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Wildstorm's The Return SeriesTHE RETURN: ISSUE #1 
 Issued April 2003 Written by Ford Gilmore. Art by Benes and Pimentel This issue begins with Snarf having a conversation with the Book of Omens amid some ruins. The reader quickly finds out that five years have passed since Lion-O went into the Book -- and what a devestating five years it had been! Mumm-Ra had apparently worked a little magic so that time did not stand at a standstill while Lion-O was within, and so he was caught totally unaware when Snarf went into the Book himself to warn him. Lion-O soon learned he'd be returning to a world ravaged and ruled by Mumm-Ra -- and a much more powerful Mumm-Ra at that. Lion-O comes out of the Book and is shocked at what he sees. Using second sight, he locates Panthro -- enslaved and working the mines. Mumm-Ra knows of these developments and doesn't seem too fazed as Lion-O sets out to rescue Panthro. At the issue's end, we also see that the Kittens have grown -- and that they're Mumm-Ra's personal servants! THE RETURN: ISSUE #2 
 Issued May 2003 Written by Ford Gilmore. Art by Benes and Pimentel The issue begins on a macabre note when Lion-O tours the ruined Lair for the first time. He's confronted with the skeletal remains -- its victim sporting Panthro's nun-chucks wrapped around its neck* -- that, given what Snarf said on the preceding page, may or may not be Bengali. Taking the 'chucks, Lion-O and Snarf* press on to the mines. After cracking some Mutant necks, Lion-O works his way down into the mine while Mumm-Ra watches events unfold from his Pyramid. Still, he chooses not to intervene, preferring to "toy" with Lion-O. It is here that we also see Mumm-Ra declare that *he* rules the ASOE, instead of the other way around! Exactly how that's so is yet a mystery. After a lengthy struggle and a little help from a mysterious white-maned Thunderian slave, Panthro is freed. Now it's on to gather the other surviving 'Cats, in Lion-O's mission to reclaim his kingdom. THE RETURN: ISSUE #3 
 Issued June 2003 Written by Ford Gilmore. Art by Benes and Lea Mumm-Ra once again gloating and taking glee in Lion-O do everything according to "his plan", watches as Lion-O and Panthro scheme to free more of their friends. Kit and Kat are forced to view the spectacle as well through the Pyramid's magical cauldron. Tygra and Cheetara are held prisoner in Castle Plundarr -- apparently, there's one on Thundera now -- and their situations are dire. Cheetara's situation is by far the worse of the two, having spent her time chained and at the mercy of the slovenly Mutants. When Panthro and Lion-O do arrive, a short battle ensues, and the imprisoned pair are freed. Cheetara, it turns out, holds Lion-O responsible for the devastation that occurred while he was away. There's also a surprise romantic pairing among the 'Cats revealed in this issue. THE RETURN: ISSUE #4 
 Issued July 2003 Written by Ford Gilmore. Art by Benes and Lea In this issue, WilyKat numbly obeys Mumm-Ra's orders. He finds and convinces his friends to make a hasty decision -- make a move on Mumm-Ra now, in order to save Kit. The 'Cats believe WilyKat escaped Mumm-Ra's clutches, not knowing he was allowed to leave so that they would play into Mumm-Ra's plan once again. Kat's motivation is the promise that delivering the other 'Cats to Mumm-Ra's doorstep will set himself and his sister free. I found it odd that the 'Cats didn't question how WilyKat knew where to find them, nor why he wasn't surprised to see them all free. For all they knew, he had no way of knowing Lion-O was free of the Book -- or the other 'Cats freed from slavery for that matter. There was also more time devoted to Cheetara's anger toward Lion-O and her blaming him for the state of Thundera -- she even slugged him, hehe! Needless to say, they rush off and are poised to do final battle with Mumm-Ra in the next issue. Except that Mumm-Ra has super-charged Mutants waiting to do most of his fighting -- thanks to the ASOE lending the cretins some power. There were a few other surprises in the issue, but I shant give them all away here. THE RETURN: ISSUE #5 
 Issued August 2003 Story by Ford Gilmore. Art by Benes, Lea The final installment of the Return arrived, and it held true to the rest of the series for better and for worse. We were left hanging in the previous issue, with super-charged Mutants ready to pounce on the Thundercats. Issue five opens with that struggle beginning. Kit, still horrified by Kat's fate, is dragged off into the room behind the sarcophagus by Mumm-Ra. Mumm-Ra procedes to taunt Kit by going into what a traitor her brother was, and how the ThunderCats were being slaughtered as they spoke with her helpless to do anything about it. Surprisingly, Kit shows some spark and speaks against him. Mumm-Ra strikes her for her insolence, but in a surprising move, sets her free moments later. She rushes out to help her friends, and it seems clear where her loyalties lie. Soon after Kit leaves, Lion-O enters the same chamber to face Mumm-Ra, now in everliving form, alone -- that brash bastard never learns, no? Speaking of brash, he even goes so far as to bury the Sword of Omens in the stone floor, claiming he doesn't need it to defeat Mumm-Ra. Meanwhile, the others are struggling with the super-powerful Mutants with Panthro in particular taking a few blows to the head. At least Cheetara gets her revenge on Monkian -- the simian is lying prone at her feet and she has her staff poised above him while saying something cryptic like "I've been waiting a long time to do this". Vengence being relished by a ThunderCat, eh? This series meant business when it was going for a dark feel, it seems. After much fighting, it all ends familiar enough. The others jump into the fray between Mumm-Ra and Lion-O long enough to save Lion-O from getting himself killed. I won't even tell you how Lion-O ends up vanquishing Mumm-Ra -- it's unprecendented and just plain WTF inspiring. I figured good would win, but like with other issues of the series, things just happen too fast and solutions to complex situations are found too easily -- if only this had been a longer, continuing series instead of a mini! In addition, Pumyra and Lynx-O are never mentioned, nor is it revealed how Mumm-Ra got so dern powerful in the first place. Not that it mattered, apparently. Oh, and there was a moment at the end where information about WilyKat is divulged. The resolution to this nugget of information will likely come to light in Dogs of War, which is going to be the next mini. At least, one hopes issue #5's parting revelation will be dealt with there. Otherwise, it'll be a long wait to find out what it all means. THE RETURN TPB 
Issued February 2004 Story by Ford Gilmore. Contributing artists include Benes, Pimentel and Lea. This is simply the Return 5 issue mini combined into one single 128 page booklet. If you want the lowdown on the essential story, read the above reviews for the first five installments. I finally bought this upon seeing it on ebay for dirt cheap -- I paid much less than the cover price, even after S & H. Score! Below are a few scanned images from within. (even though these profiles are quite similar to those in the Reclaiming Thundera TPB, there are some slight differences so I've included them) Meet the ThunderCats 1 - Page featuring brief bios of the ThunderCats. Meet the ThunderCats 2 - You guessed it...more brief bios!
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The Show
