More on the making of a Marine and the sowing of Chaos in Warhammer 40K: Marneus Calgar #2 by Kieron Gillen, Jacen Burrows, Java Tartaglia, and Clayton Cowles.
Justin Partridge: We turn again to the Great Game in Marneus Calgar #2. The truth behind a Chapter Master revealed. The coming of Chaos. And blood, dear readers. So, so very much blood.
I am Justin âImperial Fistsâ Partridge. With me as always are my own personal Chapter Master Forrest âLittle Horusâ Hollingsworth and Charlie âMox-Hiveâ Davis overseeing all from the might of the Golden Editorial Astronomicon. And we bring you more missives from the front-lines of the Second Great Crusade.
Forrest Hollingsworth: Coming to you from the grim present itâs more writing about a grim future! Letâs get into it!
(Ed. note: Rude of my friends to not give me a proper ring introduction as well.)
JP: I got to it! I just had to think of the perfect one for the God-Emperor’s Favorite Jon Moxley Fan.
I Require a Base of Operations
JP: We open Marenus Calgar #2 on a Gillen that is. Absolutely. Fuckinâ. Moving.
Fresh off his last cleansing of the Chaos hordes from his homeworld, Marneus and his Adeptus Mechanicus aide Quintus Heximar (a name I totally bungled a bunch in our opening transmission) require a base of operations to stem the tide of increasing Chaos cells popping out throughout the agri-world. Meanwhile, in the past, on the nearby moon of the planet, Marenus and Tacitanâs brutal Astartes Aspirant training continues, delving deeper into what it means to fight for the Emperor and experiencing the pains and disconnections of boyhood through a brutalist science-fiction fantasy lens.
It all moves VERY quickly and the scenes here have a very vignette-like feel as it bounces from the present and the past, but Gillen really does pack a lot of juicy exposition and character beats into this opening.
How about you, Chapter Master? Did you find yourself taken by the opening pages?
FH: The first third of this issue is very much still the creative team continuing to establish who the Space Marines are, and what they do for both the God Emperor directly, and for the citizens of the Imperium at large. On Nova Thulium, Marneus is a protector of the Adeptus, a detective on the trail of Chaosâs wide reaching influences and evils, a soldier, and as he makes way to turn his former home into a stronghold — a task more befitting an Imperial Fist — a builder.
And we see this on a larger scale for the Marines with the — surprisingly — only data sheet in this issue, too. As the ceaseless legions of Chaos united under Abbadon the Despoiler (Once sworn to Horus, of the titular heresy) press deeper into Imperium space over time, the loyalist legions have been there to meet them, winning more than losing, protecting at any cost. This is the duty of the Marines, and it is one Marneus, as we will see, knows and takes very personally.
JP: Absolutely, and again, I think a lot of this stuff speaks to the wonderful character work AND world-building Gillen is seeding throughout the action. Both in the present and the past flashbacks. Not only are we getting a real sense of who Marneus is as a person (or as an idea, perhaps? More on that laterâŚ), but we are also getting larger context as to how the Astartes function, how HE as Chapter-Master functions as âcommanding officerâ of the Legion, AND a hefty dose of Imperium history, thanks to the data-page and the focus on Calgarâs personal history, explicitly revealed here for the first time in Black Library history.
The âShort History of the Long Warâ page especially is just a tremendous example of wry, but informative exposition that just fits in so well among the bolter-holes in Chaos Marine chest-plates and blood sacrifices. It feels very 2000AD to me and even more like Gillenâs own Avatar Press series UBER (which I kinda stump for because I think itâs a wildly underrated entry in his personal canon).
But even beyond the style of it, the texture it provides to both the world and Calgar is truly wonderful and speaks again to Gillenâs great use of the franchiseâs violently operatic tone like we saw in the opening pages of this miniseries. Now heâs just putting ânames to facesâ as it were, fully establishing that the âonly warâ that the franchiseâs opening texts refer to isnât just a concept, it IS a grim reality. And itâs been that way for thousands of years. And will continue for thousands of years more. Even despite âheroesâ like Marneus Calgar.
Abomination
JP: But as our breadth of knowledge about the Imperium grows, so does our knowledge of Marneus and How He Came to Be, branched out by more lengthy flashbacks to his Aspirant training on the nearby moon of Thulium Minor.
