Peter Cannon: Thunderbolt returns this week after the modern masterpiece released back in 2019. The fourth-wall-breaking metatextual storytelling isn’t the focus in this new series; however, it emphasizes superheroics and a mystery you’ll want to unpack at the end of the first issue.
For the superhero fans, Peter Cannon: Thunderbolt #1 has the swagger that makes you love its main character. The issue opens somewhat mysteriously, as a group of men plot something in a dark warehouse, but are soon met by Peter, who casually strolls in. He promptly beats them all up, and we eventually learn they were up to no good.
Writer Fred Van Lente is effective at laying out details, whether it’s Peter’s abilities or the mission the bad guys are up to. By the end of the issue, you have a basic understanding of Peter’s past and his relationship with a woman he trained with, who is now attending masked balls.
Peter is one of the last survivors of a secretive order he was trained under as a child. They were mind-awakened mystics, and now he must face a deadly enemy known as “The Awakened.”
Face, meet foot.
Credit: Dynamite
The first half of the issue is an action scene with well-written dialogue and a good way to get to know Peter. After a middle portion montaging Peter’s spending of money acquired from the goons at the start, the second half is devoted to a party Peter isn’t invited to. While there’s some action, this is mostly a dialogue-driven scene, and Van Lente keeps Peter mysterious and charismatic. Even with little understanding of the bigger picture —some of which was in the press release when announced but not yet in the story —you’ll be tantalized by the final page.
Art is by Janathan Lau with colors by Andrew Dalhouse. The character detail is up there with the big two superhero comics, with a nice sense of action. When bodies fly, you feel it. There’s also some neat silhouette effects to punch up action beats. At times, some of the angles drawn feel a bit awkward, or don’t tell the most effective story from top to bottom of a page, but it’s only subtly nagging rather than pulling you out of the story.
Peter Cannon: Thunderbolt #1 confidently reclaims the character’s place in modern comics with sharp writing, slick visuals, and a fresh sense of mystery. While it dials back the meta-commentary of its acclaimed predecessor, Fred Van Lente and Jonathan Lau prove that Cannon’s blend of intellect, arrogance, and superhero bravado still makes for a captivating read. It’s stylish, smart, and leaves you eager to see what secrets lie beneath its cool exterior.
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