Marauders #12: An Early Ending

[Rift]

One of the books issues is one it's predecessor suffered, and many others during this era, too many characters. There's just too many characters to the detriment of the book overall, and to those characters in specific. Introducing a host of new ones didn't help. Aurorra, Bishop, and possibly Kwannon felt like they were very underutilized throughout. The rushed nature of certain aspects did not help. Honestly the Shi'ar section should have been reported to be shorter. Stryfe should have been excised.

I'll note, if you think people did not get this series, please state why instead of saying it's too ahead of it's time. Because that's been said about a lot of other works to me that it definitely did not apply to (The Room, Cans without Labels, Velma (Jury still technically out on that one)).

If Velma is ahead of its time, I genuinely fear for whatevwr future it heralds. I watched that entire show and there was one (1) funny joke. Sorry to jwatson, I know ypu liked that show, no shade to you personally. But I really did not like Velma and I am holding back the urge to drop a BobbysWorld-style essay about it.

[davetvs]

Honestly, from the threads here it just seems like a lot of people didn't like the art and either dropped or refused to read the book based on that. BobbysWorld said it best (as always) but this was basically a master class in how to handle a large cast, compared to some of the other writers this era (Duggan, Percy, Howard).

[BobbysWorld]

Honestly, from the threads here it just seems like a lot of people didn't like the art and either dropped or refused to read the book based on that. BobbysWorld said it best (as always) but this was basically a master class in how to handle a large cast, compared to some of the other writers this era (Duggan, Percy, Howard).

Like I GENUINELY wish there was some way to gauge how well or not the book might have done with one of the X-books' more popular artists like Caselli, that could be pretty interesting to see how well it might have done with art more readers considered a draw than an obstacle. I mostly liked the art, overall, but I do get why it wasn't for everyone. Art this stylized is either love it or hate it. If the style is a miss for you, there's not going to be much appeal in it, since most of the appeal for those who do love it is in the specific vibe/energy/personality it evokes.

[Hulkout42]

I am sorry just don't see what was the point of all this, i really don't.

[Hulkout42]

Like I GENUINELY wish there was some way to gauge how well or not the book might have done with one of the X-books' more popular artists like Caselli, that could be pretty interesting to see how well it might have done with art more readers considered a draw than an obstacle. I mostly liked the art, overall, but I do get why it wasn't for everyone. Art this stylized is either love it or hate it. If the style is a miss for you, there's not going to be much appeal in it, since most of the appeal for those who do love it is in the specific vibe/energy/personality it evokes.

Pretty sure art is not enough to drive sales on any book if the story is crap.

[Rift]

So is Xilo one of the Threshold?

[Rnap22]

This series was just one big mess. I checked out the first few issues... dropped it... got bored one week when there was nothing else out and checked back into it... dropped it again... picked it up again for Stryfe... and dropped it again. Just messy as hell, both in terms of storytelling and art. Gets a 2/10 from me.

Yeah I didn’t get into it at all. I dropped it before the end of the first arc and reading the recaps for me is like “I haven’t a clue”.

[Dermie]

Any Christian Frost?

Very tiny non-speaking cameo on the final page, along with all of the other Marauders cast members from both the Duggan and Orlando runs. He's behind Callisto, next to Polaris.

[Jwyatt]

So, the box takes the dead of Genosha (human and mutant?), seeds them in the past, they evolve into Threshold, they still die anyway, except for the Three and Okkara?

What does this mean to the dead Genoshan mutants the Five are supposed to have on their resurrection list?

[EldonMaguan]

So, the box takes the dead of Genosha (human and mutant?), seeds them in the past, they evolve into Threshold, they still die anyway, except for the Three and Okkara?

What does this mean to the dead Genoshan mutants the Five are supposed to have on their resurrection list?

No , only the clones of the OG souls / ghosts , their “psychic echoes” LOL

[Nicoclaws]

I cannot help to wonder, now that it's ending...

