The 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.
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., 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.
In subsequent storylines, the Thunderbolts, who had been created by Baron Helmut Zemo to strengthen his hold on international crime, turn on him when they realize that being heroes is more fulfilling than their old criminal lives. Rejecting Zemo's leadership, they recruit former Avenger Hawkeye to replace him.
Despite critical acclaim, the book was reformatted with Thunderbolts #76 (March 2003), removing the entire cast and creative team and replacing it with a brand-new set of characters, along with a new writer, John Arcudi.
The Thunderbolts also feature in the Spider-Man storyline "New Ways to Die", which is the first proper showdown between him and the team.
The Heroic Age team debuted in Thunderbolts #144.
The Thunderbolts comic book was renamed Dark Avengers beginning with issue #175. Dark Avengers ended with issue #190.
As part of Marvel NOW!, a new Thunderbolts series was launched featuring a new team composed of Red Hulk, Deadpool, Elektra, Venom, and Punisher. This series ended in October 2014 with issue #32.
In July 2023, a new Thunderbolts series debuted, featuring Winter Soldier and Valentina Allegra de Fontaine and consisting of espionage-themed superheroes, including Black Widow, Sharon Carter, White Widow, Red Guardian, and U.S. Agent.
In March 2025, the New Thunderbolts* ongoing series by writer Sam Humphries and artist Ton Lima was announced. Following the release of the film Thunderbolts* (2025), it was announced in May 2025 that the series would be retitled to New Avengers (vol. 5); the first issue was released in June 2025.
Fictional team biography Baron Helmut Zemo's Thunderbolts
Baron Helmut Zemo puts out a call for any members of prior incarnations of the Masters of Evil to assist him in a rescue attempt of Goliath (his former bodyguard). Those who answer the call include Beetle, Fixer, Moonstone and Screaming Mimi. Surprised that so many of his former allies were still loyal to him, Zemo is inspired to resurrect the Masters of Evil once again.Thunderbolts '97 Annual Before they can strike, the Avengers and the Fantastic Four are apparently killed by the villain Onslaught.Onslaught: Marvel Universe With the Avengers and the Fantastic Four assumed dead, Zemo and the Masters of Evil pose as superheroes, taking new identities. Zemo becomes Citizen V, Beetle becomes MACH-1, Fixer becomes Techno, Goliath becomes Atlas, and Screaming Mimi becomes Songbird. The villain Moonstone is secretly freed from the Vault and added to the team by Zemo, acting as Zemo's personal enforcer against any betrayal committed by the others.Thunderbolts Annual 1997
The team is successful as heroes and quickly gain the public's affection and trust. Unbeknownst to Zemo, his teammates began to see the value they could bring to the world as heroes and question the true mission of the Thunderbolts. Dallas Riordan, an aide to the Mayor of New York, becomes their closest ally.Thunderbolts #6
Jolt, an Asian American teenage girl whose entire family was killed by Onslaught and was experimented on by Arnim Zola, joins the Thunderbolts after coming to the Baxter Building seeking the help of the Fantastic Four. Soon after Jolt joins the Thunderbolts, Techno's neck is broken in battle with the Elements of Doom. Techno transfers his mind into an android body built from his tech-pack.Thunderbolts #8
Just as Zemo's plans are about to come to fruition, the Fantastic Four and the Avengers return. Faced with the return of the lost heroes, Zemo reveals the true nature of the Thunderbolts to the world, ostensibly to ensure the loyalty of the team by ruining their chances of becoming heroes.Thunderbolts #10 The Thunderbolts (minus Techno) turn on Zemo for his betrayal.Thunderbolts #12 Moonstone leaves the team, having had no intention of being a true hero.Thunderbolts #13 Now fugitives, the Thunderbolts are joined by Hawkeye and Charcoal.Thunderbolts #23
Jack Monroe, brainwashed by Henry Peter Gyrich, becomes the new Scourge of the Underworld and seeks to destroy the Thunderbolts.Thunderbolts #35 He manages to apparently kill Jolt, Baron Zemo, Techno, and Atlas.Thunderbolts #47 All four manage to survive in some form.Thunderbolts #49 (April 2001) Following the Thunderbolts' apparent deaths, Valerie Cooper gathers a new group called the Redeemers, consisting of Smuggler, Beetle (Leila Devis), and Techno. The original Techno recovers in secret while the robotic Techno works in his place.
The Redeemers help the Thunderbolts battle Gyrich, who had acquired experimental nanite technology. Gyrich intends to use the nanites to kill every hero and villain on Earth. After learning that Gyrich had been infected with nanites and manipulated by Baron Strucker, Hawkeye tries to use this information as blackmail to get the Thunderbolts pardoned. Gyrich counters that he would tell the public himself about Strucker's scheme. Ultimately, Gyrich agrees to stay quiet and give the Thunderbolts their pardon. In return, Hawkeye turns himself in, resulting in the Thunderbolts disbanding.Thunderbolts #50 (May 2001)
Rebirth and endings The Thunderbolts reformed to defeat Graviton. During the fight, several of the team members present (Fixer, Jolt, Moonstone, MACH-3, and Zemo) are transported to Counter-Earth. The Thunderbolts meet Counter-Earth versions of Heinrich Zemo, Helmut Zemo and the first Moonstone, the last of which was known as Phantom Eagle. Zemo convinces the team to help rebuild Counter-Earth. Moonstone steals Phantom Eagle's moonstone for herself, boosting her powers.
