Thunderbolts #8, continues to disappoint despite great characters

Thunderbolts should be a comic that I can’t wait to receive in the mail.  The first issue started out strong.  A rag tag group of anti-heroes, Red Hulk, The Punisher, Elecktra, Deadpool and Venom team up to solve problems that other entities or superheroes can’t.  Unfortunately since the 4^th issue of Thunderbolts it’s dragged and the art has gotten too big and clunky.

Part of the problem is the villains that the Thunderbolts are facing.  There is nothing interesting or memorable about them.  In issue #8 they head to Chechnya to confront some mullah who once had interactions with General Ross (Red Hulk).  The rest of the team chimes in, gunfire is exchanged and the Thundrbolts go on to chase some other guy around Dagestan.

They stalk out a group of baddies, then shoot up the place.  There are several panes of dialogue about who is doing what, but the combination of what is-and is not happening are why the series is so disappointing.

The Thunderbolds are a kick butt team of superheroes, yet they’re doing mundane things like staking out a meeting of Islamic terrorists and then fighting them in an alley.  Yes, fighting terrorists in a back alley, it’s Thunderbolts a’la West Side Story.   To make matters worse in this issue Venom only uses his talents in two panels and Red Hulk smashes in four panels-maybe.

There just isn’t enough action in the comic.  I want a good plot, but I also want action and Thunderbolts hasn’t delivered on that for the past 3 to 4 issues.

Additionally, the art in Thunderbolts is not the style that I like.  Granted that’s a personal opinion; but the scope of the characters does not match their appearance.  It’s drawn big, with very little detail on the pages or panels.  A less action oriented comic could get away with this style, but here it just feels empty and lacking.   Doctor Who is more suited for this style of art, not physical, smash em up superheros.

I do hope Thunderbolts will improve over the next 3 issues.  If it weren’t  a subscription and already paid for, then I wouldn’t even bother reading it now.

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