series, created by Kurt Busiek and Mark Bagley, started with a brilliant premise: with the Avengers and the Fantastic Four missing after the events of Onslaught, a new team of heroes emerges to fill the void. But by the end of the first issue, readers discover that these new heroes are, in fact, the Masters of Evil in disguise, led by Baron Zemo. Things were getting interesting.
Although Zemo is not confirmed in the movie (how interesting he was…), the concept of villains forced to act as heroes clearly resonates. Many of the characters in the film —such as Ghost, Taskmaster, or U.S. Agent— have murky pasts and could be drawn into undercover missions that challenge their morality. Additionally, Valentina’s presence as a recruiter recalls the manipulative Zemo from the comics, suggesting that there is more than one agenda at play.
Thunderbolts (2006) #110–121 – The Era of Norman Osborn
With a script by Warren Ellis (one of the best comic book writers in history) and art by Mike Deodato Jr., this stage is set after the original Civil War, where the U.S. government creates a squad of controlled villains to hunt down unregistered superheroes. The team, with unstable figures like Bullseye, Venom, and Moonstone, is led this time by Norman Osborn (the future Iron Patriot), whose megalomania and psychological manipulation set the tone for this saga.
Despite the fact that its formation is not similar at all, this version is probably the closest to what we will see in the MCU. The concept of “official missions” with government pawns, led by an ambiguous figure like Valentina, mimics the structure of this comic. Furthermore, the more serious, violent, and paranoid tone fits with the storyline that Marvel has been exploring lately.
Thunderbolts (2012) #1–32 – Antiheroes in Action
In this incarnation of the Thunderbolts, General Thunderbolt Ross (Red Hulk), whom we just saw in Captain America 4, recruits a team of assassins and anti-heroes: Punisher, Deadpool, Elektra, and Venom among others. With a less heroic vision than usual, the group carries out lethal missions that the Avengers could not tackle. Daniel Way and Steve Dillon give this stage a more adult tone, with explicit violence and extreme ethical dilemmas. Still, it does not reach the level of the 2006 version.
This comic seems essential for understanding the team’s philosophy in its most pragmatic and brutal version. Ross’s leadership could be reflected in Bucky Barnes’s role in the movie, who seems to take on a general’s position with reservations.
Thunderbolts (2023) #1 – The Return of Bucky Barnes
Undoubtedly, this is the comic that has served as inspiration for the movie we will see soon. Both Bucky and Yelena are central characters in both versions, and their dark and tactical approach seems a logical continuation of what we saw in both The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and Black Widow.
Written by Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing, in this version of the Thunderbolts we see how Bucky Barnes leads a new team that is tasked with dismantling corrupt power networks in the Marvel universe. It is a more cerebral and strategic comic than the others, though no less intense for it.
Avengers/Thunderbolts (2004) #1–6 – Clash of Ideals
This miniseries written by Kurt Busiek and Fabian Nicieza pits the Thunderbolts against the very Avengers… something we might possibly see in theaters (if Doctor Doom allows it). The conflict is similar to that of Captain America and Iron Man in Civil War. While the Avengers doubt the intentions of the group, the Thunderbolts fight to prove that not every villain is doomed to perdition.
Clearly, Marvel Studios will take the characters to their own territory (and will leave us with a notable death or two). However, all these comics can serve to learn more about Marvel’s Suicide Squad. A supergroup with very little super and a lot of hero.
