Neal Shaara

Thunderbird
Thunderbird Brett Booth, artist
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	X-Men (v2) #100
Created by	Chris Claremont Leinil Francis Yu
In-story information
Alter ego	Neal Shaara
Species	Human Mutant
Team affiliations	X-Men X-Corporation
Abilities	Generation of superheated plasma, superstrengh, speed, durability, stamina

Neal Shaara, also known as Thunderbird, is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was depicted briefly a member of the X-Men. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Leinil Francis Yu, he first appeared in X-Men vol. 2 #100 (May 2000).

An Indian pyrokinetic, he has no connection to the previous X-Men characters called Thunderbird. He is a vegan and was originally intended to be called Agni, after the Hindu god of fire.

He is the first Indian member of the X-Men.

Neal Shaara comes from an affluent family in Kolkata, where his father is the city's chief of police. His family also owned a large tea estate, where they all lived.

He was popular among girls because of his good looks. When his journalist brother Sanjit disappeared, Neal decided to investigate, against his parents' wishes. Neal was shadowed by his father's best detective Karima Shapandar, and when Karima had to save him from a group of thugs, the two fell in love and began a romantic relationship, looking together for Neal's missing brother.

They were ultimately captured by the villain Bastion, who planned to turn them into Prime Sentinels as he had already done to Sanjit. Unlike his plans however, the shock of the transformation caused his latent mutant powers to manifest, the power to generate and control solar plasma and heat.

Sanjit was able to disable the other Sentinels, fighting with his programming, but was fatally wounded in the attempt. Karima told Neal to leave her, as her own transformation process was beginning, and she would surely kill him when she could no longer fight the programming.