The Dark [Thunderbolting] Avengers: Hoping the Next Leap is the Leap Back Home

TexiKen

Yep.

He also did a two issue arc in PP:SM which Zeb Wells wrote. Sandman crashes a MTV Spring Break beach party and swallows up all the celebrities (true to his song, Enrique Iglesis tries to be a hero and fails). One of the funniest Spidey-stories in a long time.

I don't know why he doesn't do more one page funnies for Marvel.

Munch

Mahfood actually regularly updates his blog with cool little comic strips, cataloging the many strange adventures he finds himself in. From what I gather, he mainly concerns himself with doing pop art paintings, live drawings, and graphic design stuff nowadays. I know for a while, his art could be seen on cans of Colt 45 malt liquor, but I'm not sure if that's still the case.

TexiKen

So I'm only picking up T-Bolts now with Parker's run, so I just want to see if I'm getting the vibe right:

Is Ghost actually a good guy, at least compared to the rest of the team? When he offers the poison vaccine, he's got that used car dealer vibe going on.

The trick with the T-Bolts is that you need one or two who are actually out for redemption, and Ghost could be the new Fixer in that sense.

DarkWarrior

Ghost is out for himself and information, but hes certainly not a psychopath, just a paranoid sociopath.

Faynor

Well, he

Helped Natasha-as-Yelona, and then helped she and Songbird escape, he didn't really have much to gain there.

Robos A Go Go

Ghost is totally a psychopath. It's just that he's an anarchist, and that puts him at odds with villains like Osborn when they happen to be in power.

DarkWarrior

Ghost saved Ant-Mans life this issue so hes definitely benevolent to a point.

Witch_Hunter_84

Yah, Ghost is basically on a perpetual mission against the man. He hated Tony Stark and helped Osborne crack his safe because Stark was in charge, now that Osborne is calling the shots we see Ghost subtly sabotaging Norman's side projects.

Saving Black Widow, Songbird, and Ant-Man are probably only done because he knows the first two will work against him if left to their own devices; Ant-Man is probably only alive because he needs to keep the team in prime condition for him to possibly turn them against Osborne.

Solar

I have to say, I think that is a cool premise for a supervillain.

cshadow42

Isn't Ghost supposed to be in Iron Man's rogue gallery? I'm suddenly curious as to how he was portrayed prior to Thunderbolts.

Took a bit, but I found his wiki entry

Robos A Go Go

He wasn't as crazy and he didn't look like Psycho Mantis.



Pretty sweet redesign, all things considered.

Also, he's one of those rare villains who still doesn't have a proper origin.

Hensler

Damn, I remember that guy now that I see his old look. Ghost, Whirldwind, Whiplash, Boomerang, Force, Grey Gargoyle - all sorts of old Iron Man villains are popping up these days. I hope this means The Unicorn is Norman Osborn's secret weapon.

cshadow42

I was just reading up on 'Headsman'. Wow, I understand that he has a long history with Osborn, but man does he seem like a C-list villain. Still, you gotta admire his spunk; he really wants to get a-head in this world.

Robos A Go Go

Alas, he'll never be the head of a major corporation.

I only knew who he was because I happened to pick up an issue of Untold Tales of Spider-Man one time.

Hensler

cshadow42 wrote: »

I was just reading up on 'Headsman'. Wow, I understand that he has a long history with Osborn, but man does he seem like a C-list villain. Still, you gotta admire his spunk; he really wants to get a-head in this world.

It works, though because they don't treat Headsman like he is anything but C-list, and even he knows it.

Witch_Hunter_84

I think his character works so well because he knows what his niche is. Hell, he's named after his goddamn nich. He also doesn't seek to be the alpha-dog wherever he goes, which is one of the major super-villain character flaws.

cshadow42

So, apparently after Siege, only one of the current "hit-squad" Thunderbolts will be returning.

My money is on Ant-man. Second place is Grizzly.

Hensler

I'll say, and hope, that it's Ghost.

TexiKen

Ghost will probably move back to the Iron Man villain staple, since Tony will be "the man" again after Siege.

And USAgent vs. Scourge in #142, that will be a fun fight.

Hensler

TexiKen wrote: »

And USAgent vs. Scourge in #142, that will be a fun fight.

Seriously? I miss all the cool stuff when I skip previews and I'm a couple issues behind of the main series. Any book with US Agent is a book worth buying.

cshadow42

Ugh, I hate USAgent. Just had to say that... He's like an embodiment of Bush's Americanism

Hensler

cshadow42 wrote: »

Ugh, I hate USAgent. Just had to say that... He's like an embodiment of Bush's Americanism

I know! Isn't he great?

Witch_Hunter_84

cshadow42 wrote: »

Ugh, I hate USAgent. Just had to say that... He's like an embodiment of Bush's Americanism

Why do you hate America? Why do you hate Freedom?

