Thunderbolts (comics)
Group of fictional characters in Marvel comics
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Interest in “Thunderbolts (comics)” spiked on Wikipedia on 2026-07-21.
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Key Takeaways
- The Thunderbolts are an antihero/supervillain/superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
- Created by Kurt Busiek and Mark Bagley, the team first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #449 (January 1997).
- Publication history The Thunderbolts were first presented, both to readers and to the Marvel Universe, in The Incredible Hulk #449 (January 1997), written by Peter David with art by Mike Deodato Jr.
- The final page of Thunderbolts #1 (April 1997), written by Kurt Busiek with art by Mark Bagley, revealed, however, that the Thunderbolts were actually the Masters of Evil in disguise, a surprise twist carefully guarded by Marvel Comics.
- Rejecting Zemo's leadership, they recruit former Avenger Hawkeye to replace him.
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Source summary
WikipediaThe Thunderbolts are an antihero/supervillain/superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team consists mostly of reformed supervillains. Created by Kurt Busiek and Mark Bagley, the team first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #449 (January 1997).
The group made their live-action debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in their own feature film, Thunderbolts*, which was released on May 2, 2025.
The Thunderbolts were first presented, both to readers and to the Marvel Universe, in The Incredible Hulk #449 (January 1997), written by Peter David with art by Mike Deodato Jr., as a team of flamboyant new heroes who stepped up to fill the gap left when the Avengers were declared dead after the events of the 1996 "Onslaught" crossover. The final page of Thunderbolts #1 (April 1997), written by Kurt Busiek with art by Mark Bagley, revealed, however, that the Thunderbolts were actually the Masters of Evil in disguise, a surprise twist carefully guarded by Marvel Comics.
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