Kitty Pryde gets an offer she can’t refuse in this Marauders #1 exclusive

The X-Men have established a sanctuary nation state for all mutants, but now they need a way to bring in mutant refugees from governments who don’t recognize Krakoa’s sovereignty. Enter: the Marauders. The name formerly associated with Mister Sinister’s team of assassins has been co-opted by the heroes, with Kitty Pryde captaining a crew that brings Krakoa’s groundbreaking pharmaceuticals into enemy nations while pulling mutants out. Written by Gerry Duggan with art by Matteo Lolli, colorist Federico Blee, and letterer Cory Petit, Marauders #1 is the first new X-book not written by current mutant mastermind Jonathan Hickman, whose work on House Of X, Powers Of X, and this week’s X-Men has redefined mutantkind’s place in the Marvel Universe. Hickman has laid down a road map that provides countless creative avenues to explore, and this exclusive preview of next week’s Marauders #1 offers a first look at how other creators will move forward with all of these exciting ideas.

Pairing up long-time rivals Emma Frost and Kitty Pryde for a book about nautical shipping routes and mutant liberation is the kind of thing that wouldn’t have seemed possible a year ago, but anything can happen in this new mutant landscape. The opening page of this excerpt highlights the scope of this story as it shows the Hellfire Corporation’s giant ship and the international locales where the Marauders’ help is needed. Lolli’s art maintains the expressive qualities of Hickman’s HoX/PoX collaborators, Pepe Larraz and R.B. Silva, and he captures the humor in Duggan’s script very well, particularly in the final page where a depowered, mostly naked Iceman has to make a quick escape from Russian soldiers. Blee’s bright colors further reinforce this cheerful tone, and this excerpt maintains the optimistic viewpoint of this week’s X-Men #1 as it charts a course for mutant pirates navigating dangerous waters.