Writer: Gerry Duggan

Art: Matteo Lolli, Federico Blee, VC’s Cory Petit, Tom Muller, Matthew Wilson, and Russell Dauterman

Price: $3.99

Release Date: November 20th, 2019

In this week’s all-new MARAUDERS #2 by Gerry Duggan, the Hellfire Trading Company has control of Mutant trade on the seas… but that doesn’t mean its Inner Circle is done stabbing one another in the back. Let’s dive into this issue to see how Captain Pryde and her Marauders sail on while the real cutthroats are back home on Krakoa.

Gerry Duggan continues this pleasure cruise by offering up another charmingly fun and lighthearted story filled with a pinch of action, a splash of clever banter, and a sprinkle of brilliant plot twists that pack just enough punch to make this one of the most enjoyable entertaining comics from any company right now on the market. Readers will fall in love with Captain Kate Pryde in a way they never have before. And, by the end of the issue, fans will applaud Duggan’s exceptional reveal that will elevate this title to new heights.

Duggan has used these two beginning issues in such a creative way to lay a strong foundation for his team moving forward. Sure, there has not been any “big bad’s” as of yet. However, Duggan is taking a different approach to his title than many other writers currently on the mutant comic landscape. He’s taking the opportunity to develop a relationship between his team and the readers, which is something only the best of the best could do. Readers will feel like they’re on Captain Kate’s team fighting the good fight for mutants and humans alike. It’s what makes these first two issues so much fun!

Duggan also uses this issue specifically to build on Emma Frost, Sebastian Shaw, and their relationship with one another. By the end of the issue, readers will know who’s truly in charge of the Hellfire Club and who the new Red Monarch is! Oh, and did this reviewer mention that Batroc the Leaper even makes an appearance! Come on Marvel fans, this mag is just straight-up entertaining from the time it’s open until the Red Monarch’s reveal. However, there are more positions to fill in the Hellfire Club. So, will Duggan be spending the first couple of issues unveiling the Bishops and Knights of the Hellfire Club? We shall see…

FINAL THOUGHTS

Duggan takes the Marauders and does the total opposite of what fans’ expectations were of the title before it began. Duggan creates a team that feels like a family and throws the reader into the household forming a bond within two issues! The narrative is overly amusing, fun, and showcases Captain Pryde like never before. If your looking for a good time (sounds like an escort service advertisement), this X-Men series is for you. Fans better hop aboard now before the series pulls too far out to sea.

9.1/10