The beloved ThunderCats franchise has been thriving for the past year, thanks to Dynamite Entertainment’s bombastically fun and dynamic comic series. With the main title shepherded by Declan Shalvey and Drew Moss and explosive (pun intended) miniseries focusing on ThunderCats favorites like Cheetara, it’s never been a better time to be a fan of the ‘Cats.
And this December, just in time for the holidays, Dynamite is giving readers another ThunderCats yarn in the form of a new comic offering featuring folks from Third Earth: ThunderCats: Apex! Setting the stage for a new chapter in the ThunderCats‘ history, the story, from writer Ed Brisson and artist Rapha Lobosco, follows the character Apex, first introduced in ThunderCats #8. The red-eyed and weathered character will become more fleshed out in the special, with Apex roaming the wastelands of Third Earth and showing readers a side of the planet not yet seen before. Is Apex friend? Foe? Whichever it turns out to be, it’s clear that we’re in for a ‘Cats tale unlike any we’ve ever witnessed.
I spoke with Ed Brisson recently about ThunderCats: Apex, how Apex fits into the larger ThunderCats mythology, collaborating with artist Rapha Lobosco, and approaching storytelling in a way that honors the ThunderCats legacy.
Ed Brisson is a powerhouse writer, both with his creator-owned work and writing for franchises like X-Men and Ghost Rider. He can has a knack of making old concepts feel new without sacrificing what made those concepts special and unique. I’m really excited to see what he has in store of the ‘Cats and adding to that larger tapestry of stories.
FreakSugar: Before we get into ThunderCats: Apex, what can you tell us about your history with the ThunderCats?
Ed Brisson: I grew up with the ThunderCats. I was a latchkey kid who would race home every day to watch ThunderCats and SilverHawks back-to-back. Both were glorious shows with unbeatable theme songs, I loved them. I had a Panthro toy, by brother had Tygra, and my sister Cheetara. Oddly, none of us were ever able to get our hands on Lion-O. Regardless, I’d usually steal theirs to play with. I’d read the Star Comic when it came out and have typically kept up with every reboot, rehash, and tie-in series.
FS: How did you get involved with the project?
EB: I wish there were a more exciting story to it, but it’s simply that [ThunderCats editor] Nate Cosby reached out to me to see if I’d be interested. I can’t say how he pitched the book to me (his pitch was riddled with spoilers), but it was a pitch that immediately hooked me.
I do suspect him reaching out to me may have been a result of me pestering Declan [Shalvey, the ThunderCats main title writer] about something related earlier in the year. What was that something? Seeeeeeeecrets!
FS: What is the idea behind ThunderCats: Apex? Where do we find the character?
EB: We find Apex on a mission. He’s stalking through the wastelands of Third Earth, hunting for someone. We don’t know why he wants them, but it’s clear from the start that he’s willing to decimate anyone who stands in his way to get to that person.
Throughout the issue, we get to see parts of Third Earth that we haven’t seen yet in the main series — towns we haven’t set foot in and threats we haven’t yet faced.
FS: Apex is a brand-new ThunderCats character that debuted in the main ThunderCats title. How did you approach adding your mark to a new character to the lore? What was the genesis behind Apex and discussions with the main title’s team?
EB: Thankfully, I was able to join fairly early in the process. Nate and Declan already had plans but were open to anything I wanted to bring to the character, in terms of backstory, goals, personality, etc. One of the things I’m most proud of is having a hand in what Apex looks like under his cowl (it’s not pretty, dear reader!).
Who Apex is and how he fits into ThunderCats lore is a big part of our issue and will have a huge, lasting impact on the main series title.
FS: Will we see any familiar faces in the story?
EB: Depends on how well-versed folks are with the original cartoon. If you are, then I think you’re going to be delighted to see some of the characters that pop up in this issue. We’ve got a few folks from the original animated series making their first comics appearance here.
FS: What has been your favorite or most satisfying part of working on the book so far?
EB: I can’t say what just yet, but there’s a reveal in the book that I think will blow readers’ socks off and Rapha hit it SO GOOD. The whole issue is great, but that page just hits hard. I don’t even need to say where and when it happens, readers will know when they see it.
FS: Rapha Lobosco’s art is just fantastic. What has the collaboration process been like with the creative team on the book?
EB: It’s been smooth! I think Rapha is turning out some of the best work of his career and his love for ThunderCats shines through loud and clear.
Rapha and I had talked about a year ago through DMs, exchanging a mutual appreciation of one another’s work, so when it came time to cast this one, I tossed his name out as a possibility and thankfully he was not only available, but very enthusiastically excited for the book.
We’ve had a lot of back and forth on some of the characters featured in the book and Rapha has done a brilliant job of redesigning the them in a way where they don’t lose their 80s charm, but feel fresh.
FS: Do you approach this tale differently than your other comics?
