Comic of the Day 16/4: "Thunderbolts" #102

All right, so Thunderbolts has traded incomprehensibility for really bad writing. But hey, I take that any day of the week. 

The story (three groups fighting and plotting for some mystical powers, you know the drill) is even somewhat interesting, even though complicated by the fact that half of the characters are wearing exactly the same cheap costume. Comics have come a long way stylistically since then, and we should all be very, very grateful for it. 

And then there are Fabian Nicieza's monologues and dialogues. Coming straight from the Big Old Comic Phrasebook, you'll find such gems as

A man bends, and you can get what you want...but if a man breaks--that gets you what you need.

and

Because that's when you've beaten your toughest challenger...That's when you've beaten yourself...

What does all that even mean!? Empty, self-important word shells that are nothing more than filler material. Also, the depiction of Joystick's relationship to her father feels hugely distorted throughout the comic. At times full of passion and empathy, and then suddenly she couldn't feel less.

Awkwardly, Thunderbolts #102 is a huge improvement compared to #101, and that says more about the quality of the latter than it does about the former. But keep improving like this and we might have a half-decent comic when I review #105.