Comic Books

Declan Shalvey and Drew Moss detail their forthcoming ‘ThunderCats’ series

The new ‘ThunderCats’ #1 debuts in February 2024.

November 28, 2023

New York Comic Con is a very big deal. Its placement in the fall, and general status, means that heaps of books are announced for the winter/new year. But of all the titles to emerge from NYCC 2023, few felt as important and maddeningly cool as the all-new ThunderCats title from Dynamite.

And with talent like Declan Shalvey and Drew Moss on board (plus a suite of guest cover artists like Jae Lee and David Nakayama), it’s easy to see why fans are already hyped from here to Thundera. Plus, based on the solicitations, Shalvey and Moss have quite the story to back up the hype. Here, the ThunderCats, as lead by an “inexperienced” Lion-O, must protect Third Earth and their very legacy from the dual threat of Mumm-Ra and the Mutants of Plun-Dar. You can expect something very much in the spirit of the OG TV show (both Shalvey and Moss are reported “super-fans”) while adding something altogether more intense and shimmery to the ThunderCats canon.

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ThunderCats #1 doesn’t debut until February 7, 2024. In the meantime, however, Shalvey and Moss answered a few questions about the book and all things ThunderCats. That includes how the series references others entries, the title’s focus on the team’s early days, some possible big moments from the run, and the team’s best members (sort of).

The main cover to #1 from David Nakayama. Courtesy of Dynamite.

AIPT: What’s your individual relationship/connection to ThunderCats? Why does that show stand out among a deluge of ’80s cartoons?

Declan Shalvey: I don’t remember a lot from my childhood to be honest, but that ThunderCats opening is seared into my brain. It was just so wildly exciting, I remember exactly where I was when I first saw it. I don’t think I was able to see the show too much (kids shows could be shown intermittently when I was growing up in Ireland) but I had both a Lion-O and Mumm Ra toy to make up for it and I used to have them fight a lot. Looking back at it now, I can see the appeal for me, some core moral tales wrapped in solid and imaginative action storytelling. Wildly striking character designs for solid character archetypes too. It has a bit of everything for a kid… A little Shakespearean, a little Star Wars, a little superhero.

Drew Moss: I think I was around 8 years old when the show was on TV and I looked forward to getting out of school and watching Thundercats every day. It was a tough time for me because my family split and I was living with a friend of the family. It was one of the constants in my life at the time, the thing I could count on being there.

I think the opening hooks you and the concepts like the sword of omens, claw shield, turning invisible, super speed, etc, open up you imagination to the possibilities.

AIPT: The story’s supposed to explore the team’s early days. Why is that compelling — do we just not know nearly enough about their “origins?”

DS: It’s not so much that I want to show each character’s origins, though I do think there’s material there. It’s that after the destruction of Thundera, the whole dynamic of the ThunderCats changes, and that’s an interesting place to start. There’s a lot of space between the original cartoon and now, So I’m looking to retell it with some contemporary tweaks, while not strictly following every previous story element. I’m looking to set up a new ThunderCats status quo that, ideally, will be a launchpad for more comics stories to follow from in years to come.

Variant cover by Lucio Parrillo. Courtesy of Dynamite.

AIPT: What can you tease about some of the actual storyline? Any big moments or pages that you can hint at?

DM: No spoilers!

DS: Ha, okay Drew! Well, I can say we will see the iconic moments we want weaved through the story. Essentially, we join the ThunderCats just after they have crashed on Third Earth, much like the original show did. Survival is first and foremost on their mind while they are trying to adapt to a newly-“adultified” Lion-O being in charge.

AIPT: Do you introduce anything significant and new? Is there hesitation in playing around too much with such a beloved team/franchise?

DS: There’s always a little worry taking over a beloved franchise. Thankfully, I’ve had that experience recently at Marvel with Alien, so I think I’ve worked out how to do it. While there might be a temptation to go mad but going crazy just for the sake of it isn’t a path to good storytelling. Similarly, slavishly following what came before isn’t going to be compelling for the audience, so it’s trying to find the balance between both that’s challenging. Giving the dedicated audience enough to hold onto, while also introducing some shiny elements for a new audience, as well as giving the established audience something new. I think Drew’s new designs reflect well on our approach to the book. It’s a new take, but still quite recognisable.

