http://www.bleedingcool.com/2012/03/13/thunderbolts-to-end-in-may-and-change-to-something-else/

I don't know how I feel about this!

I can confirm that Thunderbolts, the comic starring Marvel supervillains potentially trying to be better people, ends in May.

But in June there is a new comic. Also written by Jeff Parker. With issue number 175. And also issue number 176 – you know, double shipping and all that.

Marvel have asked me not to say what, and hey I’ve revealed enough about their Wondercon plans this last couple of days, so I’ll say fair enough. Let’s just say it won’t be a title you’re unfamiliar with… and just the title will bring with it all sorts of meaning…

Are they going to be erased from time? Will Songbird not even exist? GAAAAAH!!!

Jeff Parker still writing the book? It will end a blunder exactly like Villains for Hire.

Eek that's worrying. But at least Parker's still writing. that's reassuring at least.

i think and hope this might just be a brief change like when Wolverine became Dark wolverine or Ms. Marvel starred moonstone. :)

Perfect Jumping off point for me after May

It's just a name change from the looks of it. Why would they be erased from time?

@god_spawn: If you noticed, the issue before this change involves the New Thunderbolts team fighting the original team, i.e. messing around their origins. Cause the wrong move and KABOOM, T-bolts never existed.

The titles sales have been dropping and dropping. It's actually a good thing they're trying to mix things up and making the effort to try and save the series from a foreseen cancellation.

Might it be changing to Infernal Man-Thing? Didn't Parker say the book was becoming Satana heavy and well... Satana would fit into a Man-Thing book.

Like maybe for a story Man-Thing and Satana are the only Thunderbolts left?

There was no point for there to be a Thunderbolts after Heroes Reborn.They were the Avengers when there was no Avengers.Now there's 3 different Avengers teams.The sales probably dropped to the teams lack of significance.

Will this finally explain the the status quo and whereabouts of Cain Marko post Fear Itself?

@Vance Astro said:

There was no point for there to be a Thunderbolts after Heroes Reborn.They were the Avengers when there was no Avengers.Now there's 3 different Avengers teams.The sales probably dropped to the teams lack of significance.

The irony being that it's probably the best written "Avengers" book out now. >.<

@CATPANEXE: Yeah, but I hope their answer isn't "Abandon all these characters!" I mean, the sales dropped happened when the Time Travel arc started where they changed the cast and sidelined some of the big characters. I hope their answer isn't "Change the roster again" or "replace everything."

@Vance Astro: You are FOOLISH to think this. The Thunderbolts is about villains reforming to become heroes, not that they are just another Avengers team. Seriously, READ the Thunderbolts. Don't pout on about the Avengers when most of the time they sit around eating Chinese food.

Seriously, your statement makes me very mad. There's more to the Marvel U than just the Avengers, and a Thunderbolts for a long time was an interesting alternative. There's a reason it went on for 170 issues. Hell, it even influenced Dark Reign, creating the Dark Avengers.

@X35: I don't know, but I think Man-Thing will be a different title.

@Vance Astro: You are FOOLISH to think this. The Thunderbolts is about villains reforming to become heroes, not that they are just another Avengers team. Seriously, READ the Thunderbolts. Don't pout on about the Avengers when most of the time they sit around eating Chinese food.

Seriously, your statement makes me very mad. There's more to the Marvel U than just the Avengers, and a Thunderbolts for a long time was an interesting alternative. There's a reason it went on for 170 issues. Hell, it even influenced Dark Reign, creating the Dark Avengers.

@Vance Astro: Norman in control was good, but the book has been a very consistent series. This time travel arc is killing momentum.

But I severely disagree that there is no need. The Avengers are frustrating. They act so smug and proud, there's nothing to root for. There's a reason why people like characters like Ghost and Songbird is because they do get the shit end of the stick, but the Avengers just whine when they don't win and come back very easily. I mean, remember Ms. Marvel pouting that they lost to Superia?

And why should I read the Avengers? 6 issues for a quick fix ending? Bendis is horrible at concluding arcs.

