Thunderbolts #2 Review

Written by: Jim Zub
Art by: Sean Izaakse
Colors by: Java Tartaglia
Letters by: VC’s Joe Sabino
Cover art by: Sean Izaakse, Chris O’Halloran
Cover price: $3.99
Release date: September 28, 2022

Thunderbolts #2 sends the fledgling team to a museum to stop a mysterious, super-strong, troll-like creature from destroying everything. However, looks can be deceiving.

Is It Good?

Thunderbolts #2 is not bad. Not bad at all. I was high in issue #1 because Zub brought an eclectic team together in an unconventional manner that all but guarantees conflicts worth exploring. Pepper in a bit of mystery surrounding several teammates, and you have a first issue brimming with potential.

Now, Zub adds another member to the team in the form of Eegro the Unbreakable. What is Eegro? Unknown. Where does Eegro come from? Monster Island. Why is Eegro in NYC? That would be telling, but you get an amusing explanation. In other words, Zub created a new character that fits the eclectic tone of the group and adds even more mystery to be explored in future issues, so the main thrust of this issue is a success.

The mildly annoying down point of this issue is this continued insistence by Marvel writers (Zub is not the only one) to write Hawkeye as an unreliable buffoon. A portion of this book is devoted to Hawkeye trying to establish himself as a team leader, yet he never displays leadership qualities or confidence in his role. Even when he rattles off his accomplishments during a press conference, Clint lacks confidence in his deeds, almost appearing bumbling. Hawkeye deserves better representation than this.

Hawkeye’s mischaracterization aside, Zub’s script ranges from light to amusing. The mystery surrounding at least one teammate appears to be escalating, which serves as a solid hook to keep readers engaged. This isn’t a ground-breaking, earth-shattering series by any means, but it’s amusing superhero fun with the potential to go in many directions. We shall see.

About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.

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Bits and Pieces

Thunderbolts #2 adds a new teammate, more mystery, and oodles of potential for a superhero book tinged with solid humor and hard-hitting action (literally). Zub’s pacing and dialog are excellent, and the art is great. Barring Hawkeye’s depiction as an insecure buffoon, this title continues to show great potential.