Short Lived Comic Series #27 - T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents (Tower Comics)

I first came across T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents back in the mid-80s at my local comic store in Louisville when I saw the beautifully drawn cover of Deluxe Comics' first issue, as rendered by George Perez (probably the most magnificent comic artist ever in my book!).  I had never heard of the team before, and I thought it was a new concept, so I picked up that first issue.  If I recall correctly, I got the second issue after that, but I did not pick up any more because my money was limited and there were so many comics I wanted.  I never really gave much thought to that comic or those heroes again until many years later when DC Comics got the license for the characters and published a short-lived series featuring that team.  I enjoyed the stories and the heroes, so I decided to go back and hunt down those original books.  Little did I realize they would not be easy to find at prices I could afford!

The very first issue of T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents was published by Tower Comics back in the mid-60s (twenty years prior to my first introduction to the team) with a cover date of November 1965.  The name T.H.U.N.D.E.R. was an acronym (obviously, based on the periods after each letter!) that stood for The Higher United Nations Defense Enforcement Reserves, an organization that worked hard to defend America and the world from the dangers that arose - particular those of a mysterious criminal known only as the Overlord.  That first issue was a 64-page comic for only twenty-five cents, and it featured the origin stories of Dynamo, No-Man, and Menthor, alongside the first story of the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Squad (a team made up of Guy, the leader; Dynamite, the weapons man; Kitten, the technical device expert; "Weed," the locksmith; and Egghead, the strategist).  The first issue also introduces readers to the Iron Maiden, a villain who would return time and again to both challenge and aid the Agents, and more specifically, Dynamo!  As with many comics from that time period, there were no credits displayed for the stories; however, it has since become common knowledge that Len Brown, Larry Ivie, Lou Silverstone, Dan Adkins, and Wally Wood scripted the stories, while Wally Wood, Reed Crandall, Gil Kane, George Tuska, and Mike Sekowsky provided the art.  I thoroughly enjoyed those first stories of the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents and found it to be a pretty solid start to the series.

The series lasted for a total of 20 issues over the course of five years (from 1965 to 1969), with the issues coming out less frequently towards the end of the series (there was an entire year gap between issues 19 and 20!).  While the cover price never changed from twenty-five cents, by issue 17, the page count decreased from 64 pages down to 48 pages for those last four issues.  Additionally, the last couple of issues were more reprint tales than new stories, and the last issue actually featured the origin story of Dynamo from issue one, but completely redrawn.  During the course of the series, two spin-off titles were published:  Dynamo, which lasted only four issues, and No-Man, which only had two issues published.  While Len Brown and Wally Wood provided the stories and art for a lot of the original tales, other creators came and went during the run, including Dick Ayers, Ogden Whitney, Jack Abel, Steve Ditko, and many others.

Dynamo was definitely the lead character for the title, as he appeared in more stories than another other, often having two stories in each of the early issues.  No-Man also had his own stories in each issue.  Menthor was surprisingly killed-off in issue 7 of the series in a powerful tale written by Dan Adkins and drawn by Steve Ditko and Wally Wood.  The story had an impact because the man behind the mask was originally a plant within the Agents by their enemy, but he eventually decided to take the path of good and right, which is what ultimately cost him his life as he tried to make it out and warn his fellow Agents of the threat awaiting them.  While the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents held on to Menthor's helmet (which is what gave him his powers), no one else ever wielded that power again during this original series.  

The team was not static, though, as two new members were introduced during its run.  In issue 4, Guy Guilbert, who was the leader of the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Squad, was given a suit that granted him super-speed, but at the cost of knowing every time he used the speed, it shortened his life span.  He donned the costume anyway and assumed the name Lightning. He appeared in several individual stories, as well as team stories throughout the remaining issues.  Then, in issue 8, the team recruits an ex-trapeze artist / acrobat / gymnast by the name of Craig Lawson to wear a newly designed cape that allows its wearer to fly - and thus, the Raven is born!  At first, he plans to use the cape and its costume for his own profit, but eventually he becomes a part of the team and the hero he was meant to be.  I was hoping at some point they would add a female hero to the team, but, alas, that 20th issue came and went, the series ended, and the team remained exclusive to men (with the exception of Kitten, who was a part of the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Squad and played only small parts here and there when the Squad would appear in the title).

The quality of the stories and art went down as the series progressed, and even the addition of Lightning and Raven was not able to keep the title afloat.  By December 1967 (issue 17), the series was already faltering, and issue 18 did not come out until nine months later (September 1968).  Issue 19 was published in November 1968, and the final issue a year later in November 1969.  Issues 18 and 19 were even published with no ads, featuring cover-to-cover action, but even that was not enough to save the title.  So, in November 1969, the series ended, and the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents were sent off to comic book limbo...

Until 1983 when John Carbonaro acquired the rights to the title and its characters and relaunched the series under his JC Comics company.  There were only two issues of new stories published as T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents, as well as three issues of reprints under a Hall of Fame: T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents title.  There was also a one-issue crossover special with Justice Machine that same year published by Texas Comics.  The next year, T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents resurfaced at Deluxe Comics, who published five issues of original stories over the course of three years (1984 - 1986).  The books featured gorgeous covers provided by George Perez (1 through 4) and Mike Machlan and Jerry Ordway (5), and the stories were actually very well done.  Sadly, that series came to an end because it turned out Deluxe did not have the rights to the characters to be able to publish stories about them.  In 1987, the Agents made a guest appearance in an independent comic called Thunderbunny (issue 11).

Eventually, DC Comics acquired the rights and published a 10-issue series in 2010, with a follow-up six-issue series in 2011.  In 2012, IDW got the rights and published an 8-issue series.

The original 20-issue series is definitely a classic, and the first half of that series, at least, is well worth the read.  The stories are well-written, there is great characterization, and the art is nicely done.  There is a lot of continuity among the stories, even between the individual and team tales.  Later issues seemed to move away from that and simply tell one-off stories, some of which were extremely unusual (including one where No-Man is taken off-planet!).  Nevertheless, it was this series that gifted the world with some unique and fun characters that have managed to stay in the comic world for nearly sixty years - will be curious to see where they show up next!

RATING:  7 super-charged belts out of 10 for creative characters and stories that were not afraid to take chances with something new!