I will admit that the current T-bolts team is frustrating, but I completely disagree that's there's no purpose. But Marvel is basically becoming Spider-Man, Avengers and X-Men only, so I guess you win, all hail the same crap repeated over and over.

@Vance Astro: Norman in control was good, but the book has been a very consistent series. This time travel arc is killing momentum.

But I severely disagree that there is no need. The Avengers are frustrating. They act so smug and proud, there's nothing to root for. There's a reason why people like characters like Ghost and Songbird is because they do get the shit end of the stick, but the Avengers just whine when they don't win and come back very easily. I mean, remember Ms. Marvel pouting that they lost to Superia?

And why should I read the Avengers? 6 issues for a quick fix ending? Bendis is horrible at concluding arcs.

 But Marvel is basically becoming Spider-Man, Avengers and X-Men only, so I guess you win, all hail the same crap repeated over and over.

The irony being that it's probably the best written "Avengers" book out now. >.<

@Vance Astro: HOW?! How is the time travel better? It's just directionless! Oh wait, people like stupid wackiness over characters. No wonder why people think Wolverine and the X-Men is good.

That's because morons buy the books cause they see Spider-Man, Wolverine and shit. It's this constant attachment to the same A-Listers that's killing comics. I'm tired of having to bow down to Wolverine to be in my book. It's obnoxious. I mean, we're talking about the same people who let Batman: Dark Knight and Detective comics sell in the Top Ten.

Thunderbolts has a coherent theme and purpose. That's more than the Avengers have right now as it's grabbing all the popular characters and calling it a day.

And just because Marvel reverts some T-bolts doesn't mean they should stop. Hell, that's like saying the Punisher should quit cause characters keep coming back to life. But the original T-bolts line up have had some of the most solid character development in comics.

And Children's Crusade was crap. Oh sure, it started promising, but it just divulged into "Hey, let's stop picking on the Scarlet Witch cause Dr. Doom did it" Mary Sue for Heinberg liked the Scarlet Witch. And that gay kiss wasn't progressive, it was self congratulatory. But I guess that's all you need to make people forget that two team members DIED! God, what a waste of a book and I don't give a damn what you screaming fangirls think!

Seriously Vance, SCREW YOU! Thunderbolts has been my favorite series from Marvel, and just because everyone hopped on the LOL, Osborn train doesn't mean the rest is crap. The fact you like the time travel better shows you don't like good characters, it just shows you like Gimmick characters!

EDIT: If all you wanted to do was wander in here and talk shit about Thunderbolts, then congratulations. You're just a selfish prick who can't let anyone talk about something that isn't your PRECIOUS Avengers or A-List CRAP! Seriously, SCREW YOU! I don't even care if your a moderator! It's not cool to come in her and start inflammatory comments like that!

@Vance Astro: HOW?! How is the time travel better? It's just directionless! Oh wait, people like stupid wackiness over characters. No wonder why people think Wolverine and the X-Men is good.

That's because morons buy the books cause they see Spider-Man, Wolverine and shit. It's this constant attachment to the same A-Listers that's killing comics. I'm tired of having to bow down to Wolverine to be in my book. It's obnoxious. I mean, we're talking about the same people who let Batman: Dark Knight and Detective comics sell in the Top Ten.

Thunderbolts has a coherent theme and purpose. That's more than the Avengers have right now as it's grabbing all the popular characters and calling it a day.

And just because Marvel reverts some T-bolts doesn't mean they should stop. Hell, that's like saying the Punisher should quit cause characters keep coming back to life. But the original T-bolts line up have had some of the most solid character development in comics.

And Children's Crusade was crap. Oh sure, it started promising, but it just divulged into "Hey, let's stop picking on the Scarlet Witch cause Dr. Doom did it" Mary Sue for Heinberg liked the Scarlet Witch. And that gay kiss wasn't progressive, it was self congratulatory. But I guess that's all you need to make people forget that two team members DIED! God, what a waste of a book and I don't give a damn what you screaming fangirls think!