Meanwhile, Hawkeye escapes from prison and forms a second group of Thunderbolts with Songbird to oppose the Masters of Evil. Most of the members of the Crimson Cowl's Masters of Evil also join, including: Cardinal (now Harrier); Gypsy Moth (now Skein); Man-Killer (now Amazon); and Cyclone, who does not change his codename.
Avengers/Thunderbolts: The Best Intentions In 2004, the six issue Avengers/Thunderbolts limited series was launched, picking up a year after the events of Thunderbolts #75. Zemo leads the Thunderbolts (now including Dallas Riordan, under the codename Vantage) in an attempt to drain the powers of all superhumans on Earth, using Moonstone. They battle the Avengers, including former Thunderbolt Hawkeye. Iron Man infiltrates the Thunderbolts disguised as Cobalt Man. Eventually, all the power absorbed by Moonstone caused her to snap. Iron Man convinces Hawkeye to lobotomize Moonstone to save the planet.
Zemo vows revenge against the Thunderbolts and the Avengers for putting Moonstone into a coma. Jolt returns to Counter-Earth, while Fixer flees, Vantage retires, and Blackheath returns to prison. Songbird is offered reserve membership in the Avengers, but turns it down. MACH-3 is paroled from prison and forms a new team of Thunderbolts.Avengers/Thunderbolts #6 (2004)
The New Thunderbolts Marvel subsequently launched New Thunderbolts #1. MACH-3 (now called MACH-IV), Atlas and Songbird join the new Thunderbolts. The team's new recruits include Photon, Speed Demon, Joystick, Blizzard, and Radioactive Man.
Fixer recruits MACH-IV and Blizzard to work with him on a secret project run by Zemo. Meanwhile, Speed Demon is confronted by Doctor Spectrum, who intends to reform the Squadron Sinister and take over the world. Speed Demon quits the Thunderbolts to join Spectrum while Nighthawk, a member of the original Squadron Sinister, joins the Thunderbolts.
Soon after Nighthawk joins the team, the Thunderbolts discover that Photon will destroy the universe in the future. As they try to come to terms with this, they are attacked by a Moonstone puppeteered by Zemo to kill Photon. When the initial strike failed, the remainder of Zemo's team reveal themselves to the Thunderbolts. Zemo explains that he had used the Moonstones to accelerate Photon's return from death, and in the process made the mistake of siphoning energy from the beginning and end of time itself, caused by inexperience with his Moonstones, creating a link between Photon and the universe that threatens to end existence. Unable to find a way to save both Photon and the universe, Zemo cuts Photon's body up and banishes him to the Darkforce dimension to prevent him from retunring.
Civil War: Hero Hunters
At the beginning of the superhero Civil War, the Thunderbolts are recruited to battle super-villains, capture them and offer them a choice: join the Thunderbolts or go to prison. All of the villains choose to join the Thunderbolts. Zemo saves the Wellspring of Power from the Grandmaster, who plans to use it for his own ends. Believing that all of his visions were subject to the flow of time, and that nothing was set in stone, Zemo defeats the Grandmaster and takes his power. However, Songbird cracks the moonstones, sending Zemo into a whirlwind of cosmic time/space.
Venom, Lady Deathstrike, Taskmaster, Bullseye, Jester, and Jack O'Lantern join Songbird to hunt down Anti-Registration heroes, but never officially saw any real combat. Jester and Jack O'Lantern were later killed by the Punisher.Civil War #5 (November 2006)
After the events surrounding the Wellspring, the current team disbands. MACH-IV and Fixer are offered jobs by the Commission on Superhuman Activities. Blizzard is released from jail and leaves the team. Atlas is de-ionized after his encounter with the Wellspring, but left catatonic and trapped in an enlarged state. Joystick is imprisoned for her traitorous actions during the Wellspring debacle and Speed Demon escapes arrest. Songbird, Moonstone, Swordsman, and Radioactive Man remain on the team.Thunderbolts #109 (February 2007)
Norman Osborn's Thunderbolts Thunderbolts #110 featured a new creative team (writer Warren Ellis and artist Mike Deodato) and a new roster and direction for the team. The team was formed under the control of Norman Osborn, and the majority of the roster was made up of villains wishing to redeem themselves. The new Thunderbolts roster is led by Osborn and consists of field leader Moonstone, Bullseye, Penance, Radioactive Man, Songbird, Swordsman, and Venom. After the events of Civil War, the new Thunderbolts were tasked with tracking down and arresting individuals avoiding the Superhuman Registration Act. Songbird later assumes control over the team and expands the group's missions to involve regular missions besides hunting down unregistered heroes.