Marauders #1
Marvel Comics
Words by Gerry Duggan
Art by Matteo Lolli
Color by Federico Blee
Letters by VC’s Cory Petit
A fan favorite member of the X-Men, who was notably absent from the House and Powers of X makes her return in Marauders. Considering her major roles before the relaunch, it was surprising to see her as a non-player in that series. They bring her out of the shadows, by giving her lead in a new series.
Duggan starts off the story by explaining why Kitty was absent for the events in Hickman’s Power and House series. After going on their first adventure, Kitty proclaims her band of mutant pirates will be rebranded as the “Marauders”. This was a major change for the group and going from villains to heroes is a gambled risk. Not too long ago were they were still doing the bidding of Miss Sinister.
Lolli’s art binds the story very well. He is able to give each character unique features and carry it over in each panel. Kitty has a broken nose and the subtle detail of it healing over time shows the detail he took in progression the time line. The undertaking it took to nail all the other little details was impressive, especially those involving Lockheed.
Marauders is a good departure from the serious tone that was set in the relaunch books. The crew and characters involved had little to no parts in the Hickman series and it’s great to see them in their own team. The comedy and serious tones hit perfectly with the story’s development, especially for Kitty. One thing for sure is not to call her “Kitty” anymore, as she moved on from using that moniker.