Marauders, Cable, Savage Avengers, Gerry Duggan has a ton on his plate at the moment. But he was nice enough to sit down and answer some questions from us about his latest escapades at Marvel.
Xavier Files: Kate Pryde and her struggles with her identity have been at the forefront of this run. What made this a compelling angle for you?
Gerry Duggan: Kate, Emma & Sebastian all arrived at the party together in Uncanny X-Men #129. So, Gen-X readers met Kate in Days of Future Past not long after we met Kitty. Both Kitty and Kate have been rattling around in my head since the days of spinner racks, but I’ve read so many wonderful Kitty stories, and that was not who I was itching to write.
Back in 2018, I’d been prepping a pirate comic not even considering I might be able to explore it at Marvel. Hearing Jonathan’s X-Men pitch changed my mind, and he accommodated (and improved) on the ideas and adopted them into his structure. Jonathan’s the best collaborator in comics, I think. If you’re not writing exactly what you thought you would be, it’s because Jonathan, or someone else in the room threw out an idea that made your story better. Marauders has been the recipient of several important gifts from the other writers and editors.
XF: Marauders has a significant sized cast. How do you balance giving everyone something to do while continuing to push the plot forward?
GD: It does have a large cast, and that requires an extra bit of planning. It also means that if your favorite character is in the Hellfire orbit, that there are going to be some individual chapters that they may be supporting. We have big plans for all these characters.
As for cast size, and spotlight, it moved around. Sure, Kate’s a big part of the book, but not every issue is about her, or even features her. No matter who your favorite is — I hope you’ll be happy with the next 12 issues as well. Bigger threats, bigger stories, bigger comics. We’re changing lenses in the second year. Pushing in for close-ups. I’m grateful not just to have the support C.B., Jordan, Annalise [Ed. note: Editors Cebuslki, White, and Bissa] and everyone in the Bullpen, but readers and retailers. The wind is at our backs now.
XF: What core elements were important for you to include so that this pirate books still felt like an X-Men book?
GD: Jonathan’s story was so big that it accommodated a lot of very different ideas. Mutant pirates, mutant magicians, and everything in between. He had populated Krakoa with everything he thought he’d need and then asked us what we would like or need. Fun is our north star (Northstar is in X-Factor). Every month we send a comic to press, we’re trying to just make the biggest, funniest comics we can. I hope Kate living out her childhood dream of a life on the sea is a gift to her.
XF: Has anything surprised you about the reaction to this series from readers?
GD: No, I think we had appropriately high expectations for ourselves, and we’re thrilled to have found an audience. I think long after we’re gone, Marauders will be a legacy title for the X-Men. Someone can come and dust off the name and reimagine it. That was the stated goal back when this series was pitched. X-Fans are many things, but they have not disappointed in the slightest. We appreciate their support and enthusiasm. We feel the love.
XF: X Of Swords sees you co-writing several issues with Ben Percy (X-Force, Wolverine). What drove you two to team up for these issues?
GD: It’s hard to comment on future business. If we are asking you to buy it, we’re gonna be quiet about it. Ben and I co-writing was a matter of practicality and the clock as we pivoted quickly in a world dominated by a virus — but it was equally driven by the desire to have more fun. Writing anything is by necessity a very solitary endeavor — but our room meets regularly, and it’s not just productive – it’s fun. We’ve been isolated for so long…their faces were some of the last I’ve seen in person back in March, and now I see them once a week or so via Zoom. It helps to have that interaction.
XF: You are bringing Magik into your Savage Avengers title. What should X-Fans who might not be picking up that book know to jump in?
GD: Well, long-term X-readers will know and fear the name Kulan Gath. Illyana remembers. That dude is back and worse than ever. He acquires magic through cannibalization, and he’s been eating Shuma Gorath a little at a time. It’s a huge bummer over there. I hope these characters are up for it. There will definitely be a little more mutant magic in that title. The 616 is gonna need it. Savage Avengers has really been a blast for me to write. We get away with murder over there. The Conan Properties folks are a joy to work with. If you like your comics with a lot of fun and swords being stuck into bad guys, check it out.
XF: Anything exciting for the future of Marauders you can tease?
GD: I could make a joke about needing a bigger boat, but…I won’t.
Zachary Jenkins co-hosts the podcast Battle of the Atom and is the former editor-in-chief of ComicsXF. Shocking everyone, he has a full and vibrant life outside all this.
