Now, you might remember that this past week we’ve seen a couple teasers for a second wave of Marvel NOW! titles (namely Lightning, Survive, Wanted and Killers) and today Newsarama has our first official confirmation that Daniel Way and Steve Dillon will be relaunching “Thunderbolts” this December with a brand spanking new team consisting of Red Hulk, Deadpool, Punisher, Venom and Elektra.
Speaking about the origins of this new team, Jordan White (Thunderbolts series editior), told Newsarama:
The idea for this team of Thunderbolts actually came from a Marvel retreat, where ideas are flying fast and furiously. The question of how to shake-up Thunderbolts and take it in a new direction came up, and the idea of a Red Hulk-led team got the room excited. From there, the question became who he would tap for his team, and everyone agreed the main roster you see here (Punisher, Venom, Elektra, and Deadpool) would be an awesome team book. Looking for the right fit for this book as far as writers go, Dan Way was at the top of the list – and once we brought the idea to him, he leapt in with both feet, with tons of ideas of his own to add to the mix. He quickly shaped what was a rough idea for a team into a book with a specific idea and direction behind it… and added in a few more characters to the team, who shall be revealed over the first few issues.
For the full interview with White, head over to Newsarama.
Update: Now with official Marvel Press Release.
Marvel Press Release
This December, prepare for a deadlier brand of justice like lightning as Thunderbolts #1 kicks off the all-new ongoing series from the top-selling creative team of Daniel Way (Deadpool) and Steve Dillon (Punisher MAX). As part of Marvel NOW!, Thunderbolts joins a number of titles that will take the Marvel Universe in an exciting all-new direction, as the industry’s top creators join the top Super Heroes to deliver all-new ongoing series, great for new and lapsed readers alike!
Red Hulk, Venom, Elektra, Deadpool, the Punisher. Forget the courts, the jails, the system – this team of Thunderbolts fights fire with fire, targeting the most dangerous and lethal players in the Marvel Universe with extreme prejudice. Led by General “Thunderbolt” Ross, AKA the Red Hulk, this hand-picked team of like-minded operatives is going to make the world a better place…by all means necessary.
“How many times have we said to ourselves, ‘If only I had the power…’? Well, Thunderbolt Ross has that power and this series will show what he does with it,” explained Daniel Way in an interview with Marvel.com. “Really, it all boils down to the most ‘Marvel’ of our medium’s go-to ideologies: With great power comes great responsibility.”
Marvel NOW! is the culmination of Marvel ReEvolution, the groundbreaking new initiative to evolve the comic book experience through innovation. With Thunderbolts, Marvel NOW! ensures fans will discover an entirely new perspective on one of the most popular super hero teams.
“I dare any Super Hero fan to look at that cover and not smile–the Thunderbolts line up is a true dream team” said Axel Alonso, Editor in Chief, Marvel Entertainment. “Daniel and Steve are both incredibly talented creators redefining one of our most enduring franchises into something that will surprise a lot of readers–this is a series about violence, war and the consequences of both….along with more action than you can handle!”
Each issue of Thunderbolts features special augmented reality content available exclusive through the Marvel AR app — including cover recaps, behind the scenes features and more that add value to your reading experience at no additional cost.
“Not only does every book with the Marvel NOW! logo feature a new superstar creative team and blockbuster story, but they also come with all-new incentives for our retailer partners,” explained David Gabriel, Senior Vice-President of Sales, Marvel Entertainment.. “We want to make sure every comic shop nationwide is fully stocked to meet the high demand we’re already seeing for Marvel NOW! And want to make sure their voices are heard throughout this exciting time. Stay tuned for more news on how Marvel will be working directly with retailers to make sure our programs address their needs.”
Continued belowAn all-new direction! All-new team! All-new missions! This is Thunderbolts NOW!
This December, Daniel Way and Steve Dillon redefine justice in Thunderbolts #1!
For more on Marvel NOW!, please visit now.marvel.com and join the conversation on Twitter using #MarvelNOW.
*Retailers should keep an eye on the Marvel Mailer and Diamond daily for special announcements concerning Marvel NOW!
THUNDERBOLTS #1
Written by DANIEL WAY
Art by STEVE DILLON
Cover by JULIAN TOTINO TEDESCO
ON SALE THIS DECEMBER!
