Thunderbolts #12

[iamrman]

Zemo triumphant!

The Thunderbolts escape in a Quinjet and seek refuge in one of Egghead's old bases.

While the somewhat good guys prepare to fight back, Zemo can’t resist gloating.

This was going to be it for this post, but I couldn’t resist adding Moonstone's beatdown on Zemo.

I'm going to skip the next few issues, because I’m feeling a little burned out on all the Thunderbolts stuff. If anybody wants to post the Kosmos arc, feel free to do so.

EDIT: Feel free to post Spider-Man Team-Up #7 too.

Comments

[mazway_75]

Awesome wrapup to the first arc. The next issues meander a bit but it turns out that's the point, the team lost, not able to figure on the whole redemption arc...and then Hawkeye pops in to help and we get another great push for them.

That first year is still one of the best runs of any comic of the 1990s, genius shock twist at the start and then watching Zemo scheme while the others start to fall into the hero gig is just beautiful to watch. A master class in comic book storytelling.

[zachbeacon]

Yeah, while there’s some set up for major things in the future (Graviton mostly) it is kind of directionless until Hawkeye. Understandable from a character POV, though.

Assuming that the issues before then are skipped, just assume I made a joke about Zemo being haunted by Batman.

Also, I suspect I’m not the only one with thoughts on the Wizard contest.

Footnotes on footnotes; Pratchett would be proud

[zachbeacon]

Nice to see Mel recognize Abe’s genius. He’s self-conscious about that.

Also nice of Stark to acknowledge that Screaming Mini to Songbird is the biggest glow-up ever.

Atlas’ reluctant “I…don’t know” works better in hindsight. I’m not sure if the dead brother retcon was planned at this point but Jolt is certainly his little sister from here on out.

The degree to which people are brainwashed is interesting. Steve is a puppet and Johnny retains a “FU, don't tell me what to do" attitude while doing what he's told to do.

Something I legitimately don’t remember and can’t be bothered to check…do they explain the Spider-Man situation? Are we to assume Peter is just very confused amidst a brainwashed Manhattan?

(Yeah, I know some of the following contradicts some things I said in past posts. I wrote this first and I’m not changing it aside from the footnotes. I also have a draft written for Spider-Man Team-Up #7. Hint, Hint, iamrman)

Zemo as an evil mastermind: A-

Pros: The plan worked. He brainwashed the heroes and delt a very personal blow to his archenemy*. He took over the world…twice if you count Counter Earth. Looks great in fuzzy boots. Better track record than Doom.

Cons: Had no plan to deal with Jolt. Other things I will mention next …


Zemo as a manager: F

Blindsided his team and forced them to pick a side on the spot. Didn’t see Lady Starscream’s betrayal coming. Is only alive because the dumb muscle felt he owed him a favor** (though not enough to stick around). The only one that stayed with him is the one that “likes a challenge” (and maybe has a crush on him…but I don’t think it really becomes subtext until Fabian takes over).


*Destroying Cap’s WW2 locker doesn’t really pay off until the end of Fabian’s second run and the airlock scene works well enough to send the same message


**On the one hand, Atlas secretly*** saving Zemo’s life seems like it’s the most important thing skipped here. On the other hand, it’s the culmination of some things from previous issues that didn’t seem too important at the time. Yeah, good call on skipping Kosmos because its more of the same.


***Techno knows…so it isn’t really a secret.

[starwolf_oakley]

I've always liked Moonstone's line about not wanting to rule the world.

It's a little like a part of GAME OF THRONES. Robert Baratheon did a great job saving Westeros from the Mad King. He did a less than great job ruling it afterwards. (Robert was also right about Danerys being a serious threat even as a teenager, but that's another matter.)

Kurt Busiek did something similar in the ASTRO CITY SPECIAL. Infidel tells Samaritan he has no interest in ruling the world. "Can you imagine what a headache *that* would be?"