"Thunderbolts* Series: Marvel's New Avengers Revealed"

With the Thunderbolts movie now captivating audiences in theaters, Marvel Comics is set to conclude one chapter of this beloved super-team while embarking on an exciting new journey. In a surprising move, just as Marvel Studios retitled Thunderbolts to "The New Avengers" following its opening weekend, the comic series is following suit. This shift challenges heroes like Carnage, Clea, and Wolverine to step into the iconic roles of Earth's Mightiest Heroes. The question on everyone's mind is: Do they have what it takes to live up to the legacy?

According to writer Sam Humphries, it's going to be an uphill battle for these characters to gel into a cohesive Avengers unit. In a recent interview, Humphries shed light on the transformation of Thunderbolts into the New Avengers, the selection of this eclectic yet powerful team, and the looming threat that necessitates such a formidable lineup.

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Who Are the New Avengers?

Given Marvel Studios' reputation for secrecy, we were keen to understand when Humphries learned about the title change during his development of the Thunderbolts pitch. He revealed that the shift to New Avengers was part of the initial plan, not a last-minute decision.

"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 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."

Humphries had considerable freedom in assembling the Thunderbolts/New Avengers team, aiming to represent various corners of the Marvel Universe. "Oh, this was so much fun," he said. "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 are far from the typical paragons of virtue. This team comprises hardened killers, monsters, and a cranky underwater monarch, reminiscent of the original New Avengers from 2004. Humphries described the team's dynamics as explosive, saying, "I think the phrase I used in my pitch was 'interpersonal dynamics go BOOM.' 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 comic series mirrors the MCU's title change, the New Avengers roster differs significantly from its cinematic counterpart. The one familiar face is Bucky Barnes, who remains after the Thunderbolts conclude in Thunderbolts: Doomstrike. Bucky's role will be pivotal in managing this diverse group of powerful personalities.

"I have so much love for Jackson [Lanzing] and Collin's [Kelly] long, glorious run with Bucky," Humphries said. "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."

The threat facing the New Avengers is formidable, inspired by the classic Illuminati lineup. Humphries introduced the "Killuminati," a group of seven demented and deformed counterparts to the original Illuminati. "Someone tried to make duplicates of the Illuminati, and someone f\*\*\*ed up," Humphries teased. "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."

Collaborating with artist Ton Lima, known for his work on New Thunderbolts and West Coast Avengers, Humphries described the art style as drawing inspiration from a popular action 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 shelves on June 11, 2025.

For more insights into the MCU's latest developments, explore why Thunderbolts was renamed The New Avengers, and discover why the MCU has a big problem with Sebastian Stan's Bucky.