Thunderbolts #51

Thunderbolts #51 marks a "New Beginnings" chapter for Marvel's morally complex team, and the cover by Patrick Zircher and Al Vey announces it with real punch — a long-haired, duster-clad gunslinger in red armor dominates the foreground, both pistols raised and teeth gritted against a crackling lightning-blue sky. Surrounding him are several fallen or looming figures, including a masked face and a hulking grey form, while a small Hawkeye inset in the corner hints at leadership changes afoot. Fabian Nicieza's name on the credits promises the sharp character work this series thrived on in 2001.