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If one book is to be the heart of the Dawn of X line, that book is Marauders. Time is always made for these sweet, tender moments that connect you to the characters, and it really makes you feel for what’s going on.
There is no better example of that than in this issue. When you see Kurt in the cast list for the book, you know it’s going to be a sad time. Marauders #11 is written by Gerry Duggan, with art by Stefano Caselli, colors by Edgar Delgado, letters by VC’s Cory Petit, and designs by Tom Muller. The main cover is provided by Russell Dauterman and Matt Wilson.
A Beautiful Friendship
Kate Pryde and Kurt Wagner have been friends for quite a long time. Kate started as an X-man a bit after Kurt, but when the majority of the team was later thought to be dead, they would form Excalibur together, in its first iteration, back in 1988. Their friendship has remained a constant and one of the brightest spots in X-comics, something that I cherish as pure and heartwarming, always.
It’s great to see that relationship celebrated in Marauders #11, in memorial alas, where Kurt is so lost and sad without his friend, that he writes her letters for “when” she returns. His faith is unshakable, and it’s ceaselessly amazing. His great hope is infectious, so you can’t help but feel that Kate has to come back. Nightcrawler is truly the emotional anchor of the X-books, and is a great method to get readers to feel something real as they hold fast.
At Last, A Queen Rests
Kate has been dead for what seems like quite a long time. In reality, she only just died in Marauders #6. Usually, however, that would have been about five months ago in real-time, but due to the delays, it has instead been almost eight months. Plus, time really drags on when the “main character” is just gone. Nonetheless, it still took until now for the mutants to make the call to put her to rest.
The decision was made that they would give her to the sea, as no one was to be buried on Krakoa, ever. To this end, Magik and Pyro unite to cremate her as she lays lifeless in her coffin. It was a sad send-off to be sure, only heightened by those present at the funeral. Storm and Emma are big presences, the ones closest to Kitty as family of a sort, but then there is Rachel and Illyana. It was a wise move to leave the splash with Rachel and Illyana staring down Emma textless, as their expressions give you everything you need to know right there. They’re sad, they’re hurt, and they’re not happy with Emma one bit.
Emma In Solitude
Emma retreats on her own after the funeral, as she herself is at a loss over Kate and their inability to bring her back. Marauders #11 is just heartbreaking. Much of the beginning of this run was dedicated to the deepening relationship between Emma and Kate, and now to see Emma fully deal with her absence just hurts. But Lockheed arrives shortly after and brings news with him of how Kate was murdered. The visual of Emma almost knocking over the black king on the chessboard is perfect.
Caselli makes much of this issue sing without even the need for dialogue to convey what you need to know. A plot for revenge will swiftly follow, and in this Gerry indulges Emma’s more villainous tendencies while keeping her “on the side of the angels.” It’s a fun dynamic that keeps Marauders constantly interesting. The way Gerry has built Emma up over the course of Marauders so far has been some top tier characterization. At no point during this series have I felt like Emma is not getting her due.
Should You Read Marauders #11?
Marauders has been a terrifically consistent book from the beginning, and while this is largely a sad issue, you leave with a renewed sense of community about Krakoa and how tethered the mutants are to each other at this point. Caselli is killing it as always and has had to go in on a lot of complex expressions here that pay off incredibly well. I’ve always been cautious of the coloring in Marauders since the beginning issues with Storm, but I’m pleased to see that she has done perfectly well here. Emma had a costume change halfway through the issue and they nailed it, making her look fabulous as always.
While I won’t talk about how the issue ends, this is an issue that has been a long time coming and is sure not to leave you disappointed. You will be hungry for more immediately, and then come back next month when it’s time to “kill Shaw.” X Of Swords is now also on the horizon, with Marauders #11 being the first issue to showcase a tease for it on the cover. There are exciting times ahead, to be sure.
