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{{Short description|Fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics}}

{{Multiple issues|
{{lead too short|date=January 2016}}
{{Notability|date=April 2023}}
{{Primary sources|date=April 2023}}
{{Unreliable sources|date=April 2023}}
}}
{{Infobox comics character <!--Wikipedia:WikiProject Comics-->
| image = Hulkrt cvr.jpg
| image_size = 250
| caption = Cover art for ''Hulk: Raging Thunder'' #1.<br>Art by [[Greg Land]].
| character_name = Thundra
| publisher = [[Marvel Comics]]
| debut = ''[[Fantastic Four (comic book)|Fantastic Four]]'' #129 (December 1972)
| creators = [[Roy Thomas]] (Writer)<br>[[John Buscema]] (Artist)
| real_name = Thundra
| species = [[Femizon]]
| homeworld = Femizonia
| alliances = [[Lady Liberators (comics)|Lady Liberators]]<br>Code Red<ref>''Hulk'' vol. 2 #14</ref><br>[[Frightful Four]]<br/>[[Grapplers (comics)|The Grapplers]]<br/>[[Roxxon Energy Corporation|Roxxon Oil]]<br>[[Squadron Supreme]]
| aliases = 
| powers = Vast superhuman strength and resistance to injury<br>Peak level speed, agility, stamina, and reflexes<br>Superior hand to hand combatant<br>Carries a sword and a three-foot linked chain as weapons
}}
'''Thundra''' is a fictional character appearing in [[American comic book]]s published by [[Marvel Comics]]. She is often aligned with the [[Fantastic Four]]. She is a powerful, red haired, [[amazons|amazon-like warrior]], or [[Femizon]], from a [[matriarchy|matriarchal]], technologically advanced future timeline where men have been subjugated by women.

==Publication history==
{{expand section|date=June 2015}}
Thundra was created by [[Roy Thomas]] and [[John Buscema]], and first appeared in ''[[Fantastic Four (comic book)|Fantastic Four]]'' #129.<ref>{{cite book |last1=DeFalco |first1=Tom |last2=Sanderson |first2=Peter |last3=Brevoort |first3=Tom |last4=Teitelbaum |first4=Michael |last5=Wallace |first5=Daniel |last6=Darling |first6=Andrew |last7=Forbeck |first7=Matt |last8=Cowsill |first8=Alan |last9=Bray |first9=Adam |title=The Marvel Encyclopedia |date=2019 |publisher=DK Publishing |isbn=978-1-4654-7890-0 |page=381}}</ref>

Roy Thomas recalled the character's creation, "A [[Amazons (DC Comics)|7-foot Amazon type]] that I conceived as an homage of sorts to characters like [[Jack Kirby|Kirby]]'s [[Big Barda]] in his [[Fourth World (comics)|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."<ref>{{cite web | url=https://hero-envy.blogspot.com/2020/01/the-roy-thomas-marvel-comics-characters.html | title=The Roy Thomas Marvel Comics Characters, Concepts and Creations Part 2 }}</ref>

==Fictional character biography==
[[Image:Marvel Two-In-One 56.jpg|thumb|left|Thundra clobbers the Thing.<br />Art by [[John Byrne (comics)|John Byrne]] and [[Terry Austin (comics)|Terry Austin]].]]
Thundra is a warrior woman and [[time travel]]er from the 23rd century on Earth-715. In her timeline, [[Earth]] is now known as '''Femizonia''' and is ruled by [[amazons|Amazon]]-like [[dominatrix|overlords]] ([[Femizons]]) who have enslaved Earth's men. The former [[United States]] is now the 'United Sisterhood Republic', and Thundra hails from the [[megalopolis (city type)|megalopolis]] of Greater Milago (a merged sprawl of [[Milwaukee, Wisconsin|Milwaukee]] and [[Chicago]]), located in the United Sisterhood's Midwestern Republic. Thundra is renowned as the United Sisterhood's most formidable warrior, having been physically enhanced by [[genetic engineering]] and trained in combat and tactics from a young age.

