Thundercats 2024 # 1

 By Mark Rodriguez

So this was officially the last comic I ever got to buy from Bent Wookee Comix before Third Eye Comics would become my new place to get further issues. This time going under the Dynamite label, let's check out their take on the classic 80's cartoon heroes. 

The story opens with the Thundercats having to escape their home planet of Thundera after the Mu'Tants of Plun-Darr started their massacre. The Mu'Tants seeked their greatest treasure, the Eye of Thundera, and if they couldn't have it, no one could. Jaga would pilot them to a new world called Third Earth, but he would not live to see it.

Lion-O is the leader of the Thundercats by birth right, but there was a problem. Lion-O was still a cub. During the journey, his stasis pod broke and he was exposed to the effects of space and time, now waking up as an adult. With Jaga gone, and Lion-O grown up, he must now lead the Thundercats to survive on Third Earth. 

In current day, Lion-O is training blindfolded with his sword against flying disks. He tells Panthro that he's an adult now and is above training with flying disks and wooden sticks. Panthro smacks him in the face with his nunchucks. Lion-O slices through the remaining disks and boasts about his victory until Panthro trips him up. Lion-O asks why he is so much harsher since Panthro was his mentor. Panthro reminds him that on Third Earth he is his general.

Elsewhere, Tygra is studying the terrain and finds a rabbit-like creature he wants to make his dinner. As he tries to sneak up on it, Cheetara runs past him. She offers to catch the creature for him and asks if he has seen Wily-Kit and Wily-Kat. Just then, Wily-Kit and Wily-Kat leap out to try to grab the rabbit, but they get into each other's way. The rabbit skips away as the kid fight among themselves.

Later on, Lion-O says he's tired of the training sticks, and as master of the Sword of Owens, he must wield it. Panthro says it's only been three weeks since they arrived and Lion-O was not due to take this responsibility for 'many moons'. Panthro says he has lost years of training and experience have been lost. He says that Lion-O may be strong that isn't enough to lead. Lion-O says the sword is his, and he will do with it as he sees fit. He storms off.

Lion-O wonders why Panthro continues to treat him like a child. He feels he's worth of the Sword of Omens since Jaga entrusted it to him. Just then a Mu'Tant looms overhead, and Lion-O takes out his sword and call out 'Thunder, THUNDER, THUNDERCATS HO!!!!', as the sword lights up the sky with the symbol of the Thundercats. The rest of the team see it and know Lion-O is in trouble.

Meanwhile in the desert of the sleeping sands, a dark force is awakened by the power coming from the Sword of Owens.

Lion-O faces off against Slithe, the leader of the Mu'Tants. Slithe says even though Lion-O's all grown up now, he still recognizes the scared little boy from before. Lion-O and Slithe clash weapons. Slithe then reveals he has arrived on the planet with an army of Mu'Tants. Just then the rest of the Thundercats arrive and take the fight to the Mu'Tants.

Panthro sends Kit and Kat to cut off access to their ship, while he sends Tygra to cover them. He tells Cheetara to cover both flanks while he fights the Mu'Tants directly. Panthro wonders how the Mu'Tants found them. He also sees the fight between Lion-O and Slithe and notes that he has seen the Mu'Tant's weapon before.

As they fight, Lion-O says there is no threat the Thundercats can't handle. Slithe asks where the Thundercats were as the Mu'Tants attacked their planet and made the royal family flee. Just then Kit and Kat set off explosives in the Mu'Tants' ship. Slithe tells his men to retreat. The ship explodes, stranding the Mu'Tants on Third Earth.

Lion-O is down from the blast and Slithe raises his weapon. Lion-O raises his sword to block the strike. The clash of weapons makes the Sword of Owens shatter, surprising everyone.

Elsewhere in the desert, the dark figure Mumm-Ra falls to his knees, feeling that the power from the Eye of Thundera has suddenly vanished. He asks the spirit of Jaga what he's done with it.

My Thoughts-

It's been years since I seen the original cartoon but I do remember the gist of it and the origin story. While other comic series based on 80's shows start with a fresh new take, this one re-tells a lot of the first episode. I'm not saying there's nothing wrong with that, but usually I'd expect a 'modern day' story with the origin being a flashback, or the series already starting with the characters being established, since they are from an already known property. I wasn't expecting a modern re-telling of the TV show episodes.

Now there are some changes here and there, mostly with the character designs. The Thundercats got to keep their clothes on while they journeyed into space. They also got updated new outfits, which might be a bit misleading since a lot of the covers show them in their classic 80's attire. Lion-O and Panthro's looks are familar enough, but I'm not quite feeling everyone else. It's further confusing because the Mu'Tants and Mumm-Ra look exactly like they did in the old show. Possibly the change that bugs me the most is that weird mustache they gave to Tygra.

Other changes here are there are the Mutants now being called Mu'Tants, which I guess makes them sound a lot more alien. Again, it's been a good while, so I don't remember the Sword of Owens shattering in the series, or at least not so early on. This part might be where the fresh new take to see what happens next.