Writer: Gerry Duggan

Art: Art: Matteo Lolli, Edgar Delgado, VC’s Joe Caramagna, Tom Muller, Matthew Wilson, and Russell Dauterman

Price: $3.99

Release Date: March 4th, 2020

The Marauders have been sailing the Seven Seas for eight issues now attempting to get stranded mutants to Krakoa while enabling the Hellfire Club to export Krakoan drugs and medicines where they need to be. Along the way, our team of mutants, led by Captain Kate Pryde, have tangled with Verendi as well as other disgruntled countries uninterested in doing business with mutants or permitting their nations mutants to freely leave for Krakoa. However, who would have thought one of the biggest obstacles they’d have to face would be one of their own, Sebastian Shaw. After a treacherous set up by the Black King, Captain Kate was left to drown with the fishes. However, Kate’s death isn’t the only problem our Marauders have to deal with now. Verendi sent a secret bug, or should I say Yellowjacket, to Krakoa to see what he could find. Let’s swim into this issue of MARAUDERS #9 by Gerry Duggan to see if Captain Kate’s crew can exterminate this pest!

Um, so talk about an opening page-turner by Gerry Duggan. Holy rusted metal Batman! All I’m going to say is Jean Grey and Pyro. But, if I could digress back into the issue, Duggan immediately stuns readers and continues to provide a pretty crazy issue from start to finish. Without exposing too much of the crux within the issue, let’s just say some heads will roll, there will be blood, and a small kink is discovered in regards to the Red Queen. But as a whole, this issue was exciting, creative, and wildly entertaining. Duggan manages to add some minor elements of humor that make the story interesting without divulging too much about what readers really want to know, and that’s what’s gonna happen to Kitty. Is she coming back or not? Who knows?!

Not only was Duggan on fire this week, but Matteo Lolli and his art team were spotted on with dramatic illustrations that captured the conflict perfectly. The art was expressive and captured the personality and tone of the issue magnificently. The art was sharp, crisp, shocking, and easily conveyed the differing moods from page to page. The lines were inked wonderfully and flawlessly straight with a clean and polished look that struck this reviewer’s attention keeping me front and center on the action unfolding within the issue. Lolli appropriately places each splash page and provides vivid action sequences making for a dynamic narrative while Joe Caramagna places the lettering masterfully to guide the reader through each panel with ease in an almost organic way. Together with Duggan’s use of reality and fiction within the narrative, this art team hits a grand slam this week making this issue one of the best on the market for almost the fourth straight issue!

FINAL THOUGHTS

Readers, we all want answers about Kitty… I get that. Nevertheless, that won’t happen this week. Sorry. However, Duggan and his team manage to continue MARAUDERS without Captain Kate who’s been the star of the show to date. Last issue without the lead, Ice Man stole the show. This week, Emma and Pyro took center stage in such a creative way that I found myself not concerned about the Pryde dilemma. It takes an amazing writer to make the show go on without the lead and still nail it! Duggan hand delivers a powerful story in an ingenious way like he’s done almost every week and continues to make this a top X-title. If you’re an X-MEN fan, this is a must buy and must add to your pull list. If you’re not an X-fan, it’s still an amazing issue layered with dynamic art and an incredible story with a twist! Give it a read and tell me what you think. You’ll be glad you did.

8.8/10