MARCO SPEAKS SPIDEY- King in Black: Marauders #1 Review

In my previous reviews, I’ve tackled how the “King in Black” mega-event affects those outside the realm of Spider-Man, including Black Panther and Wakanda, Elektra and Daredevil, the Fantastic Four and even the Thunderbolts. This week, I was fortunate enough to grab a copy of the Marauders tie-in and boy was it a game-changer. It made me want to return or revisit some ongoing X-books to catch up on Marvel’s favorite mutants and the growing population of Krakoa.

OFFICIAL MARVEL COMICS DESCRIPTION:

King in Black: Marauders #1

STORY BY: Gerry Duggan

ART BY: Luke Ross

COVER BY: Russell Dauterman, Stefano Caselli

THE QUEEN IN RED SAILS!

Red Queen Kate Pryde and her crew of Marauders set sail against the forces of Knull! Captain Kate has pledged to fight for the needy, and a global disaster like this one gives plenty of folks in need.

ALL HAIL THE RED QUEEN!

PROS:

• One of this book’s strengths is how it is directly related to other events occurring in the crossover bonanza, as our mutant pirates are on a quest to rescue and save Cyclops and Storm, casualties in the invasion of Knull, his symbiotes and his space-dragons. Again, the stakes are very high and lives are on the line. And those who know me well know that a title always get me cheering on loudly when we see powerful women take the lead. And this issue delivers, with Kate Pryde leading the likes of Bishop, Iceman and Pyro. She really grabbed hold of the wheel in this one, literally and figuratively. It was also amusing seeing her mad at Spider-Man for not keeping his people, like Venom, in check, thus leading to disasters like Knull’s alien invasion.
• Stay away if you do not want to see any spoilers but… wow. I did not see that twist coming: all along I thought that the Marauders were off to save a boat full of olive oil shippers. It was a poignant shocker when the big reveal took place… and we as readers discovered that the ship actually contained human beings locked up underneath, left to die. This was a terrible and horrific case of human trafficking, and it was a blessing that the captives were able to summon the Marauders through Morse Code. It was a heart-wrenching adventure but a moving, and meaningful one, that grounds you and makes you realize about the serious issues our society still encounters to this day. The hope of course is that in our own little way, we can go out into the world and do our part in the war against such crimes.
• I was totally jumping up and down witnessing Lockheed, my personal favorite dragon in comic books, go up against Knull’s space-dragons. This is the showdown that I never knew I wanted, never expected, yet always needed in my life. Thank you to the Marauders creative team for making this a reality.

CONS:

• Maybe the one problem I have with tie-in books like this are the lack of more web-slingers, of any kind. It is similar to my experience with the S.W.O.R.D tie-in this past week, where the entire focus is on Manifold and his teleporting (but don’t let him hear you call it ‘teleporting’… he really hates that) journey to find reinforcements, whether it be an alien race, Alpha Flight or somewhere else out there in the universe. It’s a big universe, I know and acknowledge that reality, but my need for that Spidey fix gets carried away at times.
• Related to one of my ‘pros’ actually… while seeing Lockheed fight space dragons was wild… I could have used and gobbled up more pages or frames!

FINAL SCORE: B+

It’s always refreshing to step out of your comfort zone and see how the events in a Spider-Man crossover severely affect other people’s lives. This adventure was chaotic, to say the least, and this was multiplied by the fact that the trials and tribulations happened on the mighty high seas. But the costumes, the story-telling vibe, and the colors of the art bring about a vibrant splash of dashing adventure, worthy of its namesake. These are mutants, not just fighting for their own personal survival, but for the survival of humans in desperate need of heroes. Count me in. I’m loving it.