Thunderbolts (1997 Marvel) comic books 2003

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Becoming Villains Part 5 of 5. "No Win" Guest-starring the Young Allies. Script by Fabian Nicieza. Pencils by Chris Batista. Inks by Rich Perrotta. Cover by Juan Bobillo and Marcelo Sosa. This is it! Last call for Counter-Earth! If the Thunderbolts are going to escape from the doomed planet they must act now! But what is the best course of action? Everything comes down to Moonstone's ability to convince Baron Helmut Zemo to do something for the greater good -- rather than for himself. Atlas, Dallas Riordan, Jolt, MACH-3, and the Fixer have their bags packed! They just need a ride home that won't get them killed or Counter-Earth destroyed! Shoot for the stars! An excellent issue! Cameo appearances by Hawkeye, Amazon, Blackheath, Harrier, Skein, and Songbird. Young Allies: Bucky, I.Q., Kid Colt, Toro, and the Rip. 32 pages. Cover price $2.25.

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"Didn't See That Coming" Double-Sized issue. Script by Fabian Nicieza. Pencils by Manuel Garcia. Inks by Scott Hanna. Cover by Juan Bobillo and Marcelo Sosa. In a remarkable escape, Baron Zemo's Thunderbolts made it off Counter-Earth and through the Void! And now they are standing in Symkaria staring Hawkeye's Thunderbolts in the face! Both teams are shocked to see one another! But before they can enjoy a happy reunion, they must plug the Void from the Earth-616 side. Once that perilous task is complete, the day of reckoning arrives for one Baron Helmut Zemo! Silver Sable wants to arrest him! Citizen V wants to kill him! But they cannot. For he is literally not the same man anymore. As a result the twelve thunderbolts retire to a villa in the Canary Islands to determine what to do next. Amazon, Skein, MACH-3, and Harrier elect to leave the team. While Atlas, Dallas Riordan, Blackheath, Fixer, Moonstone, and Songbird decide to stay. Those six T-Bolts will choose their leader going forward. Surely they will pick the former avenger instead of the Prussian baron with tyrannical tendencies -- right? The first issue of the Thunderbolts ended with a shocking twist. Will the last issue do the same? Cameo appearances by Jim Hammond, Elisabeth Barstow, Jolt, and the Young Allies. (Notes: This issue is effectively the final issue of the first volume of the Thunderbolts as the title is revamped with new characters for issue #76. Baron Zemo and the Thunderbolts return in the Avengers Thunderbolts (2004) limited series and then in the New Thunderbolts (2005) title. This issue completes Fabian Nicieza's enjoyable 3-year run as the writer of the Thunderbolts series. The last page includes a statement of ownership: average print run 39,000; average paid circulation 36,997.) 48 pages. Cover price $3.50.

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"Bare Knuckle" Script by John Arcudi. Art by Francisco Ruiz Velasco. Cover by Francisco Ruiz Velasco. The Thunderbolts series takes off in a different direction with a new creative team. Daniel Axum (aka the Battler) is trying to restart his life after being released from prison. The ex-super-villain wants to stay clean, but a sleazy underground fight promoter is looking for fresh talent. And he has his eye on the Battler! Cameo appearance by the Armadillo. (Note: This issue includes an opening page "Welcome to the Fights!" that introduces the new characters.) 32 pages. Cover price $2.25.

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"How To Lose" Script by John Arcudi. Art by Francisco Ruiz Velasco. Cover by Francisco Ruiz Velasco. Inside a New Jersey bar, Daniel Axum gets goaded into a fight! And it's all a test -- set up by Rey Trueno -- the manager of an underground fighting ring. Unfortunately, Daniel takes the bait and is coerced into joining the fight club. His first match is tonight against the Armadillo. Good luck to the Battler! 32 pages. Cover price $2.25.

Add to cart Very Fine $2.50

Add to cart Very Fine $2.50

"How Does It Feel?" Script by John Arcudi. Art by Francisco Ruiz Velasco. Cover by Francisco Ruiz Velasco. After catching his second wind, the Battler knocks out the Armadillo! Daniel Axum is very happy with his victory and doesn't plan on fighting again. But the lure of fame and fortune is inescapable. And the Battler soon becomes the star of the underground fighting circuit. Is the new champion destined for a big fall? 32 pages. Cover price $2.25.

Add to cart Very Fine $2.50

Add to cart Very Fine $2.50

"Play the Odds" Script by John Arcudi. Art by Francisco Ruiz Velasco. Cover by Francisco Ruiz Velasco. The world championship (underground) match is here! The Battler vs. Slag -- an imported champion from Russia. If Daniel Axum wins the bout, he'll receive $100,000 in cash. It's the chance of a lifetime! Make every punch count! Cameo appearance by the Armadillo. (Notes: This story was reprinted in 2003 in the trade paperback: Thunderbolts How To Lose. The TPB collects issues #76 thru #81.) 40 pages. Cover price $2.25.

"Getting Even" Guest-starring Spider-Man. Script by John Arcudi. Art by Francisco Ruiz Velasco. Cover by Francisco Ruiz Velasco. The Battler is the underground world champion! But on his way to a sparring session, he notices the Armadillo -- the prior regional champion -- homeless and living on the street. In the meantime, Rey Trueno recruits his next challenger: Katrina Van Horne (aka Man-Killer)! She was just released from jail after the wondrous wall-crawler caught her committing a robbery. Are Man-Killer and the Battler headed for a showdown? Cameo appearances by Delilah and the Scorpion. 40 pages. Cover price $2.25.

Add to cart FN+ 6.5 $6.49

Add to cart FN+ 6.5 $6.49

"Getting Even More!" Script by John Arcudi. Art by Francisco Ruiz Velasco. Cover by Francisco Ruiz Velasco. Man-Killer, Delilah, and the Scorpion approach Daniel Axum with a plan to get revenge against the web-slinger! But the Battler isn't so sure he wants to waste his time fighting super-heroes again. After a conversation with the Armadillo in the alley behind the gym, Daniel Axum makes his decision. And a while later, surprisingly, Man-Killer makes the same one. Flashback cameo by Spider-Man. (Notes: The title of the Thunderbolts (1997) series changes to the New Thunderbolts (2005) for the next 18 issues and then returns to its legacy title and numbering with issue 100 published in May 2006.) 40 pages. Cover price $2.25.