BLOOD & THUNDER #16 (skybound entertainment/image comics)
The band is finally getting back together! Now that Akeldama has escaped prison and the IPPF it’s time to go get Thunder. But to achieve this goal she must now break into a prison for guns. Can she break in and save her tag team partner? Or has Thunder already met his untimely demise?
Blood & Thunder #16 - Written By Benito Cereno – Art By E.J. Su - Colors By Msassyk – Letters By Rus Wooton - Created By Robert Kirkman, Benito Cereno, and E.J. Su - Edited By Diegs Lopez - Published By Skybound Entertainment/Image Comics
Credit: Skybound Entertainment/Image Comics
*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***
STORY OVERVIEW:
We open with a brief history lesson about the Fulminator 1.0 and the issues they had with their AI software. It seems the guns would develop feelings the more they learned. This would cause them to question the things they were being asked to do. This led to the Fulminator 2.0 and the decommission of the version 1’s. But you couldn’t just throw them out instead they had to be destroyed. We find out this tale is being told by Thunder while in a decommissioning site and he is explaining this to other guns. Little does Thunder know but his time is about to be up as Akeldama is on her way to make the save. As she arrives at the site she now must break in and find out exactly where he is. Not only does she pull this off, but we get the moment we’ve been waiting for, the return of Blood & Thunder. But of course, in typical Thunder ways he wants Akeldama to save his 5 newfound friends. So now she has to figure out how to escape the site well carrying 6 total guns.
WRITING:
This issue finally delivers the reunion readers have been waiting for, officially bringing Blood and Thunder back together in a way that feels earned rather than rushed. Benito Cereno has taken the long road to get to this moment, and the payoff works because the issue understands why this partnership matters. Akeldama’s mission is not just another escape sequence or rescue operation; it is the emotional reward for everything the story has been building toward. The opening history lesson about the Fulminator 1.0 is especially effective because it gives Thunder’s personality more weight. Instead of simply treating Thunder as a funny talking gun, Cereno uses the backstory to show how these weapons developed awareness, empathy, and moral conflict over time. That added context makes Thunder feel less like a gimmick and more like a character with a real point of view.
The Fulminator backstory also does a strong job of expanding the world without slowing the issue down. By explaining why the IPPF would want to decommission the older guns, Cereno highlights the darker side of the organization and reinforces just how morally bankrupt their operation really is. The idea that the AI began questioning orders after developing feelings adds a clever layer of sci-fi commentary to the story. It shows that the IPPF’s biggest problem was not that the guns stopped working, but that they started thinking. That detail says a lot about the world of Blood & Thunder and helps make the issue feel bigger than a simple prison break.
Cereno also balances the tone very well. After the intensity of the last few issues, this chapter brings back more of the fun, absurd energy that makes the series so entertaining. Akeldama breaking into a site to rescue a talking gun already has a great pulpy setup, but the script keeps finding ways to make the situation even more chaotic once Thunder insists that his five new friends be saved as well. That twist gives the issue a strong comedic spark while also staying true to Thunder’s character. Of course he would turn his own rescue into a larger liberation mission, and of course Akeldama would be the one forced to figure out how to survive the consequences.
What makes the writing work so well is that the humor never undercuts the stakes. The fight between Akeldama and the lone guard gives the issue a sharp burst of action, and Thunder getting “wounded” adds just enough danger to remind the reader that this mission can still go wrong. Cereno understands how to move between comedy, action, and emotion without letting any one piece overwhelm the others. By the end, the issue feels like a celebration of the title’s central duo while also setting up new complications for the road ahead. Overall, this is a satisfying, energetic issue that rewards longtime readers and makes the return of Blood and Thunder feel like a major turning point for the series.
ARTWORK:
The artwork in this issue, just like every other issue, delivers and then some. E.J. Su continues to make the world of Blood & Thunder feel massive, strange, and unique. Every new location has its own identity, and the decommission site is one of the strongest visual settings the series has offered so far. From the outside, it immediately reads like a prison, with a cold, guarded structure that suggests control and punishment. Once the story moves inside, however, the location shifts into something even more unsettling. It feels less like a holding facility and more like a heartless factory designed to erase anything that has outlived its usefulness. That visual choice does a lot of storytelling on its own, making the reader understand the cruelty of the IPPF without needing the script to overexplain it.
Su’s strength throughout the issue is how clearly he communicates mood and movement. The flashback sequence has a noticeably different visual texture from the present-day story, which helps the reader understand right away that the narrative has shifted without causing confusion. The staging of the break-in is also excellent. Akeldama’s movement through the site has a clean sense of geography, so the reader always understands where she is, what she is trying to do, and how much danger is surrounding her. The issue has a lot of moving pieces, but the panel-to-panel storytelling stays sharp and easy to follow.
The action sequence between Akeldama and the guard is another highlight because it captures both physical impact and escalating tension. The fight is not just there to give the issue an action beat; it is framed around the ticking-clock threat of Thunder being carried toward destruction on the conveyor belt. That makes the scene feel urgent, and the artwork sells that pressure beautifully. Su keeps the action readable while still making it feel chaotic enough to match the danger of the moment. At the same time, the art team does a great job preserving the series’ sense of humor, especially as the rescue mission becomes more ridiculous once Thunder’s five new friends enter the equation.
Msassyk’s colors enhance all of this by giving each part of the issue a distinct emotional and visual identity. The main story has a strong sense of industrial weight, with colors that emphasize the cold machinery and danger of the decommission site. The flashback colors separate the exposition from the present-day action, helping the reader process the information while still staying connected to the larger story. The colors also guide the eye through busy panels, making sure the reader knows where to look even when the page is filled with machinery, weapons, and movement. Together, Su and Msassyk create an issue that is visually exciting, emotionally clear, and packed with personality. This art team continues to be one of the strongest parts of the series and absolutely deserves more recognition for how much life they bring to every page.
Check out my review of blood & thunder #15
Final Thoughts:
Blood & Thunder #16 is a satisfying payoff issue that finally reunites Akeldama and Thunder while keeping the series’ trademark mix of action, humor, and heart intact. The expanded Fulminator lore gives the story more weight, while the rescue mission keeps the momentum fun and exciting. With strong writing, excellent artwork, and a reunion that feels earned, this is another standout issue for the series. This is an issue that you should definitely pick up at the shop this week, if this series isn’t already on your Pull List.
FINAL GRADE: 9.3/10
Let me know your thoughts on Blood & Thunder #16 in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
