Hawkeye's New Thunderbolts Team Is Officially Replacing the Avengers
Warning: Contains a preview for Thunderbolts #1
The new Thunderbolts team led by Hawkeye is taking the place of the Avengers in Marvel Comics. The Thunderbolts are officially the only superhero group lawfully sanctioned to operate in New York City, meaning they will have to fill the role of every other hero usually operating in the Big Apple.
During the Devil's Reign storyline, Wilson Fisk (aka the Kingpin) used his powers as mayor of New York to enforce a law banning all unsanctioned superhuman and vigilante activity. This was part of a plan to secure his re-election and gain even more power for a future run at the Presidency of the United States. Fisk's machinations (including using the powers of the Purple Man to mind control citizens) were unveiled and he is currently presumed dead. Despite Kingpin's fall from grace and power, however, his "Powers Act" is still in effect, and only one superhero team can legally operate in New York: the Thunderbolts, which Kingpin used as his own personal enforcers. Luke Cage succeeded Fisk as mayor, so he decided to put the Thunderbolts to good use, reforming the team with new members.
Marvel's new Thunderbolts series is written by Jim Zub with art by Sean Izaaske. The duo already worked together on the Thunderbolts book in 2016-2017, and despite a completely different roster, the key concept remains the same. Speaking to CBR, Zub said that, at their heart, the Thunderbolts are a team struggling for redemption. This starts with the new leader, Hawkeye, who recently "turned down a dark road" in his Freefall miniseries, and is trying to reverse course. Hawkeye is also a classic member of the Avengers, but Zub made clear that despite his experience he is not fully prepared for managing a sanctioned superhero team that is answerable to the government and the public in a way usually heroes are not. "There's a moment in Thunderbolts #2," Zub said, "where Clint has to do a press scrum. He’s used to doing photos with the Avengers and things like that, but he’s never had to deal with reporters asking actual questions and follow-up questions."
This is perhaps the most interesting aspect of the new series. Marvel's events such as Devil's Reign often struggle to have real consequences in the following storylines, so keeping the Powers Act in effect is a surprising move. Luke Cage and Hawkeye believe in the value of the Thunderbolts because they both led the team in the past, and want to see its name redeemed. However, as Zub said, "They can't just take the laws Wilson Fisk created and turn them off like a switch. The wheels of commerce and government are slow and turgid at the best of times. The Thunderbolts are on the books as a legal superhero team. They're deputized and part of the law in New York City. So, if that's going to be the case Luke figures let's use the team but make them actual heroes instead of the Kingpin of Crime's flunkies."
This means that the Thunderbolts are stepping in for the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, and everyone else who usually handles threats in New York. To do that, the new Thunderbolts roster needs to be on the same power level, which comes in the form of two top-tier heroines, Spectrum and Miss America. "Monica and America Chavez were on the Ultimates together," Zub said, "so they have cosmic level power. [...] I needed to have some powerhouses in the mix, and it's fun to figure out how to put challenges up against them along with everyone else. I enjoy keeping people guessing about how they're going to be utilized and be most effective against the threats coming their way."
Marvel's new Thunderbolts series will focus a lot on humor and team dynamics. The team will start by cleaning up Wilson Fisk's mess, and then move on to bigger threats that are usually handled by the Avengers. Thunderbolts #1 goes on sale on May 25, 2022.
Source: CBR