Seriously Vance, SCREW YOU! Thunderbolts has been my favorite series from Marvel, and just because everyone hopped on the LOL, Osborn train doesn't mean the rest is crap. The fact you like the time travel better shows you don't like good characters, it just shows you like Gimmick characters!

EDIT: If all you wanted to do was wander in here and talk shit about Thunderbolts, then congratulations. You're just a selfish prick who can't let anyone talk about something that isn't your PRECIOUS Avengers or A-List CRAP! Seriously, SCREW YOU! I don't even care if your a moderator! It's not cool to come in her and start inflammatory comments like that!

Cool with me, as long as Parker's on board then I have no worries, he gets these characters to their core. I'll be laying off the book for a while in order to clear space up for my new Image purchases, hope this rebranding works out though.

@Cafeterialoca:

I'm actually enjoying the time travel story because of the dynamic between the various members of the "Underbolts" and Alpha Team. I'm also a fan of time travel stories in general and like how this journey through time has visited some of my favorite eras and how having to preserve the timeline (for the right or wrong reasons) is subtly has made them behave more and more heroically.

Hopefully whatever the team is Rebranded to they don't lose Songbird.I hate when Marvel builds characters up and then they disappear.

@Vance Astro: I'm sorry. I feel like a jerk.

But the leaked new name has been released...I really don't know what to expect anymore...

You can find it for yourself...

Uncanny New Thunderbolt Avengers #175  
 
Welcome to a New Era for Marvel's Premiere Bad Guys Gone Good, as we find out why Wolverine, Spider-man and Batman have joined the team. Written by Jeff Parker with a foreword by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS. Double sized issue , so 8 times the cost of a regular issue! Nuff Said! Comes with random Avengers Movie Variants! 

Thunderbolts is now going to become Dark Avengers.

http://www.bleedingcool.com/2012/03/16/jeff-parker-and-decan-shalveys-thunderbolts-becomes-dark-avengers-in-june/

@Baddamdog: I saw. I don't know how to feel about this. I need to see the cast.

@Cafeterialoca: gotta feeling it'll be the Dark Avengers that have been appearing recently, although they wouldn't get rid of all the Thunderbolts cast...would they? Songbird has been a consistent part of the Thunderbolts since they were founded, but then again...this isn't the Thunderbolts anymore :S

@Baddamdog: Are the new Dark Avengers going to be a draw at all? I mean, who wants to read about Hawkeye's brother?

Ew.

Who didn't see this coming? This is the type of stuff Marvel does.They have an property that is somewhat original and then they tie it to something that's already popular to try and boost the popularity of the property and it almost never works out.I lack of creativity and planning at Marvel blows my mind.

@Vance Astro: I'm holding out until I see the cast first.

@Cafeterialoca: True, the new version is very very weak compared to the original line-up. Plus they haven't received nearly enough exposure to be considered that popular. Hopefully there'll be a mix of the Thunderbolts, the old dark avengers and the new ones... although that could just be hopeful thinking on my part hoping that Songbird and Moonstone will stay on the same team...

@Baddamdog: Moonstone and Songbird are T-bolts staples. I hope they stay!

So this a kind of new mutants to x force deal

@Cafeterialoca: True, the new version is very very weak compared to the original line-up. Plus they haven't received nearly enough exposure to be considered that popular. Hopefully there'll be a mix of the Thunderbolts, the old dark avengers and the new ones... although that could just be hopeful thinking on my part hoping that Songbird and Moonstone will stay on the same team...

Honestly? I didn't think I'd ever really heavily invest in Thunderbolts again... but I had a very persuasive LCS salesman that assured me it would be worth the bucks, and the (at the time) return to more Marvel... the guy really gets me, so I gave a shot. And it was stellar. It dipped a little bit here and there, but the latest arc was awesome. I think Jeff Parker is a great writer. I think the stories that might be coming could be great. But I'm not going to follow the book through transition. Semantic in nature, yes, but I'm not interested in reading Dark Avengers. Even with Jeff Parker writing them. Even if the Dark Avengers are the Thunderbolts. The name simply provides an expectation and a connotation that hasn't been an enjoyable one for me in the past. I'm not leaving the book out of spite, revulsion or protest of the change. But I'm not going to keep going. I know the temptation would be to accuse such an action as being pointless or ignorant because (insert "you enjoyed Tbolts you should enjoy the exact same thing with a name change comment here). If the run is successful, if Parker remains on the book, and if I once again have an individual I trust who makes the effort to convince me the book is worth rejoining, I'll do so. Until then, adieu Thunderbolts. You were awesome.

