'Thunderbolts*' gives fanboys new Avengers

Back in 1997, when I was publisher of Marvel Comics, we introduced a new superhero group — The Thunderbolts. This was a team of flamboyant new heroes who stepped up to fill the gap left when the Avengers were declared dead after the Onslaught crossover. However, at the end of “Thunderbolts #1,” we shocked readers by revealing that they were actually supervillains — the Masters of Evil in disguise.

Right up to the last page of “Thunderbolts #1,” it was played as a straight superhero story … and then we revealed the Thunderbolts’ true nature. At Marvel, the editorial staff kept this plot twist as secret as the Manhattan Project.