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Marauders #21
Publisher: Marvel
Writer: Gerry Dugan
Art: Matteo Lolli
Colors: Edgar Delgado
Letters: Cory Petit
Cover: Russell Dauterman & Matthew Wilson

The event of the year has arrived and Emma Frost is front and center in the kickoff issue of the Hellfire Gala! She’s hosting this who’s who of superheroes, villains, and government officials on Krakoa during this night of mutant celebration. However, like most parties, things can get messy and that’s exactly what happens here by the evening’s end.

Dugan moves us through the night at a nice pace and it has all the tension and drama one would expect when you see who some of the guests are. The strained relationship between the Fantastic Four and the X-Men (or at least Reed and Xavier) is made quite clear with that quiet exchange. Dugan’s Professor X just oozes a lot of pomp and audacity which makes him that much more messy and annoying throughout the night. For the majority of the issue, Dugan has Emma lead us around and it’s through her interactions with the many guests that we see how some of the night unfolds. He does leave many things to the imagination, though, as we skip around so we’ll have to wait until later in the event to see the outcome. The cliffhanger is definitely one that will have you asking questions as we only get hints at the aftermath through the mixed reactions of several guests. All we do know is that something big happened but time will tell if it was worth the wait. I also loved the fact he wrote in a scene where the Marauders are shooting dice during the party, proving that regardless of how upscale your party is, real ones will find a way to keep it gritty.

Lolli and Delgado’s artwork shows off the extravagance of the night and hits key moments so well; however, the real treat is seeing all of the characters that make cameo appearances. There’s a moment between Captain America and Doctor Doom that is made so much better with the appearance of Killer Mike and El-P of Run the Jewels. There’s Emma’s expression right when the Shi’ar emissary says the wrong thing in front of Doom that is hilarious. The only part of the visuals that didn’t sit too well with me doesn’t have much to do with the quality of the art, but more so the actual designs. Professor X’s outfit for the gala really makes him look like a giant, golden, magic wand and I’m not talking about the ones magicians use. Cyclops’ face shield also just looks ridiculous and is distracting during the conversation. Other than these slights, Marauders is just a great-looking book all around, filled with plenty of easter eggs that does not disappoint! 4/5

X-Force #20
Publisher: Marvel
Writer: Benjamin Percy
Art: Joshua Cassara
Colors: Guru-Efx
Letters: Joe Caramagna
Cover: Joshua Cassara & Dean White

Every high-profile party needs the best security available and the Hellfire Gala is no different. So when it comes to the best of the best, you have to call on X-Force to get the job done. With this issue, Percy takes us in a completely different direction that hits on more of the behind-the-scenes actions taking place and we see how the premier strike team handles the madness of the Gala. Starting with the interaction between Quentin and Iron Man. It does play out a little differently here, so it was a surprise when the major problem comes from the mutants themselves. In particular, the one and only Beast has a plan that just screams “colonizer” and paints him as an even worse individual as he attempts to justify his reasons. As we move through the story, Percy shows us how perceptive Emma is as she’s in her diamond form at this point and unable to use her telepathic powers while in this state. However, she’s just as perceptive and adept at reading people and knows that something isn’t right. We get a great action sequence involving the ultimate party crasher, Deadpool, that livens things up thanks to the artwork from Cassara and Guru-Efx. They sync with the narrative just perfectly and solidify Beast as the “villain” of this story with some intense visuals. It will be interesting to see how they’ll clean up his mess, but it’s worth sticking around to find out. 3.5/5

Hellions #12
Publisher: Marvel
Writer: Zeb Wells
Art: Stephen Segovia
Colors: David Curiel
Letters: Ariana Maher
Cover: Stephen Segovia & Rain Beredo

This was the one I was most excited to read because of how bat-$#@! crazy this team is and the propensity for just about anything to happen when they get thrown in the mix! The Hellions are the outcasts among outcasts and only a select few have been given the honor of being invited to the Hellfire Gala. So Wells makes sure that Sinister reminds them with all of his pomp, arrogance, and self-appointed glory that makes for the best opening! This is the issue that’s messy without any pretense or hiding because that’s not how the Hellions get down. Wells doesn’t hold back as Havok chooses to ask Magneto about resurrecting Madelyn Pryor: his ex who is also his brother’s ex-wife who is a clone of his brother’s lover/current girlfriend, Jean Grey. Things get so hilariously worse as the night goes on that if you aren’t laughing by the time a very drunk Granny smashes a bottle and is ready to slice Sinister’s throat, you might need some help. With all of the laughter and shenanigans going on, Wells injects some heart with character moments I hope pay off later on in the series. Segovia and Curiel do a great job with the visuals and making sure the action and comedy go over well. One of my favorite scenes is Greycrow seeing Psylocke in her dress. The flow of the sequence and Greycrow’s stammering look as he tries to speak while taking in all that beauty is a great moment.

Even if you have never read an issue of Hellions, you’ll enjoy the madness the creative team brings if you’ve ever enjoyed seeing a train wreck at a party. With its heart, comedy, and implied clone sex (Sinister, not Madelyn), this is a must read in your Hellfire Gala venture. Also make sure you don’t skip over the telepathic conversation had by the Cuckoos because it’s the icing on the knocked over cake. 4.5/5

Infinite Speech
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