Marauders #23 *Spoilers*

[ExodusCloak]

The issue starts off with Emma Frost being quite annoyed that Wanda had to go and die at her party. She gets contacted by Cassidy who sheds some light on some of Emmas woes. The supply chain for Krakoa medicine is cut short.

Banshee is fighting with the Reavers at a Krakoan warehouse and asks Emma for help. Banshee states that a bunch of rival gangs are trying to jack the medicine.

One of these lads for some reason looks like Conor McGregor who needs medicine for his nana.

The reavers set a bomb. The Marauders arrive. Tempo is so great in this. Long story short she is the hero of this story. She reflects on her time at the MLF setting bombs. And redeems herself by saving the day. Emma evacuates all the people in the surrounding area telepathically. And Jumbo Carnation wears Teflon.

Emma helps the McGregor guys nana get medicine.

There's a second story with the Cuckoo's that mimics the way John Sublime died. I think this is going to backfire on them. Jade Kilgore loses that Hellfire Brat girl.

The highlight of this issue was the Tempo scene.

[Grunty]

It certainly isn't going to help against the complaints about most of the actual Marauders team being underused or plain window dressing for the title, when this issue features mutantkinds apparently ONLY (still don't get why they try to hype this guy up as some kind of big deal) fashion designer being taken along on a mission, while the rest of the actualy team is yet again absent, including Bishop who is prominently featured on the cover.

While the other half of the issue is also about characters not officialy part of the team.

Still nice to see Banshee not just appearing to get killed and Tempo can show herself being usefull beyond aging wine.

[ExodusCloak]

It certainly isn't going to help against the complaints about most of the actual Marauders team being underused or plain window dressing for the title, when this issue features mutantkinds apparently ONLY (still don't get why they try to hype this guy up as some kind of big deal) fashion designer being taken along on a mission, while the rest of the actualy team is yet again absent, including Bishop who is prominently featured on the cover.

While the other half of the issue is also about characters not officialy part of the team.

Still nice to see Banshee not just appearing to get killed and Tempo can show herself being usefull beyond aging wine.

They're not a team per say but a corporation. So that's why people like Masque, Callisto and now Tempo have had some really good moments despite not being actual members of Kittys Straw Hat crew

[JB]

I really enjoyed the art in this and it was great to see Banshee, Tempo, and Jumbo utilized. I didn't expect Jumbo to throw down like that.

I mentioned this in the other thread but I would actually like to *see* Bishop and Iceman guarding and working at the other facilities. Expand the scope and let's see what's going on in their various warehouses and what not.

[Pav]

The title remains a fun enough romp that I keep buying each new issue, but boring enough that I wouldn't blink if and when it gets cancelled.

It's a shame how underutilized Bishop is -- and how consistently. Like, have we seen him to do a single cool thing? He's supposed to be one of the most badass, competent guys around! And all we get is him wearing all red and looking like a skinny R&B singer instead of a seven foot tall cop from the future. It's a bummer.

Didn't mind seeing Jumbo Carnation in action, though. It's crazy how the character seems to have really caught on -- and that speaks to the magic of Morrison's run, I think. Honestly, I wish we saw more mutants find their calling in the new mutant society: Jumbo dresses them, Dazzler sings for them, and perhaps Colossus' paintings are highly valued; I want more of this kind of thing.

I also kind of miss how this book was supposed to be about mutant pirates. Is it still? Kate still wears the getup, but we've had interdimensional tournaments and world-changing parties more so than pirate-y shenanigans -- or at least it feels that way.

Still, if you find Emma and the Cuckoos interesting (which I do) the book still has merit.

-Pav, who wonders about the changes in 2022...

[Wolverine12]

Usually I like this title but today’s issue was pretty meh. Felt like a filler issue, maybe because I really don’t care for the Verandi kids at all.

[ExodusCloak]

I felt the same. I sort of got bored until the Tempo scene

[Devaishwarya]

The Secret Tides of Salt Wives...that is all. (still don't care for the cartoon style art)

[Pumpkin King]

The Secret Tides of Salt Wives...that is all. (still don't care for the cartoon style art)

That was a nice little tidbit. At least Duggan has read enough of Pyro's background to acknowledge that he's a writer.

[NewMutant]

My Marvel App doesn't have this issue (and is missing others this week) so I haven't read yet.

But I echo wanting more from Iceman and Bishop; and continue to be let down in the use of Christian (and lack of reaction to his coma).

[RealEyesRealizeRealLies77]

Even though I enjoyed the Tempo scenes the most,this was another meh issue.Seeing Tempo going from setting off bombs in her MLF days was a nice nostalgic jolt ,especially while seeing her participate in trying to incapacitate one.Would definitely like to see her hone her abilities more & expand the area affected more.The scenes with Banshee was refreshing & welcomed but the scenes with Jumbo, while hilarious, was unnecessary & then just write off the actual members as watching other bases instead of showing us was just lazy & pathetic.You have a killer of a team that's ripe & ready to be utilized but Duggan can't manage to bring his A-game to Marauders as he does to X-MEN.Again not terrible but not outstanding either.I can't with the Wilhemina storyline, like absolutely couldn't give 1 f@ck.Wasted time,pages,materials and all.I think I'm out on Marauders til the relaunch.I tried to hang in there but since Storm exited, compounded with the underutilized team members, this has just been teetering on cancel for me.Hopefully Duggan can step his game up with the team mechanics & I can hop back in.Marvel is just making it too easy for me now ,first Excalibur,X-Force,X-Corp & now Marauders ,is just money back in the wallet to spend on more Indie comics.

[Nomura99]

I think we could pin point the moment Duggan came up with terraforming Mars, getting the Planet-Sized gig and then being informed he was getting the main X-Men book by how Marauders fell off a cliff at some point last year.

#22 was really fucking good. I thought the book was coming back around. But then we this pile of "meh" and it's back to spinning wheels. I'd be very surprised if Marauders survives the January relaunch, it just seems there's no point to having it anymore unless they give it to someone else.

The book came to be because Duggan wanted to write a pirate series and somehow Hickman and White convinced him he could do it in the X-Office write Marauders. At this point they either pivot like they did with New Mutants and let another writer do their own thing with this team (or include new members) or let it fade and be replaced by another series.

[myownlittleusername]

But I echo wanting more from Iceman and Bishop; and continue to be let down in the use of Christian (and lack of reaction to his coma).

I won't say anything about the lack of Iceman, Bishop and Christian, that is very true.

But expecting this book to have characters react to what happened to Christian in Percy's plot over in X-Force/Wolverine seems a bit too much, that's up to Percy, not Duggan.
It's also not much to react to, he did not die (which would be just another Wednesday in Krakoa) and did not even have a "coma", he just had hypothermia and a concussion, so should be fine with a little rest, not really worth dragging characters up from limbo to react to, surely there would be better uses for them.

[borkbork]

Jumbo's bit was the only redeeming thing about this issue. I agree, it felt like filler. BOOOORRRRIIING

[Devaishwarya]

For me, it was the art. The style just didn't suit the story at all...destroying life-saving drugs, bombing a whole neighbourhood and Tempo's impending doom, Wilhemina's revenge...all lost their gravitas because I'm looking at 90's cartoon caricatures.

And...Emma in that oufit...gawd, no!