EB: Apart from the obvious parameters of not being able to rush into the book and kill everyone or completely upend continuity, I tend to approach most books the same way. I take time to think about the character, their needs, and the world they inhabit and figure out what’s interesting about it to me. What is my attraction? What drew me to the book/world when offered? My goal is always, selfishly, to figure out what kind of story I’d want to read and then set out to tell it. The hope is that if I enjoy it, if I’m true to myself, and not concerned with just trying to appease everyone, then people will connect with it.
FS: Is there a certain frame of mind you have to be in to write a book like this?
EB: I used to think that I had to be in a certain frame of mind to sit down and write, but because writing video games takes up eight hours of my day, I’ve had to get out of that mindset. I tend to just sit down and get to work. Somedays I can bank ten or twelve pages (those days are exceedingly rare), some I only get one or two. Both are fine, just so long as I keep kicking the ball down the field.
FS: ThunderCats is a property that has a special place in the hearts of so many fans young and old. Does that factor in as you write your story?
EB: Yes and no. I’m always aware of existing lore and I prefer to play with what we already have, while expanding on said lore in a way that feels earned. There’s nothing I hate more than books meant to be part of the greater lore that read and feel like fanfiction. There’s a fine line between honouring lore and your own attachment to a character or world and being trapped by those same feelings. Things need to grow, to evolve, but in a way that feels both true and fresh.
There’s a reason I loved Thundercats as kids and as the current, temporary, steward of these characters, it’s my responsibility to pump that same love back into them.
FS: Do you have any other ThunderCats stories you’re itching to tell?
EB: Yes. Plenty!
FS: What are you reading right now?
EB: I just finished Nuclear War: A Scenario by Annie Jacobsen. Great bedtime reading if you never want to sleep again. The book draws on interviews with military and civilian experts to paint a horrifying picture how a nuclear war would play out. Spoiler: Pray you die early.
Right now, I’m about halfway through Kentucky Straight, a collection of short stories by Chris Offutt, who is an author I only recently discovered and can’t get enough of. The stories are moments in the lives of characters living in rural Appalachia. He’s got such a strong voice and a heavy weight to both the people and place within his stories — heartbreaking and beautiful all at once. His books Country Dark, Code of the Hills, The Killing Hills, and Shifty’s Boys are some of the best southern noir to come out in the last decade.
Comic-wise, I just finished Skin Police by Jordan Thomas, Daniel Gete, Jason Wordie, and Jeff Powell. It’s a lot of fun with some really interesting world building. I was already familiar with Jordan Thomas’s writing from Mugshots, but this was my introduction to Daniel Gete’s art, which is stunning. Precious Metal by Darcy Van Poelgeest, Ian Bertram and Matt Hollingsworth is…I don’t know that I have the words for it. It’s comics on a completely different level. It’s a staggering work of imagination and spectacle. It’s comics at their very best.
FS: Are there any other projects you’re working on right now you’d like to discuss?
EB: The last year, I’ve primarily been working in video games during the day, while secretly chipping away at comic projects at night. At this point, I have something like 250 pages worth of material completed (written, drawn, coloured and lettered) and probably about the same amount again scripted. None of it has been announced yet and it’s KILLING ME. I would love to talk about it, but I can’t just yet. Soon though!
FS: Is there anything you can tease about what we can expect to see in the book?
EB: Is it too vague to say BIG THINGS?!? We’re going to expand the world of Third Earth, show readers some unexplored corners, while further exploring one of the most bad-ass characters to come into ThunderCats lore in a long time.
FS: If you had a final pitch for the comic, what would it be?
EB: It’s a post-apocalyptic western with a drifter on a mission of vengeance. You’re going to want to be there for the who, how, and why of it all.
ThunderCats: Apex #1 goes on sale Wednesday, December 4, 2024, from Dynamite Comics.
From the official issue description:
Across a desert landscape, a cloaked rider emerges from the shimmering heat. A lone figure on a battered mount, he’s a tempting target for bandits – and temptation is not something that the inhabitants of these badlands are inclined to resist.
Unfortunately for the miscreants who decide to waylay him, that choice will likely be the last one they ever make. And when the dusty traveler walks into the local saloon, it soon becomes clear that anyone who stands between him and his mission will share the same fate.But who is this mysterious stranger – and what is the target that he has fixed his glowing red eye upon?
Featuring otherworldly covers from DECLAN SHALVEY, LUCIO PARRILLO, MEGHAN HETRICK, and JAE LEE & JUNE CHUNG, this historic 40-page special from renowned writer ED BRISSON (Batman Incorporated, Uncanny X-Men) and acclaimed artist RAPHA LOBOSCO (James Bond: 007) answers the most burning question on all of Third Earth – who is Apex? – and sets the stage for the dramatic new story arc launching in ThunderCats #11!