Marauders #21
- WRITER
- Gerry Duggan
- Artist
- Matteo Lolli
- Letterer
- VC - Cory Petit
- Cover Artist
- Russell Dauterman
- Publisher
- Marvel Comics
- Price
- 4.99
- Release Date
- 2021-06-02
- Colorist
- Edgar Delgado
It is the formal event of the year in Marauders #21 as the X-Men’s long-awaited Hellfire Gala, which promises big changes for Marvel’s mutants, finally begins. Teased for several months with glimpses of mutant fashion and invitations to real-world celebrities, the Gala is this year’s X-Men crossover event. Within the comic pages, it is Krakoa’s first major step onto the world stage and every major player, superhero and otherwise, is invited. Written by Gerry Duggan and drawn by Matteo Lolli, Marauders #21, while light on action, is an entertaining glimpse into the burgeoning mutant society full of fascinating teases for what will unfold across the X-Men books as they trace the events of the Hellfire Gala throughout the month of June.
Emma Frost is leading the Hellfire Trading Company to market and distribute the mutant nation of Krakoa’s groundbreaking pharmaceuticals. At the same time, she has been bankrolling the Marauders, a group of mutants captained by Kate Pryde, who smuggle those same medicines to nations unwilling to create ties with Krakoa as cover for smuggling out mutants persecuted at home. Over the last few months, Emma has been planning a massive high society celebration, the Hellfire Gala, to introduce Krakoa to the world stage as a united society, to forge new alliances and change the world.
Duggan’s series has been consistently enjoyable since its launch in the Dawn of X. The series has followed a ragtag group of mutants traveling the globe on swashbuckling adventures while also showcasing Emma Frost and Sebastian Shaw grappling for power over mutant trade. Emma’s goals have all led to this moment, her opportunity to use the power and influence she has accumulated throughout the series to set a new course for mutant society. With Krakoa, Emma sees her second chance to make amends for those she failed in the past. In her words, “One more time...for the children.”
Teased as a massive game-changer for the X-Men books, the Hellfire Gala finally opens its gates in this issue and while it does not reveal what exactly unfolds throughout the evening, the hints offered all help to build the suspense. Duggan’s greatest strength is mining humor and drama through character interactions and his mastery of the various voices from across the Marvel universe makes the issue a delight to read. All of the big names from the Avengers to Dr. Doom are gathered here, leading to clashes of ego and playful flirtation. While it builds off of the meticulous world-building of the X-Men line since its relaunch in House of X/Powers of X, the story is also a welcoming introduction to Krakoa for new readers, just as it is for the superhero guests.
Matteo Lolli’s art is engaging and his character work, in particular, brings Duggan’s playful banter and tense moments to life. This issue demands a lot of its artist and Lolli delivers, admirably drafting dense crowd shots that are lively and detailed but uncluttered. Emma is the main entry point for the celebration, and Lolli makes sure to structure his layouts around her, giving readers a consistent and limited point of view. The costumes, designed through the collaboration of all the various X-Men artists, shine throughout the issue lending the entire book a glamorous and elevated importance.
The sheer number of threads hinted at in this issue set up a Rashomon-style exploration of the evening that offers differing viewpoints of the same events. It is an ambitious structure that leverages the interconnected narratives that only exist in these superhero universes. By revolving all of the X-Men titles for the entire month around one single evening, the moment feels genuinely important as it slowly builds anticipation. Eschewing interdimensional and world-ending bombast, Marauders #21 is instead a crossover launch that focuses on characters and relationships to great effect. The book’s narrative ambition and a strong sense of character and purpose more than make up for a lack of superhero fights, for which there is no shortage of options. The red carpet has been rolled out for the Hellfire Gala, and you would do well to grab your ticket to the party of the year. If this first issue of the story is any indication, there is plenty of character drama and revelations to come, and Duggan has given plenty here to whet readers’ appetites.