T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents (2010)

[Jeff of Earth-J]

I had little interest in the new T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents series until I read in a recent “DC Nation” column that it is to be a continuation of the original series rather than a re-start. That’s cool, I think. It inspired me to work my way completely through the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents Archives series for the first time ever, if I finish it. Right now I’m in the middle of volume three, so wish me luck. By the time I finish, there will be a new archive volume collecting the 1980s series.

The first issue of the new series is (not unexpectedly) darker than the original, but it’s too soon to get a sense of where they’re going with it. I’m unfamiliar with the work of writer Nick Spencer, but the work of penciller Cafu reminds me a bit of Gary Frank’s. I don’t have much else to say about this series yet, but is anyone else reading it?

[Philip Portelli]

I can't believe that T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents Archives has a fifth volume coming out reprinting the ill-fated and controversial Wally Wood's T Agents for $59.99!! Granted they had great George Perez artwork but you should be able to get all five issues from the discount/dollar boxes at any convention!

[Rob Staeger (Grodd Mod)]

Factor in the $40 it takes to attend the convention, and it comes out even.

But honestly, some people just like having things in books.

[Dagwan]

Philip Portelli said:

I can't believe that T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents Archives has a fifth volume coming out reprinting the ill-fated and controversial Wally Wood's T Agents for $59.99!! Granted they had great George Perez artwork but you should be able to get all five issues from the discount/dollar boxes at any convention!

Those are the only T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents I've ever read. I really enjoyed them.

On the subject of discount/dollar bins, well, there are thousands of comics that I have in mine that people have paid 10x or more to read in hardcover or paperback.

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"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read." -Groucho Marx

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[Figserello]

I read loads of T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents comics as a kid. They were collected in square-bound B&W collections of maybe 64 pages each.

Noman and Captain Atom (possibly drawn by Ditko?) are the ones I remember most. Noman was an android like the Vision, which is probably why I liked him best.

Their cold-war setting gave them a very different flavour to most of the other DC/Marvel superheroes I was reading back then.

[Rob Staeger (Grodd Mod)]

Captain Atom was drawn by Ditko, but he wasn't a T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agent. He was a Charlton character -- though he did missions for the government, so it might have seemed similar. (And his stories might have been included in the reprints you read, for all I know.)

[Figserello]

(And his stories might have been included in the reprints you read, for all I know.)

That must have been it. I did wonder about that, as Cap Atom is a DC character now and THUNDER aren't. They were quite cheapo reprints, leavened with Ditko horror shorts in there too. Should've held onto them, all the same. I purged ALL of my superhero comics when I became a teenager... I suppose I didn't think I'd come slinking back one day.

[Jeff of Earth-J]

Ditko did do some work for Tower, however, and I'm pretty sure it was on the Noman feature. Noman has got to be the most ineffectual agent ever. He's not simply an andraid, but the mind of an 80 year-old scientist transplanted into an android body. He had the power to transfer his mind from body to body, but the thing is, he was "killed" and lost at least one body every adventure! (Every one I've read so far, anyway.) Those android bodies can't be cheap! I'll bet next time THUNDER seriously considers transferring the mind of a trained agent rather than a scientist into Noman's body.

[Philip Portelli]

From what I read, the premise of this new THUNDER Agents is similar to Marvel's Strikeforce:Morituri. They give the danger of Lightning's suit to everyone! That sounds like a cheery read!

[Doctor Hmmm?]

Jeff of Earth-J said:

Ditko did do some work for Tower, however, and I'm pretty sure it was on the Noman feature. Noman has got to be the most ineffectual agent ever. He's not simply an andraid, but the mind of an 80 year-old scientist transplanted into an android body. He had the power to transfer his mind from body to body, but the thing is, he was "killed" and lost at least one body every adventure! (Every one I've read so far, anyway.) Those android bodies can't be cheap! I'll bet next time THUNDER seriously considers transferring the mind of a trained agent rather than a scientist into Noman's body.

That there's whatcha call "high concept"!

[Mike Williams]

Figserello said:

I read loads of T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents comics as a kid. They were collected in square-bound B&W collections of maybe 64 pages each.

Noman and Captain Atom (possibly drawn by Ditko?) are the ones I remember most. Noman was an android like the Vision, which is probably why I liked him best.

Their cold-war setting gave them a very different flavour to most of the other DC/Marvel superheroes I was reading back then.

Those would be the ACC reprints - Alan Class Comics. Class was a british publishe who somehow got the rights to re-print old ACG, Tower, Charlton, Archie/Red Circle, Atlas/Marvel and other tales in collected works. So, in one book, you could have Captain Atom, Peacemaker, Magicman, T.H.U.N.D.E.R Agents and Gorgo in 64 pages.

There's a Wiki page at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Class_Comics

[Luke Blanchard]

Another point to bear in mind about Captain Atom: Ditko worked on the series in two periods. As I mentioned last time he came up, Captain Atom debuted in the March, 1960 issue of Space Adventures, and ended his original run in the Oct. 1961 issue, just ahead (probably) of Fantastic Four #1's appearance. Ditko returned to the feature in 1965, during (! I hadn’t realised this) his last year on Amazing Spider-Man. This time the title was Captain Atom, and it ran for two years as a bimonthly. Half-way through Atom acquired a new, maskless costume. His new look included silver arms, presumably the basis of his modern appearance. Nightshade was one of the feature’s supporting characters.

Captain Atom was co-created by Joe Gill and Ditko (according to the GCD Gill didn't write or co-write all the stories from his second run; it doesn't have writer credits for all the stories from his first). Chris has written about Dell's series Nukla, which starred a somewhat similar character, and the fourth and last issue of which Ditko drew. According to the GCD that feature was written by Gill too.

[Travis Herrick (Modular Mod)]

Actually, they already have at least 5 volumes of  Archives of the series. I bought mine a week and a half a go at a convention (half off baby!). I've only read an issue or two from that latter series that my brother had, and I liked them as well. They may be cheap, but I can't remember the last time I saw any around here. If I had I would have picked them up then.

I did read the first issue of this new series, and Jeff is right. It is to soon to see where it is going. It is pretty dark, but so was the original series during its time.