Writer: Vita Ayala

Art: Matteo Lolli, Edgar Delgado, VC’s Cory Petit, Tom Muller, Matthew Wilson, and Russell Dauterman

Price: $4.99

Release Date: October 7th, 2020

X OF SWORDS PART 5 continues as resurrection protocols are all messed up, backstabbing and deceit are on the horizon, and all that stands between the original Four Horsemen from taking over our world is the mutants of Krakoa. Once the O.G. Horsemen take control of Otherworld, they can basically head out to any and all realities. However, Saturnyne, the “protector” of the nexus, is powerful enough to hold off the Horsemen and their army from Arakko from piercing the gate and taking over the world. Nevertheless, Saturnyne has orchestrated a game. 10 swords. 10 champions from each side. 10 winners. And to my understanding, whoever wins the games will have control of the nexus. So, it’s up to the mutants of Krakoa to find these swords and win these battles, or else the Four Horsemen will wage war across our world starting with Krakoa. Let’s dive into MARAUDERS #13 by Vita Ayala to see where Storm is heading, what sword she’s looking for, and who she may be up against.

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Wakanda Forever! Well, at least that’s the vibe readers will leave with after this issue. For those that are unaware, Storm’s ties to Wakanda run deep. So, this issue turns into a bit of a family reunion of sorts for Ororo as she searches for the sword chosen for her known only as Skybreaker. This is of course a very fitting sword for the Mutant Weather Goddess and appears to be constructed of pure vibranium, which can be used as a conduit for her abilities. Saturnyne appears to know her tournament pieces/ players really well!

As for the overall story itself, Vita Ayala does a very good job continuing the explanation of the tournament that’s been ushered forth by the prior X OF SWORDS Chapters. There is no reason that anyone following along to MARAUDERS #13 shouldn’t know what’s going on at this point. That said, this issue of MARAUDERS was rather predictable and very logical. Readers with even surface-level knowledge of Storm and Wakanda would be able to uncover the direction this story would unfold. The plot was very neat and tidy. Plus, what ramifications will emerge after what transpires this issue? Will the MARAUDERS title continue down this path after X OF SWORDS is concluded?

Additionally, this X OF SWORDS interruption wasn’t strategically timed with the current narrative in MARAUDERS. Everyone was already on hold in regards to Kitty for months thanks to COVID and now readers are on hold again with what’s to happen with Sebastian Shaw and Captain Kate’s payback. Granted, this isn’t Ayala’s problem nor is it Gerry Duggan’s. It’s just the timing of the event mixed with the current landscape of MARAUDERS. Therefore, those clamoring for what’s next in the regular ongoing story are out on hold again, which could be disappointing to many of the diehard MARAUDERS fans.

FINAL THOUGHTS

MARAUDERS #13 works… enough. There isn’t a ton of action nor is it filled with too many surprises. But, it gets the job done moving the story forward. That said, this issue (as opposed to the others) was piled high with dialogue and narration, which made Tom Muller’s pages of exposition even more cumbersome. Ayala was tasked with explaining the event, catching MARAUDERS fans up on what’s been going down just in case they weren’t following along, and getting Ororo her sword all in one issue. She did that, created more strife for the future, and so much more. However, Ayala packed this puppy to the brim and had to slow down the pace in order to get the readers where they needed to be with logical directions and outcomes. Ultimately, this issue did what it was supposed to do just without the pizzazz and flair that one would expect in a MARAUDERS title. Maybe if Ayala had two issues like Percy, it could have suited Storm and her situation better. Still, it’s worth the read if you’re all in on X OF SWORDS. However, if you needed to skip an issue and save money, you could do that here with minor loss to the overall story.

7.5/10

If you’re interested in MARAUDERS #13, click HERE to preorder a copy. If Gerry Duggan’s MARAUDERS run is something you’ve really quite enjoyed, click HERE to get related trades and comics. Additionally, if you’ve been really digging Hickman’s X-MEN, click HERE to get your hands on related Dawn of X trades, volumes, and issues. And finally, if you’re looking for something else to read, check out my Amazon Online Comic Shop by clicking HERE. Thank you all for the read and continued support. Stay safe and stay healthy.