Justice like lightning : the Thunderbolts !

Yes, this was the post I was itching to do ever since I found a plethora of original Mark Bagley artwork for one of Marvel comics undisputed best comicbook series of all times THE THUNDERBOLTS as well as from the other series he worked on like AMAZING SPIDER - MAN or NEW WARRIORS.

Now one of the reasons why THUNDERBOLTS is such a great series is that it has one of the best twists in comicbook history at the end of the first issue but that also makes it incredibly difficult to write about the series without spoiling things for those who have still not read it. So I won't say too much about the story and if I do I am trying to keep it as spoiler free as possible. That doesn't men that this post will be completely without spoilers because there will be some hints about what happens in the series in the original art I am posting itself so that can't be helped.

Another thing is that I am spotlighting Hawkeye with this post so yes, Hawkeye will become the leader of the Thunderbolts at some point so that it one spoiler but I don't think it is a major one. And it only makes sense that Hawkeye decides to lead the Thunderbolts because he is one of the few heroes who have successfully made the transition from super villain to super hero. People often forget that Hawkeye started out as a foil for Iron Man even if he was never really a villain and was only co - opted into fighting Iron Man because he - understandably - had the hots for the sexy Black Widow who used him to do the russians bidding. But Hawkeye didn't start out as a villain. He only became a criminal through a series of unfortunate events of which most were outside of his control.

So of course he is interested to find out if they are really serious about leaving their old life behind them and become good guys. For one, it could be another scam and in that case Hawkeye wants to shut them down himself because that could cause problems for any real super villains who are serious about turning over a new leaf. Secondly IF they are in fact really serious about changing and becoming heroes Hawkeye wants to make sure they get a fair shake and are not railroaded by the press and the politicians who only want to further their own agenda.

Because he has been there and done that and like Batman he doesn't want the bad things that happened to him happen to anybody else.

And not to mention that this leads to a lot of funny and cool moments when Hawkeye has to go up against the Avengers or certain members of the Avengers to defend HIS team. He just loves to rub it into somebody's nose when they are right and one of the coolest things in the series is the big crossover between the Avengers and the Thunderbolts in their respective issues 12. Because the new AVENGERS series written by Kurt Busiek and drawn by the great late George Perez and the THUNDERBOLTS series also written by Kurt Busiek and drawn by Mark Bagley started at the same time. And as much as I like and appreciate Mark Bagley's art on THUNDERBOLTS it was a hoot and a half to see George Perez rendition of the former Masters Of Evil turned reluctant heroes team up with them.

Another reason why I decided to make this also a Hawkeye spotlight post is that Marvel Comics and certainly Disney seem to have forgotten what a great character Hawkeye is. For me he is one of the Avengers of all times and if somebody would ask me to sum up everything that is great and cool and fantastic about the Avengers in one word that word would be : Hawkeye. Because when he's written the right way he can be even better than Black Panther, the Vision, Captain America, Iron Man or Thor.

If he is not only used to build up other characters - like Kate Bishop - he is one of the best characters in comicbook history. And I personally feel that by deconstructing Hawkeye just to make Kate Bishop seem cooler or more competent they are doing a great disservice to both characters.

For one Hawkeye really doesn't deserve this. And on the other side Kate Bishop really does not need this kind of boost because she is a great character that can stand on its own merit and this constant Clint Barton bashing only helps to reinforce the idea in people's heads that she is just Hawkeye with boobs instead of her own person. So the HAWKEYE series by Matt Fraction and David Aja ? Not a big fan. Especially the art looks like the diagram you get handed in airplanes in the case of emergency.

Instead or real art. But coming back to more positive things - after all that is what this blog was supposed to be about when I started it over 15 years ago - and celebrate a comicbook series with great art, phenomenal writing that will throw you a curve ball when you least expect it and a charming Hawkeye at his best. Ladies and gentlemen, the Thunderbolts.