Thunderbolts #20 – Review

by Charles Soule (Writer), Carlo Barberi (Artist), Isreal Silva (Colorist)

The Story: Getting set in a new base, the Thunderbolts decide they need to deal with Mercy. Cue in everyone’s favourite biker from hell.

The Review: Thunderbolts is a book that I should love. It’s written with a good dose of action and humor, I really like most of the characters from its cast and I do believe there is a potential with its general premise. Better yet, it’s written by Charles Soule, the man who write one of the only few DC title I still follow, Swamp Thing. However, there have been a few problems, the art being the most preeminent one. Plagued by artists that don’t always fit the tone of the book, the book was weighted down by some of its aspects.

Thankfully, the addition of a new character and a new artist can certainly bring some energy and some fun to the book. However, is it enough to give this title the jolt it needs?

Unfortunately, while these additions may prove to be essential, there is an ill sense of timing as this issue doesn’t accomplish much in terms of development or in sheer fun. While there are some notable interactions and some progression in terms of character arc given to readers, there’s just not that much going on in this issue.

Soule does try to balance things out with humor, playing with the general lack of cohesion of the Thunderbolts unit and their disparate personalities, yet all the one-liners and the general silliness cannot deviate the attention of readers from the lack of progress made in several plots and subplots. There are things occurring here, mind you, some that are important, like the fact that the team try to find a solution to the ongoing problem that is Mercy, yet there isn’t much else truly going on.