Marvel’s Thunderbolts Twist Just Created the Wildest New Avengers Team

Marvel’s big twist in Thunderbolts* is also happening in the comics. If you’ve been living under a rock, the asterisk in the Thunderbolts* movie is a reference to the team actually being called The New Avengers. Ahead of the Thunderbolts* theatrical release, Marvel Comics announced New Thunderbolts* would be arriving in comic shops on June 11th. The team features Thunderbolts* star Bucky Barnes, aka Winter Soldier, alongside a motley crew of characters like Black Widow, Hulk, Namor, and Carnage. The same team name twist that took place in Thunderbolts* is being made for the New Thunderbolts* comic… the title was secretly The New Avengers.

The previously announced New Thunderbolts* series by writer Sam Humphries (Uncanny X-Force) and artist Ton Lima (West Coast Avengers) stays true to the Thunderbolts tradition of unbelievable plot twists, revealing its title to be New Avengers.

“Since their debut as a team of disguised supervillains, the Thunderbolts have become synonymous with unpredictable twists and unconventional rosters,” Marvel’s press release for New Avengers #1 reads. “This legacy continues with a surprise—and first-of-its-kind—comic book title change that echoes the jaw-dropping twist in Marvel Studios’ Thunderbolts*, now in theaters, while introducing an entirely new—and shocking—team of heroes!”

New Avengers definitely has an unconventional roster of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Winter Soldier and Black Widow are the headliners, but instead of Logan we have his clone, Laura Kinney, as Wolverine; Namor, who has been an antihero on the road to redemption in a solo title by Jason Aaron, Paul Davidson, and Alex Lins; Clea, former Sorcerer Supreme and wife to Doctor Strange; Hulk; and the psychotic serial killer Carnage, who is now bonded to Eddie Brock.

Sam Humphries shared his excitement at finally being able to talk about the secret change in New Avengers. “Plot twist–it’s been NEW AVENGERS all along! I promised surprises, and this is the first of many,” Humphries said. “It’s a thrill and an honor to continue the grand New Avengers tradition of team dynamics that are as explosive as the threats. And this era has two combustible teams: the New Avengers and the Killuminati!” 

[RELATED: The MCU’s New Avengers Are Nothing Like the Comic Books]

The Killuminati that Humphries is speaking of are the antagonists of New Avengers‘ opening story arc. The team will be pitted against corrupt clones of the Illuminati, the secret organization that has worked in the shadows to manipulate certain events across Marvel’s history. Fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe got to see a version of the Illuminati in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

Included in the New Avengers announcement are covers for the first issue, which include a homage to David Finch’s New Avengers #1 cover by Whilce Portacio, newly revealed character variants by Derrick Chew, Ejikure and Woo-Chul Lee and the first of three Marvel Studios Variant Covers. Featured on the first three issues of the series, the Marvel Studios Variant Covers spotlight original character designs by Marvel Studios’ Director of Visual Development Andy Park for the Thunderbolts* film.

You can get a look at the covers for New Avengers #1 below, along with a description of the first issue.

NEW AVENGERS #1

• Written by SAM HUMPHRIES
• Art by TON LIMA
• Cover by STEPHEN SEGOVIA
• Virgin Variant Cover by STEPHEN SEGOVIA
• Variant Cover by MARK BAGLEY
• Variant Cover by STEPHANIE HANS
• Black Widow and Winter Soldier Variant Cover by DERRICK CHEW
• Carnage and Wolverine Variant Cover by DERRICK CHEW
• Clea and Namor Variant Cover by EJIKURE
• Hulk Variant Cover by WOO-CHUL LEE
• Spoiler Homage Variant Cover by WHILCE PORTACIO
• Killuminati Variant Cover by JOSEMARIA CASANOVAS
• Marvel Studios Variant Cover by ANDY PARK
• Logo Variant Cover
• On Sale 6/11
• THE WINTER SOLDIER. BLACK WIDOW. EDDIE BROCK, CARNAGE. THE HULK. NAMOR. CLEA. WOLVERINE. It’s a group of the most dangerous loners and antiheroes in the Marvel Universe, and yet they’ll come together as the NEW AVENGERS! In classic Avengers fashion, they’ll assemble to take on a threat too big for any one hero to combat—corrupt clones of the Illuminati! And in the spirit of Brian Michael Bendis and David Finch decade-defining New Avengers run, this radical lineup will usher in a revolutionary new era of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes!