Wolverine, Hulk, & Carnage Join Marvel's Thunderbolts

With the Thunderbolts making their live-action debut soon, Marvel Comics is unleashing ambitious plans for the team in the pages of their comics. The current Thunderbolts team is already heavily involved in the "One World Under Doom" crossover event. However, a brand-new Thunderbolts team will be introduced shortly after the movie's theatrical release.

Marvel recently unveiled New Thunderbolts—a series written by Sam Humphries (Uncanny X-Force) and illustrated by Ton Lima (West Coast Avengers), with cover art by Stephen Segovia. See the striking cover for issue #1 below:

While the new series clearly aims to capitalize on the movie's hype—featuring Bucky Barnes as team leader and the intriguing asterisk in the title—the team roster is surprisingly different. This new iteration includes Clea, Wolverine (Laura Kinney), Namor, Hulk, and Carnage (with Eddie Brock as the current Venom).

The story begins with Bucky and Black Widow confronting an existential threat: Illuminati doppelgangers menacing the Marvel Universe. They assemble a formidable, albeit unconventional, team to tackle this crisis. Leading such a diverse group of powerful individuals, many of whom are known for their less-than-savory tendencies, will be a significant challenge.

"I love every iteration of Thunderbolts," Humphries stated in Marvel's press release. "I'm thrilled to continue the franchise's tradition of intense action, explosive personalities, and surprising twists. This is a team of seven of the most formidable and unpredictable characters from across the Marvel Universe. Assembling a super team is like planning a dinner party—you need the right mix of guests. So I envisioned a dangerous, chaotic, and utterly wild Marvel dinner party, and that's what we've got."

"I'm having a blast working on this book with Mr. Humphries and the team," Lima added. "Look at this lineup… it's insane. They're not here for polite conversation; they dive straight into the action! And that's the most fun part to draw. None of them are known for taking it easy, so neither am I."

New Thunderbolts #1 will be released on June 11, 2025.

For more on the Thunderbolts movie, learn more about Lewis Pullman's character, The Sentry, and what the asterisk in the title might signify.