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Thundra is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. She is often aligned with the Fantastic Four. She is a powerful, red haired, amazons, or Femizon, from a matriarchy, technologically advanced future timeline where men have been subjugated by women.
Roy Thomas recalled the character's creation, "A 7-foot Amazon type that I conceived as an homage of sorts to characters like Jack Kirby's Big Barda in his Fourth World by DC Comics. I asked John Buscema to give her a bandolier around her torso because a number of women's-lib types were wearing them (sometimes with real bullets) in photos in newspapers and magazines."
Thundra is sent to the 20th century to challenge Fantastic Four member the Thing to a bout of one-on-one combat, believing him to be the strongest male of all time. By beating the Thing in combat, she feels she can prove once and for all that women were superior to the male gender, and finally end a stagnant war between Femizonia and the warlike, male dominated planet of Machus, where the female population had been subjugated by its ruler Mahkizmo.
Thundra is also recruited into the evil group of supervillains known as the Frightful Four by the Wizard, and they battled the Fantastic Four. Fantastic Four #129-130 She secretly has her own agenda and has no real interest in the group. She battled the Thing in personal combat, and then wound up ultimately switching sides and helping the Fantastic Four defeat the Frightful Four after she quits that group. Fantastic Four #133
She later battled the Hulk, who was possessing the Thing's body at the time. Giant-Size Super-Stars #1 Thundra later assisted the Fantastic Four against the Frightful Four again, Fantastic Four #148 and then assisted the Fantastic Four against Namor the Sub-Mariner. Fantastic Four #149 Her time travel from 23rd century Femizonia, an alternate future Earth ruled by women, to prevent the formation of Machus, a planet in her alternate future dimension ruled by men, was finally revealed. Alongside the Fantastic Four, she battled Mahkizmo. She ultimately remained in the 20th century after a dimensional interface of Femizonia and Machus occurred. Fantastic Four #151-153 She later assisted the Fantastic Four and Tigra against the Frightful Four, Fantastic Four #177-178 and then assisted the Fantastic Four, Tigra, and the Impossible Man against the Brute, Mad Thinker, and Annihilus. Fantastic Four #179-183
Thundra later met wrestling promoter Herkimer Oglethorpe, and on his advice she became a professional wrestler training with the Grapplers, a group of female wrestlers who possess cybernetics superpowers. In a fixed wrestling match with one Grappler member, Thundra (who has superior strength and fighting skills) is secretly drugged by her opponent, causing her to Fainting and lose the match. Marvel Two-in-One #53-55
When she awakens, it was revealed that the Grapplers were agents working for the Roxxon Oil Company, a multinational petroleum company which was Black Operation involved in developing advanced technology and weaponry for sinister motives. The Grapplers were assigned to trick Thundra into helping them sabotage Project Pegasus, a prison/research facility built for housing supervillains. They were employed to smuggle the Nth Projector out of Project Pegasus. Marvel Two-in-One #56
As a result of the deception by Roxxon and the Grapplers, Thundra came to blows (yet again) with the Thing (in whom she has expressed a romantic interest, on more than one occasion). Alongside the Thing, Quasar, Giant-Man, and the Aquarian, she fought the Nth Man. Marvel Two-in-One #58 She encountered the duplicate Hyperion and the Avengers, and battled Ms. Marvel. Avengers Annual #8 She is briefly allied with the duplicate Hyperion while still in service to Roxxon, and with him stole the Nth Projector from the Nth Command, before she returned to an alternate Femizonia which did not interface with Machus. Marvel Two-in-One #67
Sometime later, Thundra was revealed as the Empress of Femizonia. She teamed with the Thing to battle Machan rebels. Fantastic Four #303 She later abducted the Avengers and Fantastic Four to the future to enlist their aid in defending Femizonia from the extra-dimensional warlord Arkon and his warriors from Polemachus. She fought Arkon in personal combat, and became romantically inclined toward him. Avengers West Coast #75
However, Thundra has a special place in her heart for Ben Grimm. In addition to her amorous advances, the two have been involved in numerous superheroic adventures; one significant pairing of the two involved enlisting Grimm to help liberate Femizonia from a powerful, six-armed android sent from Machus to conquer the Femizons. After defeating the android, Grimm informed Thundra that they could never be together, expressing his love for Alicia Masters. Thundra then allowed him to return to the 20th century.
