Inglorious Basterds
Fixer and his team are stranded in time and fight Nazis...yup it's that simple yet oh so awesome!!!
The Good
I love, love, love Pasqual Ferry's work! And this cover is absolutely wonderful.
I'm extremely happy to have Kev Walker back on pencils this issue! He and Frank Martin Jr. really work well with Parker. That creative team has defined this era of Thunderbolts for me and I really don't enjoy issues not done by this trio as the ones that are.
The opening with Luke was really funny. Anytime you can slide in a Good Times reference I'm down for it! I love the sense of fun and humor this books always manages to maintain. Parker really is one of the rare writers with a direct line to my funny bone. Satana's method of distracting Hyde, The T-bolts disregard for affecting the time streeam, Boomerang's flirtation with Moonstone, and her actions at the end of the issue are all gold!
I think Jeff Parker has been reading my reviews because Luke Cage finally feels right again in this issue and that's something I haven't said in a long, long time. He shows the kind of leader he can and should be in this title. Him accepting responsibility for what's happened in his absence and right under his nose. And the look Walker draws on his face really makes it hit home how this debacle has affected him.
I can't help but read a little subliminal message into Abe's conversation with Luke towards the big wigs at Marvel and I absolutely love it.
The best thing about this book is the way that Parker can weave such natural and interesting interactions between these often motley crew individuals. This issue I loved the moments with Bert and Centurius. And Boomerang's reaction to their tech talk was hilarious. I really didn't have a good feel for the guy in earlier issues but here he's really connected with me. His biggest concern being a lack of internet really made my laugh out loud and smile.
Satana has really become one of my favorite characters in this book. I love her relationship with Man-Thing, it's sweet in a creepy kind of way. I'm really interested in seeing what the next stage in Man-Thing's evolution will be.
Like most issues of Thunderbolts there's plenty of action to balance the character works and comedy. And by action I most certainly do mean Nazi killin!!! So at this point T-bolts have tangled with ninjas, zombies, and Nazis. You know, with most books that'd be a bit lame and cliche, but Parker always makes this stuff work and work oh so well. Seriously, I wait patiently for the day when Troll decapitates a pirate! But back to the Nazis, this fight is a lot of fun with each of the T-bolts having a moment to shine. I had nearly as much fun reading this as the characters did participating in it.
The appearance of Namor (one of my all time faves) and Cap really kicked things up a notch for me. This comic has one of my favorite "Imperious Rex!" moments of all time. Golden Age Thunderbolts teaming with The Invaders? It's do anything, go anywhere storytelling like this that makes comics great and makes this book such a rewarding read month in and out.
The Bad
The discussion of Bert's betrayal was a little to navel gazey for me.
The Verdict
Buy This Comic!!!
Man oh man was this comic a ton of fun to read. Action packed, humorous, and character driven. What more could you want from a modern comic? Oh yeah, great art. It has that too, in spades, folk! Many may have jumped aboard Thunderbolts during Fear itself, to those reading I say don't stop! Keep on enjoying the ride because things keep getting better and better.