ThunderCats: Cheetara Exclusive Preview Reveals Very Different Costumes For A Main Character

On the heels of a new "ThunderCats" comic launching earlier this year from Declan Shalvey and Drew Moss — part of a new group of series from Dynamite Comics including "Space Ghost" and "The Powerpuff Girls" – fan-favorite character Cheetara will star in the upcoming "ThunderCats: Cheetara." Writer Soo Lee and artist Domenico Carbone will give the warrior an all-new look in a prequel comic showcasing her adventures before she ended up landing on Third Earth.

Looper spoke exclusively with Lee about Cheetara's new costume (designed by Carbone) and how her story pulls from the different generations of the "ThunderCats" franchise. We asked Lee about Cheetara's updated look — which seems to have more of an evolutionary connection with her original costume — and what influenced the decision to go with the character's new appearance. 

Lee told us, "Domenico Carbone the artist, was the one who took charge of it and I think it makes a lot of sense. I think it reflects the life Cheetara and the rest of the ThunderCats had before the beginning of the series. I think it also shows what the culture of Thundera is!"

Domenico Carbone/Dynamite Comics

When it came to dealing with something as iconic as Thundercats costumes and balancing the DNA of what made them so distinctive with the needs of the story, Lee told Looper how she approached visually marrying the past, present, and future of such a formative franchise.

"I wanted the characters to reflect the original versions from the TV show but keeping in mind that they're all younger," the talented writer said. "I'm using a lot of the original series as source material when researching these characters but it was a bit challenging thinking of what they would be outside of their hero roles. It was fun thinking of a completely new direction for Cheetara's story, but keeping as close to who we know her to be. Which we don't really know much of, she's kind of a clean slate."

In our exclusive preview of her new look that will be seen in "ThunderCats: Cheetara," the hero strikes a menacing pose, while additional artwork places her against a gorgeous background. The different variant designs for Cheetara are also revealed, showcasing the clothing options the creative team went through before landing on the main one.

Domenico Carbone/Dynamite Comics

Domenico Carbone/Dynamite Comics

The "ThunderCats" franchise remains incredibly popular nearly 40 years after the first episode of the original animated series aired on television. The property has had numerous adaptations, ranging from the original cartoon in the 1980s to R-rated comics in 2016 that took the story in a more mature direction. With "ThunderCats: Cheetara," the franchise can fill-in key details about the character's history and showcase how she became the incredible, fierce warrior she is known as today — including all of her important trials and tribulations. Check out writer Soo Lee's stunning cover art for the upcoming series followed by the text solicitation giving readers a better idea of what to expect in the story.

Dynamite Comics/Soo Lee

Cheetara of the ThunderCats is renowned as a fierce warrior, famous for her lightning-fast speed. But before her arrival on Third Earth... before the destruction of Thundera... she was a young woman wrapped in a stifling life of Thunderian nobility – a young woman with secrets.Now, for the first time, those secrets will be revealed, as superstar creator SOO LEE (Disney Villains: Maleficent, Carmilla: The First Vampire) presents CHEETARA in her own solo series!Lee and acclaimed artist DOMENICO CARBONE bring a lost world to life in ThunderCats: Cheetara, as the future warrior seeks to find her place in an unsure universe – and to understand why she's seeing alarming visions of the ancient past, and the near future...

Readers who want to check out the new "ThunderCats: Cheetara" series can pick up the series when it officially launches from Dynamite Comics on July 3, 2024. You can pick up copies at your local comic book stores or order from online retailers.