I hadn’t realized that Peter David created The Thunderbolts. I always thought it was Kurt Busiek.
After The Avengers disappeared into the pocket dimension created by Franklin Richards, the world needed a team of heroes. It got The Thunderbolts. We, the readers, first see them as another team formed to take down Hulk.
Hulk is galavanting around with Janis Jones–Rick Jones’ daughter from an alternate future–when the Thunderbolts arrest him.
To everyone’s surprise, Hulk surrenders quickly.
As he stands with his hands up, we get a good look at this team and they all seem new. In hindsight, we know they are villains rebranded as heroes.
We don’t learn their true identities, but now we know Meteorite is really Karla Sofen, Mach-1 is The Beetle, Erik Josten is now Atlas (the team strongman), Techno used to go by the name Fixer, Screaming Mimi now calls herself Songbird, and of course their leader, Citizen V, is Helmut Zemo.
Being that it’s their first outing as a team (and being that Hulk is Hulk), Hulk easily humiliates them.
Hulk leaves, but onlookers get some pictures of the new team.
Yet in the closing panel, Hulk appears to have a heart attack. More on that next issue.
Here’s the Bullpen Bulletin hyping the team’s debut:
i meant to rag on you on Saturday for skipping over the Mr. Fixit/Wolverine two-parter from Wolverine’s original series (back when Wolverine series were worth reading). One of my favorite storylines of all time, and you pooched it. Unless you ran something when i was sick, in which case, move along; move along.
I don’t read Wolverine comics. They suck.