Customer Reviews

Thunderbolts by Warren Ellis, Vol. 1: Faith in Monsters (v. 1)

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This revamp of the Tbolts series is more than anyone could ask for. The premise of a group of government sponsored supervillains masquerading (it's really about all you can call it with the exception of the honest intentions of Songbird and Radioactive Man) as law enforcement and bringing in D-list Marvel heroes is awesome. Deodato's art is dark and fits the book well and Ellis' writing is quick, smart, and enjoyable. Overall this series was great in single issues but the story flows better in trade form and provides for an extremly fun and rewarding read.

In the aftermath of Civil War, a new team of Tunderbolts have been assembled to take down unregistered superheroes. No longer a team of former villains looking for redemption, these new Thunderbolts are operated by Norman "Green Goblin" Osborne, and consist of Songbird, Moonstone, Radioactive Man, Swordsman, Penance, Venom, and Bullseye. Kept on short leashes thanks to nanites in their blood, these new Thunderbolts embark on their first odyssee by taking down Jack Flag and the Steel Spider, all the while planning their own hidden agendas. There could not have been a better guy to tackle writing the new Thunderbolts than Warren Ellis, as his characterizations of the characters are what really make Thunderbolts: Faith in Monsters so good. From a severely bipolar and Spider-Man obsessed Norman Osborne, to the masochistic Penance ,to the ever deadly and murderous Bullseye; Ellis' Thunderbolts are edgy, entertaining, and incredibly enjoyable. The artwork from Mike Deodato only adds to Ellis' dark tale, and is stellar work as well from an artist that we don't see enough of these days. All in all, the first volume of Warren Ellis' smashing new take on the Thunderbolts is definitely worth picking up for Thunderbolts and/or Ellis fans, and even if you're not, you should still give Faith in Monsters a look.

In a world where superpowered beings must register or be hunted down by the government, brave heroes stand to defy it. However, the government has a secret weapon: The Thunderbolts, a team created by Norman Osborn and filled with some of the cruelest villains of the Marvel universe. With the likes of Venom and Bullseye working for the government, is there hope for anyone left?

This is a truly disturbing super team. The things they do to the minor unregistered heroes of the Marvel universe will leave you cringing and wondering if anyone will stand up to this evil team. You won't feel good as heroes are paralyzed, fried, and dismembered. The highlight of the book, however, is a battle where American Eagle rips apart Bullseye, gives us some hope that the Thunderbolts can be stopped. This book is a real page-turner and once you open it, you won't be able to stop reading.

This was my first Thunderbolts book and boy is it cool! Venom and Bullseye are two great villians obviously and this book really lets them shine.

I don't want to give too much away but basically the Thunderbolts are now working with the government trying to hunt down unlicensed heroes as a result of Marvel's Civil War. I love books that focus on the villians (Go read Mark Millar's Wanted and Mark Waid's Empire immediately) and with Norman pulling the strings you KNOW it's gonna be a fun time.

Warren Ellis always delivers something slightly different then what you're used to making him a perfect writer for this series, the art is also really great. After this immediately pick up Vol. 2 Caged Angels!

Marvel's Thunderbolts title has gone through more revamps than most books do in fifty years. However, the current version by Warren Ellis and artists Mike Deodato is by far the best.

The Thunderbolts are now a team of "heroes" (in the loosest sense of the word) who are deployed by the government to track down rogue superheroes. The roster consists of Songbird, Moonstone, Radioactive Man, Venom, Penance, and Bullseye and they are lead by Norman Osbourne (Green Goblin). The delivery is sure genius as the reader is torn with rather to root for the Thunderbolts or cheer against them as they go into battle against several C-D tier characters in the Marvel Universe.

The writing by Ellis is top-notch and the art by Deodato is sharp and many times brutal in its delivery. The battles that take place are believable and action-packed. The writing gives each character plenty of depth before throwing them into the fray (which makes it more entertaining when the reader is forced to take sides).

I'm sure some critics may call Thunderbolts too dark and violent. They're correct, but at the same time the level of depth and maturity in a superhero title is really a marvel to behold. If you're a fan of the Marvel Universe then you will be entertained by Thunderbolts: Faith in Monsters!

Thunderbolts: Faith in Monsters (2008) - Warren Ellis, Paul Jenkins, Marc Guggenheim (writers) and Mike Deodato, Jr., Steve Lieber, Leinil Yu, Marc Silvestri (artists)

This book was a lot of fun... a LOT of fun. Warren Ellis really knows how to write superhero comics. In fact, this might be the best The Thunderbolts team has ever looked. The premise is cool, the action is awesome, the character development is strong (though it could be stronger), and the art is gorgeous. And, in fact, I think Deodato's art is more impressive than Warren Ellis's writing. Really, his work is technically gorgeous (For example, his women are truly amazing), and that really sells the book for me. This is also why its even more a shock that I had not really heard of him before this series! Thus, I would recommend the book for the art alone. Oh, and the leftover stories in the end, they're alright but nothing special. Still, go buy this book now!

Coming from Civil War, we have a new villians team. OK. But why is it so similar to 80's Suicide Squad, if it's supposed to be new? And where are the great antagonists for these new "fighters" ?

I like Ellis very much, I believe Planetary is one of the best things I've ever read in my 25 years of comics, but here he seems a little like a fish out of water, but make no mistake: his average work is better than most stories being told nowadays.

My countryman Deodato produces a good art, notice how he draws Norman Osborn like a (not so) younger version of Tommy Lee Jones. And Norman Osborn is really the best thing in this book, easily.

This is a new direction for the Thunderbolts, and it's nothing short of amazing. The Thunderbolts started out as villains pretending to be heroes and finding that they were slowly becoming what they pretended to be. It was a potentially fascinating study of involuntary redemption, and although it was generally too comic-booky (long dialogue exchanges during fight scenes, Silver Age grandstanding from Zemo, etc.), the premise was strong. In this volume, Ellis and Deodato explore something else. This time, the villains use their own identities and engage in what is officially a public service sanctioned by the post-Civil War U.S. government. Their mission is to round up superheroes who have refused to register, and this book presents a few of their efforts toward that end. The kicker, though, is that in Ellis' capable hands, these characters have no desire for redemption. They each work with their own ulterior motives, creating some deliciously soapy subplots (at one point, Moonstone refers to "wheels within wheels," which is a perfect way to characterize the interactions among team members), and the violence is over the top. I believe the intention is to make a political statement about the activities the general public was tolerating (or even approving) in a post-9/11 world, but this works just as well as a story on its own. It has a limb-chomping monster roaming the streets with a self-mutilating emo teen, a sociopathic psychiatrist, a semi-virtuous veteran heroine willing to cross ethical boundaries to get what she wants, and more. I love these characters, the way Ellis pairs them up in surprising and satisfying ways, and the gorgeous Deodato artwork. I must warn potential readers: this is a dark book, with violence and unredeemed nastiness, and the three extra stories at the end are not really worth reading, but for fans of the characters or of a superbly-crafted comic book story, this volume is an exhilarating ride.

This is gonna be a short review.

I will admit to having been a long time fan of the original Thunderbolts series and team and originally when this came out i didn't read it because i was so upset at the lineup and story changes going on. But now years later i have heard nothing but amazing things so i picked it up and i must admit to being very happily surprised and enjoyed everything i have read so far. i very much suggest anyone who is a fan of Marvel comics or thunderbolts pick this up.

Great comic. Great art. Great fun!

This storyline is awesome! I don't want to say anything specific for anyone who hasn't read it yet. I will only say that if you're a fan of any of the characters, particularly the green goblin/norman osborn, you must read this. 'nuff said.