@Vance Astro: I doubt Norman Osborn is gonna be anywhere NEAR that team.

:(

Just :(.

@Vance Astro: I doubt Norman Osborn is gonna be anywhere NEAR that team.

@Vance Astro: He's kinda incapacitated. He gets a adaptoid, but all the Avengers and New Avengers touch him, and he melts.

@Vance Astro: There is always a point to the Thunderbolts, unfortately that point became- we don't have story for ourselves so each issue will cross over into the major cross overs and then fail miserably because when it did finally have a storyline it chose time travel. Time travel sucks when not done right, I stopped carring seven months ago. I wish I hadn't, but too late now. The only good new additions to the team since Secret Invasion were Ghost, Ant-Man, Juggernaut and Boomerang. Ghost fell into that niche that the book needed without having Fixer in it. Ant-Man made a good foil and as since gone on to have a great staring role within Secret Avengers. Juggernaut- well they ripped him away from the plot (one reason why I quit the book) and Boomerang, well always a classic villain- nice to see him in the title. But the little Troll girl which made no sense, Mr. Hyde- honestly after the whole fiasco with where the Dark Reign and Siege storyline went, he just never made since. Centurius or Doctor Century- whatever he was called, granted an older yet obscure character just seemed to be replacement for Fixer. Even though Fixer was in the book. And Luke Cage did not fit well in that roll. The part should have gone back to Hawkeye, he was the original bad boy and he's the one that should have gotten the group rolling. US Agent- they never should have crippled the character- okay so it added plot- but overall he got kind of boring and than you rarely saw him.

@Sobe Cin: I actually like Troll.

@Vance Astro: There is always a point to the Thunderbolts, unfortately that point became- we don't have story for ourselves so each issue will cross over into the major cross overs and then fail miserably because when it did finally have a storyline it chose time travel. Time travel sucks when not done right, I stopped carring seven months ago. I wish I hadn't, but too late now. The only good new additions to the team since Secret Invasion were Ghost, Ant-Man, Juggernaut and Boomerang. Ghost fell into that niche that the book needed without having Fixer in it. Ant-Man made a good foil and as since gone on to have a great staring role within Secret Avengers. Juggernaut- well they ripped him away from the plot (one reason why I quit the book) and Boomerang, well always a classic villain- nice to see him in the title. But the little Troll girl which made no sense, Mr. Hyde- honestly after the whole fiasco with where the Dark Reign and Siege storyline went, he just never made since. Centurius or Doctor Century- whatever he was called, granted an older yet obscure character just seemed to be replacement for Fixer. Even though Fixer was in the book. And Luke Cage did not fit well in that roll. The part should have gone back to Hawkeye, he was the original bad boy and he's the one that should have gotten the group rolling. US Agent- they never should have crippled the character- okay so it added plot- but overall he got kind of boring and than you rarely saw him.

I do not want to read a book about boring d-list newer characters like June Covington or the Spider-Man guy. They suck. Outside of pretending to be other heroes, they have offered nothing else at all in Avengers. Why add shit characters nobody wants to read about when there's fan favorite characters like Mimic, Diamondback and Constrictor nowhere to be seen.

And I don't want to lose Songbird, MACH-V, Moonstone and Boomerang. They are perfect characters. Bring back Juggernaut and BAM! perfect core Thunderbolts team.

I do not want to read a book about boring d-list newer characters like June Covington or the Spider-Man guy. 

 Bring back Juggernaut and BAM! perfect core Thunderbolts team.

And I don't want to lose Songbird, MACH-V, Moonstone and Boomerang.