TexiKen

Hensler wrote: »

cshadow42 wrote: »

Ugh, I hate USAgent. Just had to say that... He's like an embodiment of Bush's Americanism

I know! Isn't he great?

I know right? He is the greatest.

He was Team America before it existed.

Slagmire

cshadow42 wrote: »

So, apparently after Siege, only one of the current "hit-squad" Thunderbolts will be returning.

My money is on Ant-man. Second place is Grizzly.

What, like to the new Thunderbolts, because I haven't seen squat regarding that sadly - especially considering we saw Mach V, Songbird and Fixer so recently.

cshadow42

Nah, Mach V, Songbird, and Fixer will almost definetly be in the new new new original Thunderbolts.

It'd be cool if they would throw Zemo in there. He was my favorite character.

I also like Radioactive man, especially the way Warren Ellis writes him. I loved that part where he was mumbling to himself about giving everyone cancer.

I dunno what they're going to do about the Dark Avengers if they're not sticking them back with the Thunderbolts. Moonstone I could possibly see, as well as Marvel Boy...but I doubt they'd put up with Bullseye or Venom's crap. Daken wouldn't join them. Osborn...not after having killed Swordsman and trying to get Songbird. Sentry? Nuh uh...he's probably an Avenger for life. Now as to how long that life is...

Munch

cshadow42 wrote: »

Ugh, I hate USAgent. Just had to say that... He's like an embodiment of Bush's Americanism

He's one of those characters I love to hate though, as opposed to a character like Dr. Light or Mr. X, who I simply dislike, and would prefer not to read about.

TexiKen

#140:

Bob and Ken mess with Nuke's mind so that the next time he sees Osborn he's to kill him.

So the T-Bolts team gets back to base, and they stand around a hologram of Osborn's head.

So Nuke shoots at the hologram and kills Headsman.

Witch_Hunter_84

TexiKen wrote: »

#140:

Bob and Ken mess with Nuke's mind so that the next time he sees Osborn he's to kill him.

So the T-Bolts team gets back to base, and they stand around a hologram of Osborn's head.

So Nuke shoots at the hologram and kills Headsman.

I just read it, I'm still trying to figure out if it sucks, is hilarious, or a combination of the two. I'm leaning toward the third option.

TexiKen

His brother shouldn't have killed his dog. I demand justice (like lightning).

Solar

I just read it, I'm still trying to figure out if it sucks, is hilarious, or a combination of the two. I'm leaning toward the third option.

I think it's awesome.

cshadow42

I thought it was his dad who killed his dog?

wirehead26

Was Andy Diggle's last Thunderbolts run, issues 133-137 I think, any good? I know it kinda tied in to the Ares/Phobos thing from Secret Warriors but I only read SW.

TexiKen

It was his brother because he called him Cody.

"Hey Cody, you seen Duke?"

SalmonOfDoubt

wwtMask wrote: »

God damn, you know shit is fucked up when Paladin has reservations about it.

Anyway, I'm torn on whether to start reading T-Bolts now. I've never cared for the idea of villains masquerading as heroes, but I'm really looking forward to the T-Bolts failing at taking down the Atlas Foundation.

But the current Thunderbolts has nothing to do with villians masquerading as heroes. I mean the closest thing is Scourge who's a villain pretending to be another, different villain.

cshadow42

Ant-man is a slacker posing as a hero
Paladin is a mercenary posing as a hero
Scourge thinks hes a hero but is actually a villain
Mr X is a villain being a villain
Headsman is a B-lister being a B-lister
Ghost is a villain who, by subverting Osborn, is kind of a hero

Witch_Hunter_84

and Black Widow II is a villain being insanely foxy

god I hope they bring her back soon, Osborne said they were going to.

SalmonOfDoubt

cshadow42 wrote: »

Ant-man is a slacker posing as a hero
Paladin is a mercenary posing as a hero
Scourge thinks hes a hero but is actually a villain
Mr X is a villain being a villain
Headsman is a B-lister being a B-lister
Ghost is a villain who, by subverting Osborn, is kind of a hero

Paladin isn't posing as a hero. As far as I know the closest he's ever come to posing as a hero was when he was working for Heroes for Hire and repeated telling them he was only in it for the money.
Saying Ant-Man is posing as a hero is kind of reaching when he's in a black-ops team that's basically never seen by the public. Who's he trying to convince that he's a hero? The rest of the Thunderbolts?

Solar

I think Ant-Man's the coolest guy of the bunch. He's a slacker who has super-pwoers and is in way over his head, he'd love to be a hero but doesn't have the heroic drive for it, and is really interested in chilling out and pretty girls.

Love his character.

SalmonOfDoubt

He's fun but he's not really done much in Thunderbolts so far; most of the time he's just hiding somewhere and going "oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck I am in over my head in the worst way".

Which is entertaining in it's own way, of course.