It is here that Gillenâs keen, slightly compacted character work starts to really shine. In the âpresent dayâ scenes, Calgar is just this force of nature. An implacable font of coolness, trading fun, almost stiltedly proper banter with Heximar (who just gets funnier in this second issue). But in the past, Marneus is a much more relatable, almost sweet character. One who seems not only like a âTrue Believerâ in what they are doing and why they are there, but one that genuinely seems to want to turn that toward a kind of good in this war-torn and constantly brutal universe.
What about you, Forrest? Did this continued focus on character work grab you?
FH: With a flashback return to Marneusâ time vying for Ultramarine enlistment, the creative team takes the opportunity to expand the narrative stakes and central pillars in a way I appreciate. Yes, the Marines would willingly leave children to die, abandoned to the elements. Yes, they would heal wounds callously with blow torches. Yes, they would encourage survival at any personal or outsized cost. But it is all intended to create the kind of bond we find Marneus and Tacitan to have – one of brotherly love, kinship, and duty to each other, despite the whole remorseless persecuting of Xenos across the universe thing. While I have some minor issues with the art here (itâs a little under-rendered and plain looking compared to the current scenes), I find no issue with the narrative. This is how a Marine is made. It is not kind or pretty, but it is effective.
JP: Yeah, the art here does look a bit…modular. Both you and Charlie pointed out that, even more so that the first issue, a lot of the character models here look and are posed a lot like character minis, and I have to say, if thatâs a CHOICE, I absolutely love it. But it does limit the scaling a bit, especially in the big reveal splash of the Chaos altar on Thulium Minor.
But you are absolutely right, Gillen, using Marenus and Tacitan as our audience surrogates, he starts to establish just how constant the violence of this world is, how random it seems, and how you only have each other and your own will to see you through. As well as just how very easy it is to fall prey to the Ruinous Powers…
FH: The counterpoint to what weâre investigating with regards to Marenusâ duty and general admirability, is of course a depiction of the way Chaos grabs hold of the well meaning but misinformed. Itâs not any one action or idea that turns you away from duty and piety, but rather a slow, deceptive journey. Marneus and Tacitanâs former friends, as we expected last issue have, through leaving their kinsmen to die, gloating, and more minor agressions taken the wrong path too many times, and are now deservedly past the point of no return, sworn under the scorned would-be Marine Crixus to the Blood God, Khorne. This is how a Chaos Marine is made. It is not kind or pretty, but it is effective (see what I did there?)
JP: yeah, this is GREAT stuff here. And great stuff with the wordplay you just so deftly delivered. And really exemplifies what I was talking about last column about how slippery of a slope Chaos can be and how it can slowly creep into the lives of Imperium citizens. Even with something just as small as isolating those âweakerâ than you and causal callousness.
You speaking about Marneusâ admirability too also provides us a nice example of something Iâve really started to love and appreciate about the 40k universe. The way certain writers imbue their leads and casts with these little moments of personal heroism or poetic connection with one another that really sell the âhumanityâ dwelling underneath the mountains of bureaucracy and religious dogma that make up their day-to-day lives. Here we see it in the way Marneus and Tacitan genuinely DO connect with one another over their shared dream of being a Space Marine as well as how they shelter each other from the souring of their former friends/trainees.
It is small stuff, but has larger implications for the characters (as well as my FEELINGS for me, which are always important) and itâs something that has REALLY shined through for me here lately, especially in the Dan Abnett written efforts and the Space Marine series I am currently hip deep in.
But I digress
I Would Be A Marine
JP: Finally we add âsoothsayersâ to our resume as the Don Drapering of Marneus Calgar that Forrest picked up on the last column is made explicit here, revealed in the lengthy flashbacks that underscore the action in the present. And Gillen and the art team really make a meal of the moment and the issue is all the better for it.
Basically, just to talk about it and get it out of the way so we can talk talk about it, after Crixus reveals to the boys that they are to be more blood for the Blood God, a struggle ensues. Both Tacitan and Marneus free themselves and seek egress from the cave, but lo and behold, Marneus takes a knife to the belly, falling into the abyss of the Chaos cave with Tacitan in tow. After the boys surface, carried again to safety by the strength of Tacitan, Marneus bleeds out, providing Tacitan, now resolved to carry the Calgar name into glory, his first chance at the aforementioned vengeance which then carried him into Space Marine history.
Gillen really, really plays the moment and emotions up and even though SOME people caught wind of it, I was still very taken by the feint. And EVEN MORE PLEASED we didnât have to wait four more issues for this reveal. What say you, Forrest?
