Editing Peter Cannon, Thunderbolt

{{short description|Charlton Comics character}}
{{Infobox comics character|<!--Wikipedia:WikiProject Comics-->
image=PeterCannonThunderbolt1.jpg
|caption=Cover of ''Peter Cannon ... Thunderbolt'' #1 (Aug. 1966), art by Pete Morisi.
|character_name=Thunderbolt
|real_name=Peter Cannon
|publisher=Originally [[Charlton Comics]], later [[DC Comics]] and [[Dynamite Entertainment]]
|debut=''Thunderbolt'' #1 January 10 1966
|creators=[[Pete Morisi]]
|alliances=[[Justice League]]<br/>[[Justice League Task Force (comics)|Justice League Task Force]]
|aliases=
|powers=Mind over matter (the art of activating and harnessing that unused portion of the brain)<br />'''DC Comics''':<br/>Enhanced physical abilities and intelligence<br>Low level [[telekinesis]]<br>Psychic control over animals<br>Ability to ignore pain<br>Clairvoyance
}}
'''Peter Cannon, Thunderbolt''' is a fictional [[superhero]] character originally published by [[Charlton Comics]].

==Publication history==
===Charlton Comics===
Created by [[Pete Morisi]], the character debuted in ''Peter Cannon ... Thunderbolt'' #1 (Jan. 1966), part of Charlton editor [[Dick Giordano]]'s "Action Heroes" superhero line.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Markstein |first1=Don |website=Don Markstein's Toonopedia |access-date=2 April 2020  |url=http://www.toonopedia.com/t-bolt.htm |title=Peter Cannon... Thunderbolt}}</ref> The series then took over the numbering of the defunct title ''[[Son of Vulcan]]'', and ran from issue #51 through #60 (March/April 1966&nbsp;– November 1967), after which Pete Morisi, who in addition to comic book work was also a [[New York City Police Department]] officer, time-pressed with police duties, left the title, which was canceled along with the rest of Charlton's "Action Heroes" comics line.

There were several backup series in ''Thunderbolt''. "The Sentinels", by [[Gary Friedrich]] (writing his first superhero stories) and penciler-inker [[Sam Grainger]], appeared in #54–59, and #60 had the [[Prankster (Charlton)|Prankster]], written by [[Dennis O'Neil]] with art by [[Jim Aparo]].

Morisi, who'd done work for [[Lev Gleason Publications]] in 1940s, reported in ''[[Comic Book Artist]]'' #9 (August 2000) that he had attempted to buy the rights to 1940s superhero [[Daredevil (Lev Gleason Publications)|Daredevil]] in the early 1960s. Gleason gave him his okay, but the character's primary writer-artist, [[Charles Biro]], balked, requesting a percentage of future profits. Morisi declined and went on to create Thunderbolt in a scaled-down version of that Daredevil's symmetrically divided, red-and-blue costume.

[[Image:DC Thunderbolt -1.jpg|right|thumb|200px|''Peter Cannon&nbsp;– Thunderbolt'' #1 (September 1992), art by [[Mike Collins (comics)|Mike Collins]] and [[Jose Marzan Jr.]]]]

===DC Comics===
After Charlton sold its superhero properties to DC in 1983, Thunderbolt reappeared after almost two decades in the ''[[Crisis on Infinite Earths]]'' crossover series (April 1985&nbsp;– March 1986, Thunderbolt appearing in #6, 7, and 10) when he joined the heroes of the [[Multiverse (DC Comics)|Multiverse]] in their crusade against the [[Anti-Monitor]].

Introducing him into the new [[DC Universe]], DC published ''Peter Cannon&nbsp;– Thunderbolt'', by writer-[[penciler]] [[Mike Collins (comics)|Mike Collins]] and [[inker]] [[Jose Marzan Jr.]] The series ran for 12 issues before cancellation (September 1992&nbsp;– August 1993). During the series' short run, his recurring foils were the criminal terrorists-for-hire known as [[Scorpio (DC Comics)|Scorpio]]. He later discovers that his girlfriend Cairo DeFrey was actually in charge of the organization.

The character also appeared briefly with the [[Justice League]].

===Dynamite Entertainment===
[[Dynamite Entertainment]] published a ten issue series between September 2012 and July 2013. The series was co-written by Steve Darnall and [[Alex Ross]], with art by Jonathan Lau.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=39159 |title=Steve Darnall Reveals Dynamite & Alex Ross' Plans For ''Peter Cannon: Thunderbolt'' |publisher=Comic Book Resources |date=2012-06-13 |access-date=2012-06-26}}</ref>

The character later appeared in a new series published since February 2019, written by [[Kieron Gillen]] with art by Caspar Wijngaard, Mary Jo Safro and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou. In this series, it is revealed that Peter Cannon and Tabu were lovers.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.avclub.com/peter-cannon-thunderbolt-pokes-fun-at-watchmen-in-this-1832857211|title=Peter Cannon: Thunderbolt pokes fun at Watchmen in this exclusive preview|website=AUX|date=25 February 2019 }}</ref>

A new series has been announced in July 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Team |first=Graphic Policy |date=2022-07-19 |title=SDCC 2022: Peter Cannon, Thunderbolt Returns! From Fred Van Lente and Jonathan Lau |url=https://graphicpolicy.com/2022/07/19/sdcc-2022-peter-cannon-thunderbolt-returns-from-fred-van-lente-and-jonathan-lau/ |access-date=2022-07-19 |website=Graphic Policy |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Fictional character biography==
His origin, as detailed in the original comic:
<blockquote>Peter Cannon, orphaned son of an American medical team, was raised in a [[Himalayas|Himalayan]] [[lamasery]], where his parents had sacrificed their lives combating the dreaded Black Plague! After attaining the highest degree of mental and physical perfection, he was entrusted with the knowledge of the ancient scrolls that bore the secret writings of past generations of wise men! From them he learned concentration, mind over matter, the art of activating and then harnessing the unused portions of the brain, that made seemingly fantastic feats possible! Then he returned to America with his faithful friend, Tabu, and sought out a new life, in a new land, that required the emergence of Peter Cannon... Thunderbolt.</blockquote>

His costume is his training outfit from the lamasery, with an added mask.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Wells |first1=John |title=American Comic Book Chronicles: 1965-1969 |date=2014 |publisher=TwoMorrows Publishing |isbn=978-1605490557 |pages=130–131}}</ref> A recurring villain is the "Hooded One", another monk from the lamasery who resented the fact an outsider like Peter was given access to the sacred scrolls.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.toonopedia.com/t-bolt.htm Don Markstein's Toonopedia: Peter Cannon...Thunderbolt]
* [http://www.internationalhero.co.uk/c/charthun.htm International Catalogue of Superheroes: Thunderbolt]
* [http://darkmark6.tripod.com/charlton_index.html Index of Charlton Comics with issue summaries]

{{Dynamite Entertainment}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Thunderbolt}}
[[Category:1966 comics debuts]]
[[Category:Comics about Buddhism]]
[[Category:Charlton Comics superheroes|Cannon, Peter]]
[[Category:Charlton Comics titles]]
[[Category:Comics about orphans]]
[[Category:DC Comics titles]]
[[Category:Fictional gay men]]
[[Category:Gay superheroes]]
[[Category:LGBTQ superheroes]]
[[Category:Martial arts comics]]
[[Category:Superhero comics]]