Thunderbolts: The Dark Heroes Behind the Lightning Name

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In much the same way that lightning unexpectedly strikes, the 1997 comic book series Thunderbolts #1 electrified the Marvel Universe. This fresh group of superheroes – Citizen V, Songbird, Techno, Meteorite, MACH-1, and Atlas – were introduced several months prior in the pages of The Incredible Hulk #449 by writer Peter David and artist Mike Deodato Jr., clashing with the titular Green Goliath in the Arizona desert. Following the selfless sacrifice of Earth’s greatest heroes to save the world from Onslaught, the Thunderbolts emerged to fill the gap left by the Fantastic Four and the Avengers.

In issue #1 of “Tales from the Marvel Universe,” a comic written by Kurt Busiek and Mark Bagley, the Thunderbolts earned public favor as they saved civilians following the Onslaught assault. (Later, the vanished heroes reappeared in another dimension and eventually came back.) During this time, New York City was left to be protected by individuals disparagingly referred to as “mutant extremists, kids, and unlawful vigilantes” such as Spider-Man and the New Warriors, who supported the city’s latest protectors.

In issue #1 of Busiek and Bagley’s “Thunderbolts,” there was a sort of disclaimer, as these seemingly new superheroes were actually the notorious villains of the Avengers, going by the name Masters of Evil. This group consisted of Baron Helmut Zemo (disguised as Citizen V), Screaming Mimi (also known as Songbird), the Fixer (Techno), Moonstone (Meteorite), the Beetle (MACH-1), and Goliath (Atlas).

In the first issue, readers didn’t learn why the T-bolts were called “Thunderbolts” until later, in private discussions. However, it was made clear early on that this name originated from a poem by 17th century poet Thomas Randolph. The poem reads: “Justice, like lightning, should always appear; to some men destruction, but to all men fear.

Citizen V expressed his aspiration to the media, saying, “We aim to emulate lightning – symbolizing swift justice.” When asked why the Thunderbolts didn’t adopt the name ‘Avengers’, he clarified, “The Avengers are irreplaceable, and we don’t strive to imitate them. We wouldn’t dream of assuming their identity or legacy – whatever esteem we might acquire, we’ll gain it through our deeds.

Despite not claiming the title of the Avengers, they seized Four Freedoms Plaza, a place once occupied by the Fantastic Four, as their operational headquarters. As this group of supposed heroes confronted adversaries like the Wrecking Crew, the Mad Thinker, the Enclave, and the latest incarnation of the Masters of Evil, some members of the Thunderbolts started to show signs of reform, with Atlas and the newly formed couple Songbird and MACH-1 being among them. A hero named Jolt, who possesses electric powers and holds an idealistic viewpoint, joined their ranks, though she remained oblivious to the Thunderbolts’ hidden agenda.

In the storyline of “Heroes Reborn: The Return”, when the lost superheroes came back to our world, Baron Zemo exposed the Thunderbolts as actually being the Masters of Evil. This group then clashed with both the Avengers and the Fantastic Four. As a result, the Thunderbolts were branded as outlaws. However, their new leader – who was once Hawkeye, a hero turned unwilling criminal before becoming an Avenger – eventually assisted in reorganizing the team.

The action-packed movie “Thunderbolts” from Marvel Studios, featuring Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova, Black Widow; Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes, Winter Soldier; David Harbour as Aleksei Shostakov, Red Guardian; Wyatt Russell as John Walker, U.S. Agent; Hannah John-Kamen as Ava Starr, Ghost; Olga Kurylenko as Antonia Dreykov, Taskmaster; Lewis Pullman as Bob Reynolds, the Sentry; and Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, is currently showing exclusively in cinemas.

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2025-05-02 01:40