Thunderbolts #15
Wanted Dead or Alive
High above New York City hovers the SHIELD helicarrier. Inside, G.W. Bridge and his team continues their search for the Thunderbolts who have so far evaded capture after being outed as supervillains and following the defeat of their leader Baron Zemo.[1] Despite this, Bridge tells his agent to leave no stone unturned until they find the fugitives. Bridge is then joined by Mister Immortal, who wants to know if there has been any updates on the Thunderbolts. His team is eager to bring them in as they have a vendetta against the criminals. Bridge assures Immortal that his team will get their chance once they’ve located the group.
Since returning to Earth, the Thunderbolts have been hiding out near the Colorado Rockies. Their presence has been unknown until one day when Moonstone and Mach-1 go out hunting for rabbits to eat. The sound of their weapons and energy blasts get the attention of a local hunter. However, the source of the noise is long gone by the time he arrives on the scene.
Setting up camp for the night, the Thunderbolts try to figure out their next moves. Although Jolt and Moonstone believed the right thing to do was surrender after Baron Zemo went down, Jolt isn’t so sure that is the right move now. She thinks that the best thing for the group to do is to remain free and prove to the world they have reformed by fighting crime as wanted fugitives. Everyone agrees except for Atlas, who remains silent on the matter. Moonstone points out that they have done a lot of damage in the past and it’ll be hard to sell people that they have reformed. Mach-1 suggests that they take on brand new identities again, but Moonstone vitos this as people will be more weary of a deception and being found out a second time would only put them in more trouble. They have to keep operating as the Thunderbolts in their current identities in order to endear themselves to the public. However, Moonstone insists that in order to operate they’ll need to set up new civilian identities for themselves. While this will involve breaking the law, Karla manages to convince Jolt that this is absolutely necessary.
The following day, Mach-1 digs up some cash he hid during his criminal career. With that, they set themselves up with a hotel room to stay in and to pay the cost for new identities. With their new fake identifications they group then sets out to get work so they can start earning a honest living. Hallie takes a job at the local Burger World chain, Erik gets a warehouse job, while Melissa and Abner get a job at a diner, serving customers and washing dishes respectively. The only person who is having a hard time getting a job is Karla, who tries to use her education to get a high paying office job. When she doesn’t land a job she over hears one of the office workers making sexist comments about her she throws him through a wall with her super strength before walking out.
A few days later, Erik tries to call Dallas Riordan at the New York City mayor’s office in another attempt to apologize for betraying her so badly.[4] He learns that Dallas took the fall for when the Thunderbolts were revealed as villains and is facing a Grand Jury. At that same moment, the decision is made that Dallas will be losing her job. She saw this coming and expected it, but what upsets her most is the sting she feels from being betrayed by Atlas specifically. However, Riordan is moving forward and once she gets the news decides to start the next phase of her life.
In Mexico, Techno is working on making a clone of Baron Zemo’s body without the scarred face. When Zemo checks in on him he learns that Techo is deciding if he should transfer his mind out of a robot body as he is starting to miss being flesh and blood. Zemo takes offense that Techo would use his old face and shoots the genetic tank and warns him against doing it again in the future.[5] Little does either other them know that someone is lurking in the shadows watching them.[6]
The following morning, the Thunderbolts are getting ready for the day when Jolt finds a note from Atlas saying that he’s leaving. As they are reeling from Erik’s sudden departure, Karla notices SHIELD agents showing up outside and orders everyone to suit up. Despite the fact that they have been trying to lay low, the Thunderbolts raised too much attention, allowing G.W. Bridge to track them down. Now, with a team of SHIELD agents in Mandroid armor he has come to apprehend the fugitives. Moonstone creates a distraction with her phasing powers, giving the rest of the team time to change into costume. However, without Atlas’ strength and size-changing abilities the team is out manned by the SHIELD operatives.[7] Seeing how Jolt is getting upset at the persecution, Karla plays on her frustration to crank things up and start hitting hard. This turns the battle around and allows the Thunderbolts to make their escape.
The Thunderbolts stop to rest in the wilderness once they are sure they have lost their pursuers. However, before the team can catch their breath and figure out their next move they are confronted by Mister Immortal and his Lightning Rods — Big Bertha, Flatman, Doorman, and Dinah Soar — who have come to get revenge against the Thunderbolts for sullying their name.
