In short, this issue is a glorious celebration of heroism. The heroes are flawed, but they overcome their limitations through the cooperative pursuit of heroic virtues. I highly recommend this title. Read Full Review

The central players in this new title are fittingly the newest members. Radioactive Man proves he possesses the potential for nobility in a world of changed political fortunes and allegiances. Speed Demon pretends a detachment he doesnt show in his actions, as heroism seems to be calling to him. The others push Blizzard to his limits, and even the frivolous adrenalin junkie Joystick is finally beginning to show some nuanced levels as she performs a crucial military action against the armies of Hydra. I thought Id miss Karla (a.k.a. Moonstone, the star of the Avengers/Thunderbolts mini that served as the bridge between v.1 and v.2 of Thunderbolts) more than I do, but perhaps Nicieza has said all he could with that character. The one constant in this title is change, so though weve set a few players on a righteous path by the final page, weve still got the need for new funding, various ongoing ruses, Atlass deteriorating sanity and Mimis unresolved health issues to keep t Read Full Review

Tom Grummett turns in another fine effort, and there are some lovely visuals in this issue from the opening double-page sequence that places the reader right in the midst of the action to the equally impressive scene where Captain Marvel makes his return to these pages. I'm not quite sold on Captain Marvel's new look; it's a little generic, but I can't deny the sheer visual impact of the scene where he deals with the nuclear fallout. There's also some nice work on the character moments, from the raw power of the scene where Atlas takes down the main ship in Strucker's fleet to the sense of frustration on Abe's face as his efforts to capture Strucker come up short. There's also a nice quiet moment of heroism as Speed Demon races away from the city with the ticking bomb, though the art could have done a better job of showing readers how he managed to survive the explosion. Read Full Review

I want to like this comic, I really do. Its good honest back-to-basics superheroics, sticking (a very welcome) two fingers up at the likes of Avengers Disassembled and Identity Crisis, but it fails to capture the energy and excitement that are inherent in the superhero genre. Its certainly not a bad comic, but considering whats going on, it just seems like this should be a more impressive and exciting reading experience. Instead its competent but underwhelming. Read Full Review