WARNING: The following contains major spoilers for King in Black: Thunderbolts #1 by Matthew Rosenberg, Juan Ferreyra, and VC's Joe Sabino, on sale now.
Marvel's King in Black has seen Knull, the dark god of the symbiotes stretch his black, oozing tendrils not just across Earth's landscape. Thankfully, running away from a fight isn't something that many of the world's heroes and villains do very well, and when everything is at stake there is no better reason to come together for the greater good.
With so many heavy-hitters out of commission, everyone who can fight has a role to play, and that includes some of the best of the worst. A new Thunderbolts lineup has emerged to battle the darkness in King in Black: Thunderbolts #1, and they just might be the most powerful incarnation of the team yet.
Kingpin
Wilson Fisk gave up his title as the Kingpin of Crime not all that long ago in exchange for something more legitimate. Now, as the mayor of New York City, Fisk has more power than he could have dreamed. The powers that come with his office aside, Fisk still has a relaxed hold over the criminal underworld on the East Coast, both of which Knull's arrival has all but wrenched from his hands already. Now, he's brought together a new Thunderbolts team, one that is uniquely suited for tackling the situation at hand. If they succeed, he'll pay them handsomely. If they fail in their mission or decide to leave the team on their own accord, Fisk will see to it that they make their exit in a body bag.
Taskmaster
A former S.H.I.E.L.D. agent turned mercenary and assassin, Tony Masters possesses not only a natural prowess on the battlefield, but photographic reflexes that allow him to perfectly mimic any movement he sees so long as it only requires two arms and two legs. This, combined with an experimental super soldier serum, have turned the Taskmaster into what might be the most gifted combat artist in the entire Marvel universe, and he's the perfect fit to lead the team.
Star
Ripley Ryan's early life was fraught with trauma, so she put on a happy face and faked it until she made it as a reporter. An interview with Captain Marvel introduced her to the more heroic side of the Marvel universe, something she immediately latched onto. When given the chance to become half-Kree, Ripley welcomed it with open arms, but when the process didn't imbue her with powers, she took it upon herself to syphon those of Captain Marvel. When her plan was thwarted, she was sent to the Raft for incarceration. Miraculously, Ripley somehow became merged with the Reality Stone and used its powers to escape. Her control over them is tenuous at best, but she might be one of the few who can go toe-to-toe with Knull and live to tell the tale.
Mister Fear
Lawrence Cranston was once one of Matt Murdock's peers at law school, though he never liked his classmate much. In fact, he hated him with a passion, and when given the chance he stole the original Mister Fear's costume and equipment, putting it to good use in a bid to unmask Daredevil. Things didn't go as planned, and Lawrence apparently fell to his death, only to reappear later and continue tormenting the Man Without Fear. Using a mixture of pheromones and chemicals, Mister Fear employs a noxious gas not unlike that of the classic Batman villain Scarecrow.
Rhino
Aleksei Sytsevich's life was expected to be short lived, as are those of most Russian Mafia enforcers. When the promise of power came his way, Aleksei leapt at the chance to be his own man, undergoing a series of experiments that would permanently bond him to his rhinoceros armor and transform him into the classic Spider-Man villain, The Rhino. Although he'll never be mistaken for a genius, Rhino is still intelligent enough to know that if the world ends, so does he, and the obvious choice of muscle for the new Thunderbolts is signed up from the get go.
Ampere
While this electrifying Ampere appears to be a new character, he's not the first Marvel character with the name. Created by Joey Cavalieri and Grant Meihm in 1994's Avengers #377, the original Ampere was a member of the Circle of Pavane who put his mutant energy projection powers to terrifying use in an attempt to kill Quicksilver. This version has powers derived from technology that seem to allow him to direct and control electricity. As of now, it isn't known whether or not this Ampere has any connection to the original user of the name.
Batroc the Leaper
Georges Batroc left the French Foreign Legion to become a mercenary, being given the nickname "The Leaper" for his prowess in the French form of kickboxing known as Savate. Batroc has long been a classic Captain America foe, but that doesn't mean the two hate each other. In fact, Batroc was smitten the first time they met when Captain America said he already knew who Batroc was. One of the most accomplished and loveable fighters on Earth might not be an obvious choice for the team, but he is the correct one.