ThunderCats x SilverHawks #3 Review: Dynamite Entertainment Pushes the Crossover Into Full Team-vs-Team Chaos
ThunderCats x SilverHawks #3 from Dynamite Entertainment keeps the crossover moving with sharp action, uneasy alliances, and the kind of animated-adventure energy fans want from this massive meeting of two classic franchises.
Written by Declan Shalvey, with art by Drew Moss, colors by Igor Monti, and letters by Jeff Eckleberry, this third issue brings the tension between the ThunderCats and SilverHawks to a breaking point. The teams are no longer just sizing each other up. They are clashing, questioning motives, and learning that their biggest problem may not be each other.
This issue has swordplay, space-cop tension, Thunderian loyalty, SilverHawk protocol, and one major reminder: when two heroic teams meet for the first time, misunderstandings can hit just as hard as any villain.
For more coverage, check out our previous Thunderhawks #2 crossover post, or follow our ongoing Thunderhawks, SilverHawks, and ThunderCats coverage.
ThunderCats x SilverHawks #3 Turns Mistrust Into Action
The heart of ThunderCats x SilverHawks #3 is trust — or the complete lack of it.
The ThunderCats do not fully understand the SilverHawks’ mission. The SilverHawks do not fully understand the threat level on Third Earth. Everyone has information, but nobody has enough of it. That makes the issue feel tense from the start.
This is where the crossover gets fun.
Instead of having both teams immediately shake hands and become friends, the story lets friction drive the plot. The SilverHawks are trained to follow command structures, tactical reports, and mission priorities. The ThunderCats operate more like a family, guided by instinct, loyalty, and the Sword of Omens.
Those two approaches do not line up cleanly.
That conflict gives issue #3 its spark. Every conversation feels like it could become a fight. Every fight feels like it could become a mistake.
Cheetara Steals the Spotlight
One of the strongest parts of this issue is Cheetara.
She is not just fast. She is focused, frustrated, and unwilling to let anyone treat the ThunderCats like children who need to be managed. Her presence gives the issue a strong emotional center because she understands the danger of the situation but refuses to surrender agency to outsiders.
That makes her confrontation with the SilverHawks especially satisfying.
Cheetara is not fighting because she wants a brawl. She is fighting because the ThunderCats are being underestimated, and she knows how quickly that kind of mistake can get people hurt.
The issue gives her action, attitude, and leadership energy. For ThunderCats fans, this is one of the clearest reasons to pick up the issue.
The SilverHawks Bring Strategy, Steel, and Suspicion
The SilverHawks side of the story is equally important.
Characters like Quicksilver, Steelheart, and the larger SilverHawks command structure bring a very different flavor to the crossover. Their world is colder, more tactical, and more built around surveillance, protocol, and enforcement.
That creates a strong contrast with the ThunderCats.
The SilverHawks are not villains, but issue #3 makes it clear that heroism can still become dangerous when filtered through rigid systems. Orders, classifications, threat assessments, and chain-of-command decisions all matter here.
That gives the book a deeper conflict than “two teams punch each other.”
The real question is whether the SilverHawks can recognize the ThunderCats as allies before their own systems push them too far.
Darkbird Raises the Stakes
The issue becomes even more interesting when Darkbird enters the center of the conflict.
Darkbird brings a colder, more dangerous energy to the story. Where the ThunderCats fight with heart and the SilverHawks fight with discipline, Darkbird feels like something else entirely: a machine-driven escalation waiting to happen.
That gives issue #3 a real threat beyond team tension.
The crossover is no longer just about misunderstanding. It becomes about control, command, obedience, and what happens when a powerful system decides people are disposable.
That is where the story gets sharper.
Darkbird’s presence makes the SilverHawks side more complicated and gives the ThunderCats a clearer reason to push back.
Declan Shalvey Keeps the Crossover Moving
Writer Declan Shalvey understands that a crossover like this needs momentum.
ThunderCats x SilverHawks #3 moves quickly, but it still gives the characters room to show personality. The issue is packed with conflict, but it does not feel like empty action. The fights come from character differences, not just because the plot needs a fight scene.
That matters.
Shalvey writes the ThunderCats with warmth and pride while giving the SilverHawks a more procedural, mission-driven tone. The clash between those voices is what makes the issue work.
This is also a good middle chapter because it expands the stakes without losing the core appeal. Fans came for ThunderCats and SilverHawks together on the page, and this issue gives them exactly that.
Drew Moss Delivers Clean, Kinetic Action
Artist Drew Moss gives the issue a strong animated-action feel.
