Marauders #1
Marvel Comics
Writer: Gerry Duggan
Artists: Matteo Lolli & Federico Blee
This is the first issue of the new dawn of the X-Men that isn’t written by Jonathan Hickman. Marauders brings in a completely new creative team with Gerry Duggan writing. While the lack of Hickman might lead to some readers lowering their expectations of this book, just about everyone should give this a try.
The Marauders are made up of Kitty Pryde, Storm, Nightcrawler, Iceman, Emma Frost, and Pyro. This roster has a few of my favorite mutants, leading me to believe that with strong writing, this could be another hit for the new X-Men era. Wolverine and Bishop both seem vital to the story too, with Bishop engaging in some kind of sub-plot (and will likely join the main roster later).
The first issue of this series is incredibly light, with plenty of humor moving along with Kitty’s travels. The book opens with what readers have seen so far – A new home for all mutants. It doesn’t take long for the tone to massively change, with things going poorly for Kitty Pryde. Her misfortune is great for the book, as Duggan nails every joke and beat in this issue. Duggan’s tone is refreshing after months of serious reads. There is a fine balance between humor and action, making this one of the most well-rounded comics I have read recently.
There is a fine bit of banter throughout the issue. This gives all of the characters some fine opportunities to truly shine here. Everyone is well written and no one falls into boring tropes. The issue is full of pleasant surprises and familiar beats, making this issue enjoyable for both longtime and new readers.
Matteo Lolli and Frederico Blee come together to make the visuals match the writing exceptionally well. The art effectively captures the essence of the writing. Not only does Lolli’s inks and pencils match the writing, but they also help elevate certain scenes. The scenes flow together effortlessly, making this read as smooth as it is enjoyable. The action scenes are exciting and the perfect angle is found for every moment.
Frederico Blee brings life to every panel, finishing up the tone for each page. His colors add more than just depth to Lolli’s art. They fully embrace the script and art, making the comic worth the cover price just for the visuals. The tone is sometimes given to readers because of the colors alone, making the reader feel the right emotions before even reading the words on the page.
Marauders #1 is a complete experience that nearly perfectly establishes the tone of the series. Everything comes together well making this one of the most well-rounded X-Men books in the modern era. Duggan, Lolli, and Blee will be a fantastic team going forward as Pryde and her friends make life better for mutants.
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Marauders #1
Marauders #1 is a complete experience that nearly perfectly establishes the tone of the series. Everything comes together well making this one of the most well-rounded X-Men books in the modern era. Duggan, Lolli, and Blee will be a fantastic team going forward as Pryde and her friends make life better for mutants.
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