DM: The new character designs were a huge source of anxiety for me but with encouragement from Declan and Nate (Cosby) they put me at ease throughout the process. I was worried about the fan reactions but once I gained a little confidence and I just reassured myself that I love this franchise and that love should show through.

AIPT: Do you each have a favorite ThunderCats member (and why)? I always thought WilyKat and WilyKit never got enough love and attention.

DM: I’ve always loved Tygra because of his intelligence and the ability to become invisible appealed to me. I loved WilyKat and Kit’s hoverboards!!!

DS: I’m very obvious and boring. Lion-O was my guy because he was the leader. I quite like Panthro, though, [and] I’ve been more excited about writing him. Of course, I’m also fascinated by Mumm-Ra.

Variant cover by June Chung and Jae Lee. Courtesy of Dynamite.

AIPT: I also heard there’s a more sci-fi bent to this tale. Is that true, and what’s that actually mean for the story, setting, look, etc.?

DM: I think more sci-fantasy like Star Wars. I personally look forward to explore all the environments on third earth and playing with light and shadow. It will be fun playing with a world that is not unlike our own with its own twists and pitfalls.

DS: Yeah, not going too high-concept or anything, but upon looking back at the show, I think it was already a very sci-fi show… lots of concepts buzzing around. I’m looking at the book via a sci-fi eye, more than say, a superhero eye, though that influence is clearly there too. I want to see Drew come up with some imaginative environments and have a strong visual sense, so want to take advantage of Third Earth as a strange Alien planet.

AIPT: Does this book mostly draw on or focus on the original show, or do you play around with/pull from the mostly good 2011 remake and/or the meh 2020 version?

DS: I’ve seen material from the shows, I really liked the look of the 2011 one. The 2020 one looked fun, but I didn’t see it. Honestly, I just wanted to do back to the source. I wanted to take the original concept and launch from there. Like I said, I quite liked the look of the 2011 show and heard great things but I didn’t want it to influence me one way or the other. I would say I’m looking to do something more sophisticated like that show, but closer to the original show.

AIPT: There’s also been other, non-Dynamite comics in the past. Any connection or even something you liked/admired about those books at all?

DS: Honestly, I haven’t read any of them. I somehow missed them at the time and now like the shows, I don’t want them to influence what we do, especially as we’re doing a new take on the concept.

DM: I really loved Ed McGuinness’ artwork on the first DC book. He’s just so good with character work and storytelling. His style just fit the Thundercats so well.

AIPT: What was your collaborative process like? I’m always curious, Declan, how you approach or balance things given that you’re a writer and artist.

DM: I love working with Nate, we have been working together for years. This is the first time Declan and I have worked together and it has been wonderful. We chat about the book and other stuff and I can feel his love of the source material. He’s also an OK guy 😉 I love Jeff’s letters and never worry about his choices when lettering a book. Jeff is top notch!

Variant cover by Declan Shalvey. Courtesy of Dynamite.

DS: I’ve been a fan of Drew’s over the years, ever since I drew a variant cover for his book Copperhead. Somehow, we’d never actually talked in all those years so when Nate suggested Drew, I was immediately excited. He’s such a wonderful storyteller with a sublime sense of flow to his drawing. We’re just at the early stages but I feel we’re very simpatico …we have very similar sensibilities, which I think will really help working on the book. It’s hard to know if that’s the case when you work with someone new, but we seem to have clicked immediately. Drew knowing my work too may have helped. In any case, I’m very excited to see it all come together. I’m not sure if Jeff and I have worked together, but I have seen his work, and it’s clear we’re in very safe hands.

AIPT: Is there a pressure to deliver given that ThunderCats is so beloved? Or have fans already been supportive enough of the initial announcement?

DM: I personally feel pressure and most fans I have seen are excited. We will do our best and I think the fans will be happy with our efforts.

DS: God yes. I was at NYCC when the book was announced, and the reaction at the show was intense! I knew there’d be some real interest but I very much underestimated it. Again, I had a little practice with Alien, as that has a very passionate readership too.

AIPT: Finally, a silly lil’ question to wrap up: if you could use the Sword of Omens, what would you want to see upon exclaiming, “Give me sight beyond sight”?

DM: I would hope to see people purchasing the book and being happy about it.

DS: Ha, I had the same thought… in that case then, I’d use it to see Drew drawing his pages!