With *Thunderbolts* now hitting the big screen, Marvel Comics is set to close one chapter of the franchise while launching an exciting new direction for this iconic super-team. But fans are in for a surprise. Much like how Marvel rebranded the film as *The New Avengers* shortly after its theatrical debut, the comic series is undergoing a similar transformation. This means characters like Carnage, Clea, and Wolverine must now step into the spotlight and prove they can carry the legacy of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Can they rise to the occasion?

It won’t be easy. The path to becoming a unified, battle-ready team is paved with friction, tension, and explosive interpersonal conflicts—something writer Sam Humphries emphasized during our exclusive interview. Read on to discover more about the dramatic shift from *Thunderbolts* to *The New Avengers*, how the creative team assembled this unconventional roster, and the powerful new threat that demands such extreme firepower.

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The New Avengers #1: Exclusive Preview Gallery

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Who Are the New Avengers?

Considering Marvel Studios' tendency to keep details under wraps, we were curious whether the title change came as a last-minute surprise to writer Sam Humphries. As it turns out, the shift to *The New Avengers* was baked into the original plan from day one.

"This was part of the very first conversation I had with Alanna [Smith],” Humphries explains to IGN. “Keeping this under wraps has been both thrilling and maddening—like organizing a massive surprise party for thousands of people. I don't even have a single document labeled 'New Avengers' on my computer. You never know who might peek over your shoulder!”

Humphries adds, “There were some behind-the-scenes logistics to iron out early on, so I always had to stay ready to make quick adjustments. But by the time I started work on Issue #1, everything was locked in. Just look at the lineup—it clearly reflects a deliberate homage to Bendis’ and Hickman’s *New Avengers* teams. Jed's [MacKay] version of the Avengers features a group of noble heroes, so I wanted ours to stand apart by assembling a crew of rough-edged antiheroes.”

“Jed’s got a killer lineup of do-gooders in the main Avengers book, and I wanted our book to distinguish itself with a bunch of bastards.”

As for selecting the roster, Humphries says he had considerable creative freedom. His goal was to choose characters that could each represent a major faction of the Marvel Universe.

“This was such a blast,” he says. “My concept was simple—since the Illuminati featured seven leaders from different corners of the Marvel multiverse, why not build a team made up of some of the biggest badasses across mutants, the mystical realm, the Spider-Verse, gamma-powered beings, and beyond? I’m incredibly grateful to editor Alanna Smith for supporting this idea right from the start, even though she probably spent half her time negotiating with every other Marvel editorial team. I swear you could hear her Teams app screaming for mercy. Massive thanks also go out to all the editors and creators who trusted us with their beloved characters. I hope they don’t regret it… too much!”

A Team of Bastards With Explosive Chemistry

Unlike traditional superhero teams, the members of *The New Avengers* aren’t exactly paragons of virtue. This is a squad made up of killers, monsters, and one very irritable underwater ruler. Much like the original *New Avengers* from 2004, these characters are bound together by fate rather than friendship—and tensions are running high.

“I think the phrase I used in my pitch was ‘interpersonal dynamics go BOOM,’” Humphries laughs. “These aren’t calm, rational defenders of humanity—they’re a pack of hotheaded renegades trying to channel their darker impulses toward something good, with mixed results. They really shouldn’t be allowed in the same room together. The real question is, who absolutely hates whom the most? It could be Clea and Carnage. Or maybe Namor and Laura. Or someone else entirely…”

Bucky Barnes and the Killuminati

While the title change mirrors the MCU’s recent move, the comic book version of *The New Avengers* takes a different route. One key constant is Bucky Barnes, who remains a core figure after the current *Thunderbolts* arc concludes in *Thunderbolts: Doomstrike*. He’ll serve as the reluctant leader tasked with keeping this volatile team from tearing itself apart.

“I have immense respect for Jackson [Lanzing] and Collin’s [Kelly] incredible run with Bucky,” Humphries says. “It’s an honor to continue his story. Bucky’s going to need every ounce of wisdom and experience those stories gave him—because the world is upside down, and someone needs to fix it. Fast.”

But what kind of enemy could possibly warrant the combined strength of Wolverine, Namor, Carnage, Clea, and Hulk? Much like the team itself, the antagonists are inspired by the classic Illuminati—but twisted into something far darker. Enter the Killuminati.

“Someone tried to recreate the Illuminati, and things went horribly wrong,” Humphries teases. “Now there are seven horrifying, deformed versions of those heroes running wild. Bucky’s got his hands full just keeping his own team from imploding. And believe me, the Killuminati aren’t any better off—with Iron Apex leading the chaos.”

Ton Lima and The Fast & Furious Effect

*The New Avengers* pairs Humphries with artist Ton Lima, whose previous credits include *New Thunderbolts* and *West Coast Avengers*. According to Humphries, the visual tone of the series isn’t drawn from the MCU but instead from a wildly popular action movie franchise.

“Ton is a BEAST,” Humphries says. “He makes our heroes look brutal yet stylish, and the villains look utterly grotesque. I told him he needed to binge-watch every *Fast and the Furious* movie back-to-back ten times without stopping. Based on the art he’s delivering, I think he actually did it. Madman.”

Final Thoughts

*The New Avengers* #1 hits shelves on June 11, 2025, marking the beginning of a bold new era for Marvel’s most unpredictable supergroup. With a chaotic roster, intense internal rivalries, and a terrifying new enemy in the form of the Killuminati, this series promises to deliver non-stop action and unforgettable drama.