Writer Gerry Duggan Teases What’s On the Horizon for 'Marauders'

MARAUDERS has officially set sail into the Dawn of X and with the debut issue hitting stands again next week for a second printing, there’s no excuse for you not to hop aboard!

In advance of the second printing—and issue #3, which hits stands on December 4—we got to chat with the captain himself, writer Gerry Duggan, to see what he has to say about the crew he's assembled. See where Captain Kate, Storm, Iceman, Bishop, Pyro, and Lockheed might be navigating to next and check out exclusive art from issues #3 and #4!

MARAUDERS was the first book set in the X-Men’s new world that wasn’t written by Jonathan Hickman and the response to it was fantastic. This is a book that you pitched well over a year ago, so how did it feel for you to have fans finally read your vision and respond to it in such a positive way?

It's true we had a long runway for these stories, and I'm thrilled that fans are enjoying their first tastes of these new books. I was really inspired by what Jonathan, R.B. and Pepe were swinging at with HOUSE OF X and POWERS OF X and just tried to have fun with some big swings in MARAUDERS. I'm glad it's landed so well—it's supposed to have landed well. Marvel sorted me with some wonderful artists and trusted me with some of the biggest characters. The world expands and the spotlight will begin to move around now.

I feel like every issue of MARAUDERS is another debut for a character or a new big idea. I think that's what the X-Men books really are now. Huge cannons that shoot big ideas. X-fans have not disappointed, we've all felt your love. I hope they enjoy the voyage we have planned. Stefano Caselli joins us for some very rough seas in arc two.

Pyro is a character that’s been around for decades and has appeared in numerous media adaptations, but this is his first time appearing in an ongoing title consistently as part of a main cast. What was it like to take a character that fans love and really be able to flesh him out for the first time?

He's historically been a black hat, and one with a particularly cruel power set, so it's been fun to see what he's up to when he's not crisping people. He was a character in need of some adventure, and I've been happy to help provide. My job is to have fun, so that my artist has fun, so that our readers have fun, but I'm also here to stress/challenge the characters. They're all going to have different crucibles.

I love the X-Men so much. They were my jam growing up. I've gotten to live out a lot of dreams, and getting to stretch on a little bit of Jonathan's Krakoa and have some fun is probably the biggest line item removed from my bucket list.

You used the X-Men’s new resurrection protocols to bring back Pyro, and from the looks of issue #3, it looks you’re resurrecting another new player…someone who may not be on the Marauders' good side. What went through your head when you first heard that not only do the X-Men no longer have to fear death—but that any and all mutants were up for grabs to include in your cast?

It's brilliant because the death card has been turned over many times. That magic was consumed. So what are we going to do without it? How are we going to tell exciting stories with that card missing from our Tarot deck? It's a wonderful opportunity. The island of Krakoa is lush and fertile and needs to be nourished with large ideas.

The cover of issue #8 teases a showdown between Storm and Emma. These are two characters who have gone head-to-head time and time again throughout their histories. Even in this new world, what do you think it is that drives a wedge between their two personalities? 

I think some of that is water that didn't quite make it under the bridge...but the central conflict between them won't be clear until issue #8 is your hands.

It could be argued that, as tough-as-nails cop from an apocalyptic future, Bishop is an odd fit for this particular crew of pirates. What made you decide to add him to mix, and where does he find himself emotionally in this exciting new world for mutants?

Yeah, I think he was a character in need of a change, and I always thought he was cool, but I wasn't sure who he was if he wasn't a cop. Now I have one possible answer that will get a sea trial in the pages of Marauders.

With issues #3 and #4 just around the corner, is there anything upcoming you want to tease?

Yep: Bring on the bad guys.

Read MARAUDERS #1 and #2 at your local comic shop now, then head back on December 4 to feast your peepers on issue #3! But first, avast and lo below for a special look inside the next two mags!