Bucky Barnes, AKA The Revolution, is chasing the Red Skull’s fortune, but he needs a good spy in his corner. Lucky for him, Contessa’s policy is “Two Widows, No Waiting!” Your Major Spoilers review of Thunderbolts #2 from Marvel Comics awaits!
THUNDERBOLTS #2
Writer: Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly
Artist: Geraldo Borges
Colorist: Arthur Hesli
Letterer: VC’s Joe Sabino
Editor: Alanna Smith
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: January 10, 2024
Previously in Thunderbolts: When Contessa gets word that Kingpin will be overseeing the transfer of the Red Skull’s fortune at the notorious Hellfire Club, Bucky Barnes enlists the aid of his favorite masters of infiltration, a pair of Widow sisters. But to rob the Red Skull of his ill-gotten gains, they’ll have to go through Wilson Fisk.
That didn’t go too well for Bucky last time…
CODENAME: THROUPLE
Last issue ended with the shocking assassination of The Red Skull by the Thunderbolts, but the death of Aleksandr Lukin doesn’t mean the end for the Skull’s legacy. The eighth wealthiest person in the world at the time of his death, the Skull left his massive fortune behind walls of security and bureaucracy, and it has now transferred to a very exclusive club, run by a very dangerous fat man. Getting into the Hellfire Club would be a no-go for most super-types, but Bucky is still believed to be a villain, a member of the Outer Circle. And he even gets to bring dates, which is how the Black and White Widows end up joining him in his undercover gig, but Wilson Fisk is already aware of what they’re up to. In order to keep the operation in play, The Revolution calls out The Kingpin with one of the most outrageous things I’ve ever heard in a superhero comic: “Fisk… The Skull. It was me.”
“I’M A MUCH BETTER KILLER WHEN I’M FEELING CUTE”
One of the best parts of this issue is the banter between Contessa Valentina Allegra de la Fontaine and her agents, including some MCU-style back-and-forth between Natasha and Yelena and Contessa code-naming them “Throuple.” The battle with The Kingpin and his goons is well-crafted, but oddly stiff, with artist Borges reminds me a lot of Charlie Adlard from The Walking Dead. The poses and facial expressions feel a little bit limited, which does affect my enjoyment of the issue, but the story and the dialogue make up for a lot of that. The three Thunderbolts are forced to improvise, which leads to The Black Widow revealing her new symbiote, The White Widow kicking the hell out of Kingpin’s men and a rather large explosive device putting a definitive end to the matter of stolen N*zi gold, once and for all.
BOTTOM LINE: MY FAVORITE ‘BOLTS SINCE THE ORIGINAL
The rekindling of the romance between Bucky and Natasha is maybe my favorite part of the issue, but Thunderbolts #2 has a number of similarly lovely moments in a script that provides a lot of detail while remaining fast-paced, with art that has some glitches, but a lovely coloring job wrapping up for 3 out of 5 stars overall. I also like the fact that next issue’s solicitation copy promises to bring in the U.S. Agent and American Kaiju, giving the Thunderbolts a rotating team of operatives, a gimmick that reminds me of the classic Birds of Prey, in all the right ways.
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THUNDERBOLTS #2
There are big changes afoot in this corner of the Marvel Universe, and they're all clever, fun and unexpected, including The Revolution face-to-face with the former Kingpin of Crime.
Plus, Yelena is a hoot.
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Writing8
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Art5
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Coloring6
Once upon a time, there was a young nerd from the Midwest, who loved Matter-Eater Lad and the McKenzie Brothers... If pop culture were a maze, Matthew would be the Minotaur at its center. Were it a mall, he'd be the Food Court. Were it a parking lot, he’d be the distant Cart Corral where the weird kids gather to smoke, but that’s not important right now... Matthew enjoys body surfing (so long as the bodies are fresh), writing in the third person, and dark-eyed women. Amongst his weaponry are such diverse elements as: Fear! Surprise! Ruthless efficiency! An almost fanatical devotion to pop culture! And a nice red uniform.