FH: So, while we collectively called this reveal in the last Letters From The Front Line (⢠⢠â˘), I have to say that I still find the reveal pretty satisfying! Again, I want to emphasize the importance of Marvel and the Black Library allowing this creative team to do it, too. Marenus is a massively, massively important and influential character in the 40k universe, but his history in general, and his familial history specifically – has gone almost completely unexplored. Allowing Gillen and the creative team to canonically establish his history, and as a non-royal âpretenderâ of sorts, is a fascinating choice that really speaks to how willing the numerous parties here are to play with the space and their influence, and Iâm looking forward to what kind of stakes might be introduced for the rest of this story. And, hopefully, for a long (not grim or dark) future of 40k comics moving forward. Exciting times!
JP: ABSOLUTELY, itâs a huge deal, and again, this is the SECOND ISSUE. Gillen and the art team are absolutely not mucking about here and itâs wonderful to behold.
And like you said, this is untrod territory for the Black Library and has potentially seismic repercussions for the overall legacy of the character. But even beyond that, I found myself thinking like a devout and proper Imperium citizen in that my FIRST thought was, âAw, man, that sounds awful lot like some HERESY to me.â
Like the idea that the Ultramarine brass would ALLOW something like this to happen, but more over the Calgar Estate would then go so far as to MEMORIALIZE IT, constructing a bust of the young Marneus in their own family hall (that also contains a juicy tease of a hot MILFy Calgar ancestor that looks to be wearing Imperial Navy blacks) is just…a LOT to try and reconcile with what I know of the world and how they could wrap their insanely violent and stunted brains around.
Gah. I canât wait to find out though. Turns out? Warhammer 40k? Kinda fuckinâ amazing. And contains so much more than just hulking crusaders and terrifying cosmic evils.
Vox Squawks
FH: Abbadon and Horusâ fall from grace is depicted in the first three of the Black Libraryâs Horus Heresy novels. Highly recommended, especially because they establish Chaosâs hatred for the Imperium, but also its internal workings and machinations. As we see in the early Chaos appearance here, they express a similar familiarity and duty to each other as the Marines do (âWar Brothersâ and all), just to nefarious ends. The universe is essentially experiencing and suffering under their Civil War writ large.
JP: Yeah I was actually going to say this, the Horus Heresy books are tremendous sources of lore and context for this whole insane enterprise. In the wake of this series being announced, I started jumping into the Black Library, focusing mainly on the Space Marines and the Horus Heresy/Age of Strife era of 40k. So far Iâve read Xenos by Dan Abnett (the first Inquisitor Eisenhorn novel which is fucking incredible and nigh-impossible to put down), Nightbringer by Graham McNeill (the first Uriel Ventris novel), and I started Horus Rising also by Abnett (which is a wonderfully distinct other flavor of 40k on top of the dense history). Iâm about halfway through the second Uriel Ventris novel, Warriors of Ultramar, which has introduced me to Charlieâs beloved Tyranids and they are…quite horrifying. I am having a blast with the books though. Yâall should send me the ones you donât want anymore. I love a used book.
FH: If weâre fantasy drafting future books, I would love to see a Marines/Tyranids solo from James Stokoe, the covers to this series and his previous Aliens work inspires a lot of confidence.
JP: OOH, OOH, I want an Adeptus Mechanicus book from Sam Humphries and Kei Zama! OR maybe a Ghauntâs Ghosts adaptation from Abnett and Becky Cloonan. Heâs gotta get on one of these soonish, right? It seems cruel to have a whole 40k line at Marvel now and NOT include Dan Abnett, arguably the most prolific Black Library scribe there is.
JP: Speaking those chattering metal boyes, we got some tremendous Heximar moments this issue. My favorite being him trying to make an internal study note on Space Marines origins but accidentally âbroadcastingâ it to his âexternal speech speakersâ. Thatâs that Good, Wry Gillen Shit I absolutely love. We are also given a quick look at the DARK Mechanicum! The Mechanicusâ own twisted dark mirror like the Chaos Marines are to the Ultramarines. Literally every faction of 40k is cool in their own way, itâs almost unfair.
FH: My man Severan looks a bit like Eddie Kingston. Issue 5 âI Quitâ match.
JP: Eddie would be a tremendous Space Marine. Watch, in like two weeks me, Charlie, and Forrest will have pitched and published a million-word essay on âWhich Wrestlers Would Make The Best Space Marines?â. I say Minoru Suzuki. (Ed. note: Eddie Kingston and Minoru Suzuki are very, very mean wrestling boys.)
Forrest is an experimental AI that writes and podcasts about comic books and wrestling coming to your area soon.
