Comic Review: Marauders (2022) #1

Marvel Comics

Writer: Steve Orlando

Artists: Eleonora Carlini & Matt Milla

Letterer: Ariana Maher

Destiny of X’s start is nothing short of incredible. Every new series has been a homerun for the X-Office. It’s only natural to expect at least one new series to lag behind, but so far that doesn’t seem to be the case. Yes, Marauders is back, and after a lackluster second half to the series, the squad is treated to a new creative team and renumbering. Marauders #1 is written by Steve Orlando, with art by Eleonora Carlini, colors by Matt Milla, and lettering by Ariana Maher. 

Fans of X-Factor will likely fall in love with the new Marauders roster since it has a few members from the iconic Leah Williamson run. After the rescue of Akihiro in the prologue issue, both him and Aurura have joined the team. The new team also includes Psylocke (displaced from Hellions), Somnus, and Tempo. If anyone was attached to the previous roster, the only two returning are Kate Pryde and Bishop.

This issue is full of exposition and great character moments. The roster that Orlando has assembled has fantastic chemistry, with plenty of potential for intimate moments and opportunities to butt heads. Despite the little action in Marauders, it’s still incredibly entertaining and will keep readers engaged through every page. The addition of one more member to the team halfway through the issue is sure to stir the pot, and everyone’s reaction to the recruitment is priceless. 

As much as longtime fans will love the character interactions, artist Eleonora Carlini is actually what makes this issue so special. Fans of the Batgirl of Burnside run and Boom’s Power Rangers comics might recognize her style. Her faces are full of expression, with a soft touch that readers don’t usually see in an X-Men comic. Kate in particular looks fantastic in this issue (Her hair is divine in every panel). This first issue’s art has a bit of a slice-of-life feel.

Then there is always the reminder that this isn’t a slice-of-life comic, but an X-Men one. Carlini draws the action throughout this issue wonderfully, especially the cold open. The fight scenes progress smoothly, making every significant moment easy to follow. Colorist Matt Milla injects tons of emotion into the panels, adding extra weight to every interaction. The two come together to create some gorgeous backgrounds that manage to astound without pulling readers away from what they should be seeing in the foreground. Ariana Maher letters this issue, making this the second time this week that I admire her letters.

From an artistic perspective, this issue doesn’t miss. The only shortcoming here is it isn’t as accessible to new readers as it could be. The creative team certainly tries to fill readers in as much as they can without making things too wordy or unnatural, but there is just too much history being pulled from to make this a smooth ride. 

Marauders #1 is the fresh start that this team needed. Orlando makes the most of the team’s chemistry while Carlini, Milla, and Maher make everyone look gorgeous. Anyone who has been keeping up with the era will want this on their pull list.