Wouldn't this book be much more coherent if it was X-FACTOR 2.0 ?
Like it would have made WAY more sense with the themes, the cast, the writer and the artist.
AND we could have had a real "Marauders kinda pirates saving mutants" in another book.

[king of hybrids]

I appreciate that it’s a stable time loop so it needed to be done; but what genius in The first iteration of the loop decided to set up a mutant colony in an era with a biologically incompatible indigenous population?

[Kingdom X]

Pretty sure art is not enough to drive sales on any book if the story is crap.

Idk man… if this book had art by Caselli or Larraz I genuinely think more people would have stuck around through some of the “rough patches” of this book. There were certainly moments in the last volume of Marauders where the book got very boring, but I knew the art was gonna be good so I stuck with it.

Onto the issue/ thoughts on the series itself. I’m glad I picked up these last two issues to see where things ended up and it definitely had a lot of good moments. The other issue that I picked up after dropping was #6 (the judgement day tie-in) which showed that Orlando can genuinely write character moments well. I’m definitely willing to give him another shot with his next series, ESPECIALLY if it’s going to feature more of his X-Men green mutant rescue team cast.

I do think the greatest detriment of this book was the introduction of Threshold and having them be the central driving plot of the entire series. I get why Orlando did it; there’s a lot of x-books and taking a big swing like that can help a series stand out. In interviews he’s compared himself to Ewing when it comes to knowledge of continuity, so it’s clear that he wanted to be just as additive and develop his own mutant society. At the end of the day it was always going to be an uphill battle to get folks to care about ANOTHER ancient mutant society, especially one that’s already extinct.

[Fokken]

Pretty sure art is not enough to drive sales on any book if the story is crap.

There are many collectors who would/will buy a title exclusively for the artist.
Myself included.

Olivier Coipel. Russell Dauterman. Stuart Immonen. Valerio Schiti. Pepe Larraz. These are just a few profoundly talented folk I've bought entire runs -- independent or big two-- to revel in the visuals alone.

And I echo BobbysWorld's sentiment regarding the style's reception.
I'm extremely confident this title would have lasted longer, if nothing else, produced by any of the names listed.

In interviews he’s compared himself to Ewing when it comes to knowledge of continuity, so it’s clear that he wanted to be just as additive and develop his own mutant society. At the end of the day it was always going to be an uphill battle to get folks to care about ANOTHER ancient mutant society, especially one that’s already extinct.

I would agree with his statement. Both writers have a uniquely uncanny knack for making deep cuts, pulling long abandoned lore, and hoisting many an unexpected and often obscure name into the spotlight. The difference, I believe, between the two is the selection of the WHO and the HOW.

I think Peepers and Wiz Kid are excellent examples on the Ewing end of the spectrum and on the Orlando side we have Brimstone Love and Johnny Dee.
I mean, it all comes down to personal taste of course -- as evidenced with the earlier discussion on art selection -- but there is a stark contrast between these two pairs, their respective contributions to the story, the emotional impact they provide, and an overall nostalgic warmth (or lack thereof). Peepers and Wiz Kid hit that sweet spot for a lot of readers, it seems, whereas Brimstone and Johnny feel like they missed the mark? Is it generational? Is it the 80's vs. 90's? Does the era and title of introduction play a factor? Perhaps the 2099 and the Civil War connections weren't palatable for most readers? BIRDY on the other hand? Birdy's appearance seemed to immediately trigger wide eyes, jaw drops, and big smiles.

I'd be curious to hear any perspectives on this -- of those who followed this iteration and their reception of the deep-cut-guest-stars.


AAAAAAAALL that said, I was THRILLED to see Wind Dancer in the last page. She did nothing but trail her ridiculously long sash through the air but I love that girl and I long to see more of her.

[PopCulturePooka]

I enjoyed the ending of the series as much as I had my problems with it in general this ending was nice.


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Lol Zzzxx somehow gets an invite to the party, but Wicked, who helped in Prydes weird little plan of whatever it was, doesn't


JUSTICE FOR WICKED