Source: marvel.wikia.com

4. “A Shock to the System!”

Writer: Kurt Busiek
Artist: Mark Bagley

What regularly shocks me about this series is how quickly it’s willing to shake up the formula.

It’s only issue four and they’re throwing in a brand new complication for our main characters. Hallie arrives and helps the Thunderbolts defeat Zola, but due to a pressure campaign by the media and Moonstone, Zemo has to let her join the team as Jolt. So now, the Thunderbolts are trying to keep their secret identities from one of their own teammates as well as the public. And they have a legitimate hero on the team, who doesn’t have any clue what she’s signed up for.

As well, we’re seeing Moonstone move against Zemo for her own ends, clearly planning her own villainous moves. I think it was this series that really reshaped Moonstone into the villain she is today and she’s been a much better character for it. We’ve also seen Songbird and Mach-1 slowly becoming fans of the idea of remaining heroes. We are only on issue four and this is already so much plot going on. Last time, when I talked about Rogue (2004), I mentioned the problem of writing for the trade, and this is pretty clearly the opposite of that. Comparing the two is a fascinating duality.