The ThunderCats are going old school! Dynamite Entertainment is taking Lion-O and his crew back to their 1985 roots with ThunderCats ’85, a new ongoing comic book series that brings back the original cartoon designs, classic characters, and a major showdown with Mumm-Ra.
The new series launches January 6, 2027, with George Kambadais handling both the writing and artwork. The idea is to give fans the ThunderCats they grew up watching on Saturday mornings, complete with the familiar look and over-the-top action that made the original animated series so much fun.
Dynamite is certainly having fun selling it. The official solicitation kicks things off with the iconic battle cry, “Thunder…Thunder…THUNDERCATS…HOOOOOOOOO!!”, and promises “the ultimate, absolute, pulse-pumping, heart-pounding, adrenaline-jangling comic OF ALL TIME!!”
The publisher also praises Kambadais’ work, saying he “takes you back to the start, in a stunningly realized vision of the classic THUNDERCATS from 1985! Every panel on every page is absolutely packed with non-stop action!”
As for what readers can expect from the first issue, Dynamite keeps the premise wonderfully simple: “It’s MUMM-RA VS. THE THUNDERCATS!!”
Kambadais already has plenty of experience bringing beloved animated franchises to comics. He worked with Greg Weisman on Dynamite’s Gargoyles series, illustrated SilverHawks, and contributed to the publisher’s Lilo and Stitch comics.
His colorful, expressive artwork seems like a great fit for the classic ThunderCats aesthetic, and having him write and illustrate the entire series should help keep the storytelling and visuals closely connected.
The debut issue will feature 32 pages with cardstock covers and a $4.99 price tag. Variant covers come from Kambadais, Drew Moss, Craig Rousseau, and Federico Mele. Three covers have already been revealed, including a colorful group image featuring the original team, with Snarf getting some love as well.
ThunderCats ’85 won’t replace Dynamite’s current ThunderCats comic. It will run alongside the main ongoing series from writer Greg Pak and artist David Cousens.
That book has taken the franchise in a different direction, bringing the ThunderCats and SilverHawks together on Third Earth while introducing a more feral take on Lion-O.
ThunderCats ’85, meanwhile, exists outside that continuity. It’s sticking with the familiar character designs, Mumm-Ra as the central villain, and the spirit of the original animated adventure.
Dynamite has been building quite a comic book lineup around the franchise. Along with the main series and SilverHawks, the publisher also launched a Cheetara solo comic from writer Saladin Ahmed and artist Andrea Ancari. The addition of ThunderCats ’85 gives fans another way to enjoy these characters without having to follow the main series’ continuity.
The original ThunderCats animated series premiered in 1985 from Rankin/Bass and followed a group of cat-like humanoid heroes who escaped their dying planet, Thundera, and found a new home on Third Earth.
There, the young Lion-O became the team’s leader, wielding the Sword of Omens and the Eye of Thundera alongside Tygra, Panthro, Cheetara, WilyKit, WilyKat, and Snarf. Their greatest enemy was Mumm-Ra the Ever-Living, an ancient undead sorcerer who regularly made life miserable for the heroes.
Between the awesome opening theme, badass characters, transformation sequences, and popular toy line, the cartoon became an ’80s favorite. The franchise later returned with a 2011 animated reboot and the 2020 series ThunderCats Roar.
There’s also the long-developing live-action ThunderCats movie, with director Adam Wingard attached. Wingard has previously talked about his love for the original series and his desire to capture what made it special.
For fans who still have a soft spot for the 1985 cartoon, ThunderCats ’85 sounds like a fun return to the version of Lion-O and his friends that started it all.
ThunderCats ’85 #1 hits comic shops on January 6, 2027, and pre-orders are available through local comic book retailers.
