Thunderbolts #148 – Review

By Jeff Parker (writer), Declan Shalvey (artist), Frank Martin & Fabio D’Auria (colorists)

The Story: Luke Cage’s involvement in Shadowland is explained this month, even though the mini-series is almost over. But whatever. Oh, and the Thunderbolts fight some ninjas…bet you didn’t see that one coming, did ya?

Bitter Random Thoughts: What. The Hell. Was this!? As long as I’ve been reviewing Parker’s run on Thunderbolts I have absolutely adored this book and been a huge admirer of what he and the art team have been achieving. And then I read this issue, and now I feel like I’ve been sucker-punched and slightly betrayed. Was this month’s issue a victim of poor editorial oversight? Of being shoehorned into a storyline it had no logical right participating in? Of being just plain ugly?

Well, yeah.

I have found that the times I’m hardest on this book are when it’s being dragged into stupid fucking crossovers. It happened with Avengers Academy and it’s happened again here with Shadowland. In both instances, this comic was far better than the storylines it was being forced to participate in, but the inclusion of the Thunderbolts in Daredevil’s fall from grace seems especially unnecessary. Cage’s crew haven’t been mentioned in Shadowland once before now, and now all of a sudden they’re lurking in the sewers fighting and being spanked by cannon fodder ninjas!? Sorry, but I’m not buying it. This team is more powerful than that, and the fact that they got their asses handed to them by the fucking Hand is sad and illogical and deeply Wrong. It also reeks of editorial mismanagement, of Parker being told how this story had to go down to fit with Marvel’s larger vision. Which they’re entitled to do, I suppose, seeing as how these are their toys, but God help me why does their vision suck so bad?

Weekly Comic Book Review’s Top Picks

DS’ Top Picks

Best From The Past Week: Batman and Robin #14 – Batman and Robin #14 is psychologically rich and filled with unhinged personalities at the thin edge of functionality. You want whack-job villains trying to do horrible things to possibly innocent people, with flawed heroes trying to save the day? Look no further. Batman and Robin #14 is one of the more sophisticated pure superhero books I’ve read in a while.

Most Anticipated: Brightest Day #10 – I am not yet willing to give up on this series. Despite an overall slowness to the development of the action, we’ve got to remember two things: (a) Johns strives for epic scope and (b) 10 issues only represents 5 months, so it only seems longer than it really has been. Come on, Johns! I’m betting on you and papa needs a new pair of shoes!

Other Top Picks: Other Top Picks: Birds of Prey #5, Tiny Titans #32, Thor: For Asgard #2, Thunderbolts #148

Dean’s Top Picks

Best From The Past Week: Daytripper #10 – Reviewing final issues is different because they end up being a review of the entire series.  Handle the final issue wrong and you can screw up everything that you accomplished in the rest of the series.  Fortunately that didn’t happen with this touching ending to this miniseries about life, home and family.  This was simply a wonderful series that I will really miss.

Most Anticipated: Morning Glories #2 – Nick Spencer had about 7 “hooks” in his first issue of Morning Glories and I really cannot wait to see how this series progresses in issue #2.  I can’t even decide which of the weird mysteries of the Morning Glories Academy I would like to know more about first.

Other Top Picks: Unwritten #17, Bulletproof Coffin #4, Hack/Slash: My First Maniac #4, Marvel Universe vs. The Punisher #4, New Mutants #17

Alex’s Top Picks

Best From The Past Week: Thor #614 – Kieron Gillen’s final issue on Thor is also his best.  Clever, epic, and with a fantastically written Mephisto.  It’s also brimming with almost too much story, as though Gillen could’ve used another issue.  Instead, we get this beast.

Most Anticipated: Morning Glories #2 – Could it be anything else?  Morning Glories #1 felt fun and fresh and posed a bevy of questions, not least of which was one helluva a bizarre cliffhanger.  I can’t wait to see where this series goes and if it can keep up the quality.

Other Picks: The Unwritten #17, DMZ #57, Birds of Prey #5, Brightest Day #10

Joe’s Top Picks

Best of the Past Week – X-Force: Sex and Violence #3 – In yet another of week of underwhelming releases, Kyle and Yost deliver a title that is just pure unadulterated popcorn fun.  Wolverine and Domino claw and shoot everything that moves and their teammates show up to join in the fun.  The fun the creators must have had on this project is infectious and was well worth the purchase.  I’ll miss their names in the credits.

Most Anticipated – X-23 #1 – From one Kyle and Yost creation to another one that owes much to them.  I’m more excited about the character than the creative team on this new series, due to the stellar work K & Y did on her during their previous runs on X-Force and New X-Men.  Despite my reservations, I am still eager for my monthly fix of the Wolverine clone and will be hoping wholeheartedly that she works as a lead character as well as she did a supporting one.

Other Picks: Green Lantern Emerald Warriors #2, Hack/Slash: My First Maniac #4, Morning Glories #2, Amazing Spider-Man #643, Astonishing Spider-Man/Wolverine #3, New Mutants #17, Spider-Man/Fantastic Four #3, Thunderbolts #148, X-Factor #209, CBGB #3, Pale Horse #4