Recurring Characters
Thunderbolts (Moonstone, Atlas, Mach-1, Songbird, Jolt), Baron Zemo, Techno, SHIELD (G.W. Bridge), Dallas Riordan, Lightning Rods (Mister Immortal, Big Bertha, Flatman, Doorman, Dinah Soar), Miles Warton
Continuity Notes
The Masters of Evil began masquerading as the Thunderbolts in starting in Thunderbolts #1 until their true identities were exposed in issue #10. After helping the Avengers and Fantastic Four foil Zemo’s world domination plot in issues #11 and 12, the team were abducted by the other-dimensional Kosmosians. They were trapped in the Kosmos dimension until the end of last issue. Mention is made how Jolt is only an accessory right now. That’s because she joined the team in Thunderbolts #4 and has no criminal connections.
Formerly known as the Great Lakes Avengers, Mister Immortal’s team had recently changed their names to the Lightning Rods to capitalize on the Thunderbolt’s popularity when they were still regarded as heroes. See Deadpool (vol. 3) #10-11.
Moonstone points out that on top of trying to take of the world they have destroyed both Avengers Mansion and Four Freedoms Plaza in the past. The details:
The Masters of Evil launched a siege on Avengers Mansion back in Avengers #273-277. This led to the Avengers temporarily moving their headquarters to another location. They eventually moved back to the site of the mansion in Avengers #329.
As the Thunderbolts, the team took over the Four Freedoms Plaza in Thunderbolts #2. This was during a period in which the FF were believed to have died in Onslaught: Marvel Universe #1. The Thunderbolts remained there even though the Fantastic Four turned up alive again in Heroes Reborn: The Return #1-4. In the end, Baron Zemo blew up the office tower in Thunderbolts #10 to cover his escape when the Thunderbolts were exposed. The FF will move back into the location in a recreated Baxter Building in Fantastic Four (vol. 3) #38.
Dallas was the municipal government’s liaison for the Thunderbolts starting in Thunderbolts #2. She and Atlas hit it off right away and event went out on a date together in issue #6.
Techo’s physical body was seemingly killed when his neck was snapped in Thunderbolts #7. His techpac transferred a copy of his mind into a robotic body in the following issue. However, this is merely a copy and the real Techno will be revived in issue #49. Baron Zemo’s face was horribly scarred after falling into a vat of boiling Adhesive X in Captain America #168. Also mentioned is how Techo used the regeneration device to heal Zemo’s recent injuries. Zemo suffered multiple broken bones at the hands of Moonstone in Thunderbolts #12 he was fully healed last issue.
This mystery person is revealed to be a brand new Citizen V next issue. This new incarnation is revealed to be Dallas Riordan in Thunderbolts #38. She was hired by the V-Battalion to avenge the memory of the original Citizen V when his identity was co-opted and used by Baron Zemo during the Thunderbolts’ ruse.
During the fight, Mach-1 is concerned by Songbird’s sudden change in demeanor. Her change in personality is a complex situation. The details:
Melissa got her start as a criminal called Screaming Mimi and was a member of the Grapplers, a group of all female wrestlers in the Unlimited Class Wrestling Federation who also moonlighted as mercenaries for hire starting in Marvel Two-In-One #54. The group later drifted apart when their leader, Titania, was murdered by Scourge in Thing #33. At the time she was ruthless and amoral.
Mimi later started working with Angar the Screamer starting in Avengers Spotlight #28 until Angar was seemingly killed in Thunderbolts Annual 1997 (he’ll be back in issue #49). Angar’s death shook Mimi to the core, making her meek and defenseless.
Since joining up with the Thunderbolts, Melissa has been both insecure and frightened on missions. This moment is the start of a regression for her as she drifts back into her more aggressive Screaming Mimi persona. This started in Thunderbolts #8 and carry on until Thunderbolts #21.
Topical References
The price for a meal at Burger World is listed at $7.95. Adjusting for inflation this would be about $14.53 in 2022 money.
When trying to decide whose body to duplicate, Techno states that he originally thought to use actor Paul Newman as a template. Newman’s career began in the 1950s. He was a noted actor and race car driver who died in 2008. Since Newman was 73 when this comic was published, one could assume that Techno wanted to create a body of based on Newman when he was in the prime of his life. Is this a topical reference? It could be unless you want to believe that Techno is a fan of classic cinema.
When fighting the SHIELD agents, Songbird regresses into her Screaming Mimi wrestling persona. She spouts the line “Mimi 3:16” This is a double reference. Firstly, it is a reference to John 3:16 of the Bible which reads “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” The reason she is saying this, however, is not because of the Bible verse itself but how it was popularized by professional wrestler Stone Cold Steve Austin. Austin used a derision of this verse as a wrestler and the catchphrase “Austin 3:16” was born. Austin used the phrase throughout his entire wrestling career. This should be considered a topical reference as this comic was published at the height of Austin’s career. He retired from the sport in 2003.