The fight scenes are fast and readable. Characters move with clear body language, and the page layouts keep the momentum sharp. Cheetara’s speed, the SilverHawks’ flight and weaponry, and the larger team chaos all come through clearly.
That is important because this book has a lot of characters.
A crossover can get visually crowded fast, but Moss keeps the action easy to follow. The designs are familiar enough for longtime fans but modern enough to feel fresh on the page.
The best pages are the ones where ThunderCats physicality crashes directly into SilverHawks precision. That visual contrast sells the crossover as much as the dialogue does.
Igor Monti Gives the Book a Bright Sci-Fi Fantasy Look
Colorist Igor Monti helps the issue feel like a true blend of both worlds.
The ThunderCats sequences carry warmer fantasy-adventure energy, while the SilverHawks elements lean into metallic shine, cosmic blues, deep reds, and space-opera atmosphere. When the action escalates, the colors give each team its own visual identity.
That makes the crossover easier to read and more fun to look at.
Monti’s color work also gives the issue a strong Saturday-morning-meets-modern-comics feel. It respects the animated roots of both franchises without making the book look flat or overly nostalgic.
Jeff Eckleberry Keeps the Pace Sharp
Letterer Jeff Eckleberry keeps the issue moving through fast dialogue, action beats, tactical speech, and emotional confrontation.
That is especially important in this issue because the story moves between several tones: team argument, hand-to-hand combat, SilverHawks command chatter, ThunderCats emotion, and looming sci-fi threat.
The lettering keeps everything clear and readable, which helps the action land without losing the character drama underneath.
Why This Issue Works
ThunderCats x SilverHawks #3 works because it understands what makes crossovers exciting.
It is not enough to simply put characters from two franchises on the same cover. The story has to make their differences matter.
This issue does that.
The ThunderCats and SilverHawks are both heroic, but they do not think the same way. They do not fight the same way. They do not trust the same things. That creates conflict with real story value.
The result is an issue that feels like more than fan service. It is a crossover with tension, character, and a clear sense that both teams are being tested.
Final Verdict: ThunderCats x SilverHawks #3 Is a Strong Crossover Chapter
ThunderCats x SilverHawks #3 is a strong, energetic issue that pushes the crossover into more dangerous territory.
Declan Shalvey gives the story clear conflict and strong character voices. Drew Moss delivers clean, exciting action. Igor Monti keeps the book visually bright and dynamic. Jeff Eckleberry keeps the pacing sharp from one confrontation to the next.
Cheetara gets a standout role, the SilverHawks become more complicated, and Darkbird gives the story a serious threat beyond simple misunderstanding.
If you are following Dynamite’s ThunderCats and SilverHawks crossover, this issue is absolutely worth picking up.
Review Score: 8.5/10
Comic Book Details
Title: ThunderCats x SilverHawks #3
Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment
Series: Volume One, Issue #3
Writer: Declan Shalvey
Artist: Drew Moss
Colorist: Igor Monti
Letterer: Jeff Eckleberry
Main Cover Artist: Declan Shalvey
Editor / Packager: Nate Cosby
Rating: Teen
Genre: Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Action, Adventure, Licensed Comics
Cover and Collector Information
ThunderCats x SilverHawks #3 features a striking main cover by Declan Shalvey.
The cover splits the image into two bold halves. The top section shows a red-hooded ThunderCats warrior charging forward with blades drawn, while the bottom section features a SilverHawk soaring across a bright background. Between them sits the combined ThunderCats and SilverHawks visual identity, making the cover feel clean, modern, and instantly collectible.
The cover also carries a strong design-forward look that separates it from standard action covers. It feels like a crossover poster and a character spotlight at the same time.
Collectors following the full Dynamite crossover should keep this issue on their pull list, especially because issue #3 appears in the publisher’s June checklist alongside Mumm-Ra the Ever-Living #3 and ThunderCats x SilverHawks: Thunderhawks #3.
Why New Readers Should Check It Out
New readers may want to start with issue #1, but ThunderCats x SilverHawks #3 still gives a clear sense of why this crossover is worth reading.
This issue has:
Team-vs-team tension.
Cheetara in a major role.
SilverHawks protocol clashing with ThunderCats instinct.
Darkbird becoming a bigger problem.
Fast action and strong character moments.
A growing cosmic threat that pushes both franchises together.
Fans of classic animated adventure, sci-fi fantasy comics, and licensed crossover events should have a lot of fun with this issue.
Join the Conversation
Are you picking up ThunderCats x SilverHawks #3 from Dynamite Entertainment?
Which side are you backing: the ThunderCats, the SilverHawks, or the mysterious Thunderhawks?
Drop your thoughts in the comments and let us know which character has been the standout of the crossover so far.
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