MARCO SPEAKS SPIDEY- King in Black: Thunderbolts #3 Review

Norman Osborn’s plan makes sense. At least, in my head, it does. Kingpin knew what he was doing when he assembled this team of Thunderbolts, and recruited Osborn. It is the classic Trojan Horse, which has worked time and time again in history and in fiction. Gather the pieces of Sentry, put him back together again, bring him to Knull, ignite his body with Star’s awesome, newly discovered power, and make him blow up… in effect, killing the King in Black. What can go wrong?

OFFICIAL MARVEL COMICS DESCRIPTION:

FINAL ISSUE

King in Black: Thunderbolts #3

STORY BY: Matthew Rosenberg

ART BY: Juan E. Ferreyra

COVER BY: Kyle Hotz, Rian Gonzales

THE EXPLOSIVE FINALE!

• What are the Thunderbolts doing with the Sentry’s body?
• Oh…Oh, no. Really? That’s the plan??? Well, as long as everything comes out all right in the end.
• Wait, THAT’S how it ends??? YIKES.

SO GOOD AT BEING BAD!

PROS:

• Star discovering the full potential of her power was a masterful touch to the issue. Sentry may have the power of exploding suns, but he… can’t be bothered right now. Star showcasing her mighty explosive force was a sight to behold.
• The little joke included about the Thunderbolts being a suicide… team… or squad… was a nice touch to the final issue. We see what you did there, guys. Kudos!
• It was refreshing to see the heroic side of the Thunderbolts. In this final issue, we as readers witnessed Thunderbolts who went back for one another in times of danger and distress. We saw a member stay behind to hold off the evil symbiotes, ensuring the safety of his team. We saw Thunderbolts stick together, plan together, have each other’s backs, and at the end of the day, look out for their own collective interests. Not even Kingpin will be able to mess around with this crew any longer.
• The panel showing a whole see-through bus was genius. It gave us an idea of how cramped and tight the entire vehicle was, with all the occupants. The art choices in this book were top tier.
• I know that I have said in the past that I do not like how the Sentry is being treated, but I have to admit… it is starting to get seriously funny. The portion of the comic where they had to retrieve his body parts, put him back together again, then use his lifeless corpse as a ticking time bomb were gruesomely hilarious. It was a bit morbid, but maybe this event is starting to desensitize me as a reader. I am not sure if that is a good sign…
• There was enough spotlight and focus shared with most of the members, including Taskmaster, Batroc, Hyde, Grizzly, Star… and even Figment had the most important role to play at the very end of the issue. This was a very well-balanced story overall, giving attention to lesser-known characters in the grander scheme of King in Black.
• The twist in the end, the con, and the whole illusion of it all was executed perfectly… so perfectly that even Kingpin fell for the trick, poor guy. It looks like we will be seeing more of these Thunderbolts in action… saving the world, but also making sure they make good money.

CONS:

• Norman Osborn was just mentioned, discussed, criticized and praised in some parts of the comic, but his presence was sorely missed, as we only got to see him in action during the previous issue. I am sure many of us were secretly hoping he can go Goblin, if only for just a while.

FINAL GRADE: A

The sense of camaraderie, despite having very little chances of survival, are what make books like Thunderbolts such a blast to read. Even in the short three-issue span, I already fell in love with the new dynamic line-up. And this team is already growing to become a powerhouse unit in their own right. If this momentum continues on, they’ll be a definite threat to their counterparts in other comic book companies. Overall, this was a solid installment in the larger King in Black crossover event. It is a classic example of tough situations, but working your butt off to make the most out of what you’re given. If life gives you symbiotes… try to blow that goo up. ROAD TRIP!