Trained as a warrior, with extensive training in the hand-to-hand and military combat techniques of the 23rd century, she is a seasoned combat veteran who possesses superior fighting skills and is considered to be the greatest warrior among her people. Thundra is also a skilled combatant with a sword or her three-foot linked chain weapon, the latter of which is her weapon of choice, often attached to a bracelet on her left forearm.
Secret Invasion: Inhumans
Medusa and Crystal infiltrate Thundra's present-day homeland to retrieve part of a device required to rescue Black Bolt from the . As tensions between the two disguised women boil over, Thundra appears and compels them to undertake the ritual combat required of the society to resolve the disagreement. Thundra is convinced to hand over the Skrull intelligence agent after Crystal makes an impassioned speech. Secret Invasion: Inhumans #3-4 (2008)
Lady Liberators
Thundra, Invisible Woman and Valkyrie team up with She-Hulk and her Skrull partner Jazinda (masquerading as a Shi'ar) to forcibly distribute stagnating aid in the corrupt country of Marinmer. She-Hulk vol. 2 #34
Alliance with the Red Hulk
The Thunderbolt Ross battles the Lady Liberators and tricks them into believing they caused him to pass out. Red Hulk then kidnaps Thundra, and offers her an alliance after deducing she was the only one of the group that was willing to kill him.Jeph Loeb. Hulk vol. 2 #7-9 (Dec. 2008-Feb. 2009) After agreeing to the alliance, Thundra becomes a subordinate of the Intelligencia, a group of genius villains founded by Leader. After Red Hulk is betrayed by the Intelligencia in the "Fall of the Hulks" storyline, Thundra aids him in his escape and leaves the group.Loeb, Jeph. Hulk vol. 2 #14-17 (October–December 2009) Since her departure from the group, her daughter Lyra has joined their ranks. Fall of the Hulks: Gamma
Powers and abilities
As a result of genetic engineering, Thundra has vast superhuman strength and resistance to physical injury sufficient to allow her to stand toe to toe with the likes of the Thing. Her speed, stamina, agility, and reflexes are heightened to the peak of natural human capability. She has undergone intensive pain-management training.
Other versions
Avengers Forever
An alternate timeline version of Thundra appears in Avengers Forever as a member of the Avengers. Avengers Forever #4 (1999)
Hulk: Raging Thunder
A possible future version of Thundra appears in Hulk: Raging Thunder and Fall of the Hulks: Red Hulk. Fall of the Hulks: Red Hulk #2 This version was captured by scientists, who impregnated her with cell scrapings from the Hulk. Hulk: Raging Thunder (2008) #1 (Aug. 2008) Thundra later gives birth to a daughter named Lyra, who would go on to become the new She-Hulk.
JLA/Avengers
Thundra appears in JLA/Avengers. JLA/Avengers #1 (September 2003) JLA/Avengers #4 (May 2004)
Marvel Zombies: Return
A zombified alternate universe version of Thundra from Earth-91126 appears in Marvel Zombies Return #5. Marvel Zombies Return #5 (2009)
Reception
Thundra was ranked 62nd in Comics Buyer's Guide's "100 Sexiest Women in Comics" list.
In other media
Television
Thundra appears in Ultimate Spider-Man, voiced by Tara Strong. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information. This version is a member of the Frightful Four.
Video games
Merchandise
Thundra received an action figure in Hasbro's Marvel Legends line.
See also
Women warriors in literature and culture
External links
Categories: Characters Created By John Buscema, Characters Created By Roy Thomas, Comics Characters Introduced In 1972, Fictional Characters From The 23rd Century, Fictional Swordfighters In Comics, Genetically Engineered Characters In Comics, Marvel Comics Characters With Superhuman Strength, Marvel Comics Female Superheroes, Marvel Comics Female Supervillains, Time Travelers
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