Thunderbolts Classic #1
☆ Be the first to review + Add to your collection — Join freeThis collection reprints the earliest adventures of the Thunderbolts, a team that debuted in the wake of Marvel's 'Onslaught' event. Initially presented as a new generation of heroes, the team was secretly composed of classic villains—including Baron Zemo, Beetle, Fixer, Goliath, and Screaming Mimi—posing as the heroic Citizen V and his allies. The volume gathers the first issues of their original series, revealing their true identities and setting the stage for their complex evolution from villains to antiheroes.
"Justice ... Like Lightning!" kicks off a bold new chapter in the Thunderbolts saga with a gripping look at the uneasy origins of the team’s future members. Written by Kurt Busiek and illustrated by Steve Epting, the issue captures a pivotal moment before the Marvel Age, as Baron Zemo asserts control over his Indian laborers, while his son Helmut and Erik Josten observe—watching a world where power and morality blur. The cover by Mark Bagley and Vince Russell sets the tone with a stark, dramatic image of the looming conflict.
In a tense, brief moment from Thunderbolts Classic #1, Baron Zemo—posing as Citizen V—faces off with Colonel St. Lawrence during a press interview, catching her off guard with a chilling familiarity that hints at deeper connections.
In "Deceiving Appearances," the Thunderbolts race to stop the Thinker’s android from abducting Franklin Richards, uncovering a web of deception that tests their trust and loyalty. When the mission ends, they’re handed an unexpected prize: the Baxter Building as their new base—though nothing about the offer feels quite right.
When Spider-Man is linked to a string of high-profile burglaries, the Thunderbolts are called in by the mayor’s office to bring him in — and Mach-1 sees a chance to settle an old grudge. With the Enclave watching from the shadows, tensions rise as past conflicts threaten to erupt.
When a new Masters of Evil emerges to seize control of New York’s underworld, the Thunderbolts find themselves caught in a web of shifting alliances. With the Black Widow determined to bring every old foe to account, the team must navigate a dangerous game where loyalty is tested and the line between enemy and ally blurs—especially when the Arms Merchant enters the fray.
In the shadow of a world on the brink, Dr. Leonard Samson finds himself caught in a web of shifting loyalties as Hydra’s influence spreads and the Sub-Mariner—amnesiac and untamed—becomes a pawn in a larger game. With Baron Zemo’s iron rule and the Fixer’s quiet betrayal, the stage is set for a reckoning that will echo through the dawn of the Marvel Age.
ComicBooks.com Value
Find on ebay
Where to buy
Sell my copy
Have this issue — or a whole collection? Get a fair offer from us, skip the marketplace fees and the hassle.
We Buy Collections ▸Cast · 40 characters
Full credits
Reprints
↩ Reprints The Incredible Hulk #449 (1997), Thunderbolts Prelude #1 (1997), Tales of the Marvel Universe #1 (1997), The Incredible Hulk #450 (1997), Thunderbolts #1 (1997), Spider-Man Team-Up #7 (1997), Thunderbolts #2 (1997), Thunderbolts #3 (1997), Thunderbolts '97 #[nn] (1997), Thunderbolts #2 (1997), Thunderbolts #4 (1997), Thunderbolts: Distant Rumblings #-1 (1997), Thunderbolts #5 (1997), Thunderbolts: Marvel's Most Wanted #[nn] (1998), Thunderbolts: Justice Like Lightning #[nn] (2001)
Variants (1)
Reviews
Reader reviews
No reader reviews yet.