Luke Cage to lead “Thunderbolts” starting with #144

Here’s a few excerpts from the article where they interviwed writer Jeff Parker and editor Bill Rosemann .

Beginning in May’s Thunderbolts #144, the former hero-for-hire Luke Cage becomes leader, coach and counselor for a group of villains who are attempting to shed their vile roots. More than just a halfway house for supervillians, it’s a team looking to redeem itself – whether they like it or not.

Nrama: And the T-Bolts are rising from the ashes in some new digs… but not the kind of place I’d choose to live in. Jeff, what can you tell us about it?

Jeff Parker: First, it’s back to being an above-ground operation, based at The Raft supermax facility. Even former Thunderbolts are coming on as staff to help get the stain of Norman Osborn off the team and push again the idea of reform. All the most powerful criminals are now being contained at The Raft, an Alcatraz for the super community. At the east end of the prison is Thunderbolts tower, which all of the incarcerated can see from the courtyard, projecting up like a beacon, a constant reminder. You’re down there, you could be up here. And up here means closer to the world out of these walls where you’ll be expected to use your abilities to help for a change.

Parker: If you were wondering how Thunderbolts would shift into The Heroic Age, the answer is that they’re going to have a very real hero around supervising- the Power Man himself, Luke Cage. But there’s a lot of pressure on this latest incarnation of the Thunderbolts program to succeed, a lot of people want it dissolved.

Luke is walking, breathing, hitting proof that you can reform and be better than your circumstances shaped you. And he’s tough enough to deal with the worst of these mega-prisoners. If they think they’re going to pull some trick Luke hasn’t seen and trashed a hundred times before, they’re sadly mistaken.