Marvel's Thunderbolts Series Rebrands as New Avengers

With the *Thunderbolts* movie now captivating audiences in theaters, Marvel Comics is gearing up to conclude one era of the franchise while paving the way for a thrilling new chapter. In a surprising move mirroring the MCU's decision to retitle *Thunderbolts* as "*The New Avengers*" post its debut weekend, the new Thunderbolts comic is also undergoing a similar transformation. Now, characters like Carnage, Clea, and Wolverine are tasked with stepping into the shoes of Earth's Mightiest Heroes. The question remains: do they possess the mettle to meet these legendary standards?

This transition presents a formidable challenge for these characters to evolve into a cohesive and effective Avengers team. This sentiment was echoed in our recent discussion with writer Sam Humphries. Dive deeper into the details of the Thunderbolts/New Avengers transformation, Humphries' selection process for this eclectic yet formidable lineup, and the looming threat that necessitates such a powerful assembly.

The New Avengers #1: Exclusive Preview Gallery

View 19 ImagesWho Are the New Avengers?

Given Marvel Studios' reputation for secrecy, we were eager to understand when writer Sam Humphries was informed of the title change during the development of his Thunderbolts pitch. Was the concept of a New Avengers comic always in the pipeline, or was it a later addition? Humphries clarified that the title change was not a last-minute decision but part of the initial discussions.

“It was part of the very first conversation I had with Alanna [Smith],” Humphries shared with IGN. “It's been exhilarating and maddening to keep this top secret for months. Like planning a surprise party, but for thousands of people. I don't even have a document on my hard drive that says ‘New Avengers’ on it. You never know.”

Humphries further elaborated, “Initially, there were some logistical details to be worked out behind the scenes, so I had to be prepared to pivot on a dime. But the whole plan was locked in by the time I started the first issue. You can see it in the lineup -- the New Avengers and the Killuminati both have echoes of [Brian] Bendis' and [Jonathan] Hickman's New Avengers teams. Jed's [MacKay] got a killer lineup of do-gooders in the Avengers book, and I wanted our book to distinguish itself with a bunch of bastards.”

When it came to assembling the team, Humphries had considerable freedom to choose the Thunderbolts/New Avengers roster, aiming to represent various facets of the Marvel Universe.

“Oh, this was so much fun,” Humphries enthused. “My basic concept was -- the Illuminati were seven kings and heroes from seven different corners of the Marvel Universe, so what if we did the same with some of the biggest badasses representing mutants, the mystical world, the Spider family, the gamma family, and so on? I have immense gratitude for our amazing editor Alanna Smith who supported this idea from the jump, even though she had to liaise with pretty much every Marvel editorial office to make it happen. That scream you hear is her Microsoft Teams begging for mercy. And big thanks to all the editors and creators who were generous enough to trust us with their wonderful, cherished characters! Love you all! (They're gonna regret it.)”

The New Avengers aren't your typical paragons of virtue. This team comprises hardened killers, monsters, and even a cantankerous underwater king. Much like the original New Avengers from 2004, fate and circumstance bring them together, though harmony among them is far from guaranteed.

“I think the phrase I used in my pitch was ‘interpersonal dynamics go BOOM,’" Humphries noted. “These aren't level-headed guardians of humanity, these are a bunch of hothead bastards trying to use their bad impulses for good, with mixed results. They should not be allowed to be in the same room together. The big question is, who hates each other the most? It might be Clea and Carnage. Or it might be Namor and Laura. Or it might be…”

Bucky Barnes and the Killuminati

While the new series echoes the MCU's title change, the actual New Avengers lineup diverges significantly from its cinematic counterpart. The consistent presence is Bucky Barnes, who remains after the current Thunderbolts team takes its final bow in *Thunderbolts: Doomstrike*. Bucky will face the daunting task of unifying this group of strong personalities and formidable powers into a functioning team.

“I have so much love for Jackson [Lanzing] and Collin's [Kelly] long, glorious run with Bucky,” Humphries expressed. “I'm honored and lucky to follow what they've achieved with the character. And Bucky's gonna need the wisdom and experience of every insane thing they put him through. The world is upside down and someone needs to do something about it, damn it.”

What threat could possibly necessitate the combined might of Wolverine, Namor, Carnage, Clea, and Hulk? Inspired by the classic Illuminati lineup, their adversaries in the series are an offshoot known as the “Killuminati.”

Art by Josemaria Casnanovas. (Image Credit: Marvel)“Someone tried to make duplicates of the Illuminati, and someone f***ed up,” Humphries hinted. “Now there's seven demented and deformed worst-case scenarios running around. Bucky's gonna have big problems keeping his team together. And the same goes for the Killuminati and their ‘leader’ -- Iron Apex.”

The New Avengers pairs Humphries with artist Ton Lima, whose previous works include *New Thunderbolts* and *West Coast Avengers*. Humphries revealed that the series' artwork draws heavy inspiration not from the MCU, but from another action-packed movie franchise.

“Ton is a BEAST,” Humphries praised. “He makes the good guys look brutal and sexy, and the bad guys look brutal and disgusting. I told him he needed to watch every Fast and the Furious movie in a row ten times without breaks. Based on his pages, I think he actually did it, the madman!”

*The New Avengers #1* is set to hit the shelves on June 11, 2025.

For more insights into the MCU's recent shake-up, explore why Thunderbolts was renamed The New Avengers, and discover why the MCU faces challenges with Sebastian Stan’s Bucky.