She is sent to the 20th century to challenge Fantastic Four member the [[Thing (comics)|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 (Marvel Comics)|Wizard]], and they battled the [[Fantastic Four]].<ref>''Fantastic Four'' #129-130</ref> 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.<ref>''Fantastic Four'' #133</ref>

She later battled the [[Hulk]], who was possessing the Thing's body at the time.<ref>''Giant-Size Super-Stars'' #1</ref> Thundra later assisted the Fantastic Four against the Frightful Four again,<ref>''Fantastic Four'' #148</ref> and then assisted the Fantastic Four against [[Namor]] the Sub-Mariner.<ref>''Fantastic Four'' #149</ref> 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.<ref>''Fantastic Four'' #151-153</ref>  She later assisted the Fantastic Four and [[Tigra]] against the Frightful Four,<ref>''Fantastic Four'' #177-178</ref> and then assisted the Fantastic Four, Tigra, and the [[Impossible Man]] against the [[Brute (Reed Richards)|Brute]], [[Mad Thinker]], and [[Annihilus]].<ref>''Fantastic Four'' #179-183</ref>

Thundra later met wrestling promoter Herkimer Oglethorpe, and on his advice she became a [[professional wrestler]] training with the [[Grapplers (comics)|Grapplers]], a group of female wrestlers who possess [[cybernetics|cybernetic-endowed]] 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|black out]] and lose the match.<ref>''Marvel Two-in-One'' #53-55</ref>

When she awakens, it was revealed that the Grapplers were agents working for the [[Roxxon Oil Company]], a [[multinational corporation|multinational]] [[petroleum]] company which was [[Black Operation|covertly]] involved in developing advanced technology and weaponry for sinister motives. The Grapplers were assigned to trick Thundra into helping them [[sabotage]] [[Project Pegasus (comics)|Project Pegasus]], a prison/research facility built for housing supervillains. They were employed to smuggle the Nth Projector out of Project Pegasus.<ref name="Marvel Two-in-One #56">''Marvel Two-in-One'' #56</ref>

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).<ref name="Marvel Two-in-One #56"/> Alongside the Thing, [[Quasar (Wendell Vaughn)|Quasar]], [[Bill Foster (character)|Giant-Man]], and the [[Wundarr the Aquarian|Aquarian]], she fought the [[Nth Man]].<ref>''Marvel Two-in-One'' #58</ref> She encountered the duplicate [[Hyperion (comics)|Hyperion]] and the [[Avengers (comics)|Avengers]], and battled [[Ms. Marvel]].<ref>''Avengers Annual'' #8</ref> 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.<ref>''Marvel Two-in-One'' #67</ref>

Sometime later, Thundra was revealed as the Empress of Femizonia. She teamed with the Thing to battle Machan rebels.<ref name=autogenerated1>''Fantastic Four'' #303</ref> 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.<ref>''Avengers West Coast'' #75</ref>

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 (robot)|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.<ref name=autogenerated1/>

===Secret Invasion: Inhumans===
[[Medusa (comics)|Medusa]] and [[Crystal (character)|Crystal]] infiltrate Thundra's present-day homeland to retrieve part of a device required to rescue [[Black Bolt]] from the [[Skrulls]]. 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.<ref>''Secret Invasion: Inhumans'' #3-4 (2008)</ref>

===Lady Liberators===
Thundra, [[Invisible Woman|Sue Storm]] and [[Valkyrie (Marvel Comics)#Valkyrie (Samantha Parrington)|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.<ref>''She-Hulk'' vol. 2 #34</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Lovett |first=Jamie |date=December 23, 2016 |title=5 All-Female Marvel Teams Ready For A Movie Or TV Show |url=https://comicbook.com/marvel/news/5-all-female-marvel-teams-ready-for-a-movie-or-tv-show-2-2/ |access-date=September 19, 2024 |website=Marvel |language=en}}</ref>

===Alliance with the Red Hulk===
The [[Thunderbolt Ross|Red Hulk]] 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.<ref>Jeph Loeb. ''Hulk'' vol. 2 #7-9 (Dec. 2008-Feb. 2009)</ref> After agreeing to the alliance, Thundra becomes a subordinate of the [[Intelligencia (comics)|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.<ref>Loeb, Jeph. ''Hulk'' vol. 2 #14-17 (October–December 2009)</ref> Since her departure from the group, her daughter Lyra has joined their ranks.<ref>''Fall of the Hulks: Gamma''</ref>

==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.

