Summary
Warning: contains spoilers forThundercats#6!
Dynamite Entertainment continues their expansion ofThundercatslore, making a shocking revelation about the team’s adopted home world of Third Earth. The newly launchedThundercatstitle has breathed new life into the franchise by successfully balancing the need to stay fresh while also honoring what came before.Thundercats#6 continues this by peeling back the layers of Third Earth and showing its true nature.
Thundercats#6 is written by Declan Shalvey and drawn by Drew Moss.Panthro has taken the Thundertankinto the deserts of Third Earth to seek a power source as well as to clear his mind. Panthro is attacked by a gang of Vulturemen. After shaking them, Panthro manages to capture one and interrogate him.
The Vultureman mocks Panthro, accusing him of not knowing the true nature of Third Earth: that, for many years, it was a penal colony of Thundera–and the planet is swarming with criminals, all with an ax to grind against the Thundercats.
Dynamite’s NewThundercatsTitle is the Most Successful Reboot of the Franchise Yet
Declan Shalvey and Drew Moss Have ExpandedThundercatsLore
Since their debut nearly 40 years ago, theThundercatshave been one of the most popular pop-culture franchises in America, and the subject of several reboots and reimaginings. Dynamite’s currentThundercatstitle is the latest, and has been met with praise and acclaim from fans. The book’s appeal lies in how deftly Shalvey and Moss mix fan-service nostalgia with exciting new elements. The duo have introduced Calica, a new Thundercat, as well as expand on the team’s backstory. The first issue hinted at a connection between the evil Mumm-Ra and the Thundercats’ mentor Jaga.
Dynamite’s newThundercatscomics have shown Thundera before its destruction, which was an unprecedented move for the franchise–and now it is turning its attention to Third Earth. The Thundercats, after crash landing on the mysterious planet, make it their base of operations. Why it was called “Third Earth” is never revealed, but it was crawling with other beings and races, both good and evil. While Mumm-Ra and the Mutants received a majority of the air time, the team also fought other, non-affiliated villains. As was the case with older cartoons, very little in the way of backstory was provided.
Third Earth Just Got More Dangerous for the Thundercats
Mumm-Ra Will Have No Trouble Rallying an Army To Destroy the Thundercats
The vision of Third Earth that Shalvey and Moss have constructed in the newThundercatstitle is far more terrifying than the original cartoon could have ever imagined.
The vision of Third Earth that Shalvey and Moss have constructed in the newThundercatstitle is far more terrifying than the original cartoon could have ever imagined. Third Earth was a prison planet for Thundera for centuries, and this explains the larger than average number of villains the team has encountered. Third Earth’s status as a penal colony also raises issues of ethics and justice, and also provides a possible explanation for theconnection between Jaga and Mumm-Ra.If Third Earth is indeed replete with criminals who hate theThundercats, it has provided Mumm-Ra with a ready-made army.
