ThunderCats #2

History

The series was announced at New York Comic Con 2023 as the flagship title of a newly-formed partnership between Dynamite Entertainment and Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products, with Declan Shalvey (writer), Drew Moss (artist), and Jeff Eckleberry (letterer) named as the core creative team, and Nate Cosby serving as editor. Shalvey and Moss, both self-described ThunderCats superfans, were positioned to explore the earliest days of the ThunderCats' arrival on Third Earth — a narrative territory described by editor Cosby as 'a mystery wrapped in sci-fi and magic.' Issue #2, titled 'The Gift' (a title that was added retroactively in the collected trade paperback edition), was written by Shalvey, drawn by Moss, colored by Arancia Studio, and arrived in shops on March 13, 2024, with the introduction of Calica formally announced via a joint press release from Dynamite and Warner Bros. Discovery in February 2024.

Trivia · 8 facts

• First appearance of Calica, a new Thunderian character created by Declan Shalvey and Drew Moss — described by Dynamite and Warner Bros. Discovery as potentially the first new character added to the core ThunderCats cast in decades.
• Calica is a young Thunderian survivor discovered among the wreckage of a Mu'Tant ship; her design, by Drew Moss, is inspired by calico cats, giving her a tri-color fur pattern and a distinctive black patch over one eye.
• She is introduced as a potential love interest for Lion-O as he struggles to mature into a worthy leader of the ThunderCats on Third Earth.
• The issue also depicts the Mu'Tants' first discovery of Mumm-Ra's Black Pyramid in this continuity, setting up the villain alliance central to the opening story arc.
• Written by Declan Shalvey, art by Drew Moss, colors by Arancia Studio, letters by Jeff Eckleberry, edited by Nate Cosby; Cover A by David Nakayama.
• The issue shipped with an exceptionally large variant cover count, including covers by Lucio Parrillo, Jae Lee & June Chung, Ivan Tao, Ken Haeser (featuring a homage cover spotlighting Calica), and multiple incentive foil and virgin editions — reflecting the commercial momentum built by the breakout first issue.
• The issue's story title, 'The Gift,' was not printed in the original comic; it was added when the arc was collected in ThunderCats Vol. 1 trade paperback, which collects issues #1–5.
• ThunderCats #2 was published March 13, 2024, as part of the broader Dynamite/Warner Bros. Discovery licensing partnership that also launched additional WBD-property titles including The Flintstones, Space Ghost, and The Powerpuff Girls.

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