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|chain]], the latter of which is her [[weapon of choice]], often attached to a bracelet on her left forearm.

==Other versions==
===''Avengers Forever''===
An alternate timeline variant of Thundra appears in ''[[Avengers Forever]]'' as a member of the [[Avengers (comics)|Avengers]].<ref>''Avengers Forever'' #4 (1999)</ref>

===Hulk: Raging Thunder===
A possible future variant of Thundra appears in ''[[Hulk]]: Raging Thunder'' and ''Fall of the Hulks: Red Hulk''.<ref>''Fall of the Hulks: Red Hulk'' #2</ref> This version was captured by scientists, who impregnated her with cell scrapings from the Hulk.<ref>''[[Hulk]]: Raging Thunder'' (2008) #1 (Aug. 2008)</ref> She would later give birth to a green-skinned daughter named Lyla,{{Volume needed|c=y|date=June 2015}} who would go on to become the new She-Hulk.{{Volume needed|c=y|date=June 2015}}

===''JLA/Avengers''===
Thundra appears in ''[[JLA/Avengers]]''.<ref>''JLA/Avengers'' #1 (September 2003)</ref><ref>''JLA/Avengers'' #4 (May 2004)</ref>

===''Marvel Zombies: Return''===
A zombified alternate universe variant of Thundra from Earth-91126 appears in ''[[Marvel Zombies Return]]'' #5.<ref>''Marvel Zombies Return'' #5 (2009)</ref>

==Reception==
Thundra was ranked 62nd in ''[[Comics Buyer's Guide]]'s'' "100 Sexiest Women in Comics" list.<ref>{{cite book| last = Frankenhoff| first = Brent| author-link = Brent Frankenhoff| title = Comics Buyer's Guide Presents: 100 Sexiest Women in Comics| publisher = [[Krause Publications]] | year = 2011| page = 42| isbn = 978-1-4402-2988-6}}</ref>

==In other media==
===Television===
Thundra appears in ''[[Ultimate Spider-Man (TV series)|Ultimate Spider-Man]]'', voiced by [[Tara Strong]].<ref name="btva">{{cite web |title=Thundra Voice - ''Ultimate Spider-Man'' (TV Show) |url=https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/tv-shows/Ultimate-Spider-Man/Thundra/ |access-date=January 27, 2024 |publisher=Behind The Voice Actors}} 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.</ref> This version is a member of the [[Frightful Four]].

===Video games===
* Thundra appears as a playable character in ''[[Marvel: Avengers Alliance]]''.{{citation needed|date=October 2020}}
* Thundra appears in ''Marvel: War of Heroes''.{{citation needed|date=October 2020}}

===Merchandise===
Thundra received an action figure in [[Hasbro]]'s [[Marvel Legends]] line.

==See also==
[[Women warriors in literature and culture]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* [http://www.marvel.com/universe/Thundra Thundra] at Marvel.com
* {{Marveldatabase}}

{{Squadron Supreme}}
{{Fantastic Four}}
{{Hulk}}
{{She-Hulk}}
{{Hercules}}

{{Portal bar|Speculative fiction}}

[[Category:Characters created by John Buscema]]
[[Category:Characters created by Roy Thomas]]
[[Category:Comics characters introduced in 1972]]
[[Category:Fictional characters from the 23rd century]]
[[Category:Fictional swordfighters in comics]]
[[Category:Genetically engineered characters in comics]]
[[Category:Marvel Comics characters with superhuman durability or invulnerability]]
[[Category:Marvel Comics characters with superhuman strength]]
[[Category:Marvel Comics female superheroes]]
[[Category:Marvel Comics female supervillains]]
[[Category:Time travelers]]