Hawkeye Returns to Lead Marvel's New, More Powerful Thunderbolts Team

After teasing the new team yesterday, Marvel Comics has officially announced who will be part of the new Thunderbolts.

As revealed in a press release from Marvel, writer Jim Zub and Sean Izaakse will team up to bring a new version of the Thunderbolts to the publisher's line-up. Releasing May 25, the new team, which rises out of the events of the ongoing Devil's Reign event, will consist of Clint Barton/Hawkeye, America Chavez/Miss America, Monica Rambeau/Spectrum, Víctor Álvarez/Power Man and Kara Killgrave/Persuasion. The series will also see the debut of a cyber-soldier named Gutsen Glory. While the press release only lists six characters, there's an additional one on the poster between Rambeau and Chavez who does not seem to be named.

In terms of the plot, the press release teased a dimensional rift opening up in Chinatown, monsters at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and supervillains taking hostages. It then provided a plot synopsis for Thunderbolts#1 that reads, "In the aftermath of Devil’s Reign, the Big Apple has big problems, and it’s up to a new group of Thunderbolts to turn things around. But when Clint Barton gets tasked with heading up this team and proving they can go toe-to-toe with anything the Marvel Universe can throw at them, the first opponent he’s going to have to face is himself."

Speaking about the book, Zub said, "Writing Thunderbolts was my first in-universe work for Marvel and Sean Izaakse's first Marvel project as well, so getting to launch a new version of the team here with him on the team's 25th anniversary year is an absolute honor. I am so pumped to put Clint Barton, Monica Rambeau, America Chavez and a host of others through trials and tribulations aplenty as New York's only official super hero team. A lot of the ideas being unleashed in this series are things I've been wanting to do for years. Big action and big fun, drama, comedy and, of course, a few twists befitting the team that always keeps readers on their toes. Sean's artwork has never looked better and he's bringing his incredible skills to bear on stunning comic pages and eye-catching designs for new characters we're adding to the mighty Marvel Universe. Our creative team is firing on all cylinders, so get ready for 'Justice, Like Lightning' to strike every single issue!"

Created by Kurt Busiek and Mark Bagley, the Thunderbolts first appeared in 1997's Incredible Hulk #449. In general, the team has consisted of reformed supervillains and antiheroes. The original group was formed by Baron Helmut Zemo. However, Hawkeye eventually took control of the team. Over the years, the team has boasted among its members such characters as Wade Wilson/Deadpool and Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier. The Devil's Reign storyline features a version of the Thunderbolts led by John Walker/U.S. Agent.

You can see covers and artwork for Thunderbolts #1 below alongside the solicitation for the title.