Marauders (comics)

Marauders
The Marauders featured on the cover of Uncanny X-Men #240 (Jan. 1989). Art by Marc Silvestri.
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Uncanny X-Men #210 (Oct. 1986)
Created by	Chris Claremont John Romita, Jr. Dan Green
In-story information
Base(s)	Various
Member(s)	Arclight Blockbuster Gambit Harpoon Lady Mastermind Malice Mystique Omega Sentinel Prism Riptide Scalphunter Scrambler Sunfire Vertigo

The Marauders is a team of fictional supervillain characters in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist John Romita, Jr., the team first appear in Uncanny X-Men #210 (Oct. 1986).

The Marauders are mutant assassins employed by the X-Men archfiend Mister Sinister, with the purpose of assassination of other mutants, and act in unison as a commando strike-force to carry out acts of mass murder.

Publication history

The Marauders makes their first appearance in Uncanny X-Men #210 during the 1986 crossover, the Mutant Massacre, slaughtering a large percentage of the mutant community living beneath Manhattan known as the Morlocks. During their battles with the X-Men, X-Factor including the Norse God Thor, several Marauders are apparently killed; Riptide in Uncanny X-Men #211; Prism in X-Factor #10; and Blockbuster in The Mighty Thor #374. After the Mutant Massacre, Sabretooth attacked some kids in the tunnels in Daredevil #238.

In Uncanny X-Men #213, Sabretooth attacks Xavier's mansion while Malice succeeds in possessing Dazzler but is driven out in issue #214. Later in issue #219, the Marauders attacks Polaris, whom Malice takes possession of and becomes leader over the Marauders. The Marauders then tries to assassinate Madelyne Pryor in issues #221-222. It also shows flashbacks of them in X-Factor #39, and Uncanny X-Men #215.

During the 1989 crossover Inferno, the dead Marauders mysteriously reappear alive in Uncanny X-Men #240 and battle the X-Men during the demonic invasion of Manhattan. Most of them perish here. Blockbuster, Malice, and Sabretooth later attacks the X-Men at Xavier's mansion in issue #243.

X-Men #34 (vol. 2, July 1994) reveals that Sinister is able to clone the Marauders back to life; Gambit #8 (vol. 3, Sept. 1999) further reveals that all the clones have gene imprints that would shut them down if they turn against Sinister. In Gambit #9, the clone samples for Sabretooth were seemingly destroyed. However, in later issues of X-Force,^{[volume & issue needed]} a clone of Sabretooth was shown.

The Marauders also chase after the mutant Threnody in X-Man issues #13-18-19 (March-Sept. 1996).

The 1996 miniseries, Further Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix, features a band of criminals known as the Marauders during the 19th century, hired by Mister Sinister to kidnap homeless and deformed people on which to experiment.

Uncanny X-Men #350 (December 1997) reveals that it was Gambit who had organized the modern day Marauders, although he was never actually a member. It also says that it was him who brought them down to the Morlock tunnels. He had no idea of their intentions, and when they started killing all of them, all he could do is save a little girl named Sarah (later Marrow). This contradicts with the comics since in Uncanny X-Men #210, it was shown that the Marauders followed a young Morlock girl, Tommy. This controversy can easily be summed up, since another team showed up consisting of Sabretooth, Prism, Blockbuster in another part of the tunnels. This was most likely the team Gambit brought into the tunnels, since in Uncanny X-Men #350, it shows Sabretooth with Gambit^{[original research?]}.

The Marauders also make an appearance in Cable Annual '99, disguised as minions of Apocalypse and battle Cable after he sees through the guise.

The Marauders return in X-Men #200 (vol. 2, August 2007), attacking the X-Men and Providence to obtain certain mutants on a list. This incarnation of the team consists of the original lineup as well as Malice, who possessed Omega Sentinel after disguising itself as an e-mail, and former X-Men Lady Mastermind, Sunfire, Gambit, and Mystique, who have all aligned themselves with Acolytes Exodus, Random, Frenzy, Tempo, and Unuscione.^[1]

On the list is a group of people or places that have information of the future, or even alternate timelines. In Cable and Deadpool #42 and X-Men #200, Sunfire and Gambit seemingly killed Cable, while Senyaka attacked Deadpool. Also in X-Men #200, Riptide killed Quiet Bill, and Scalphunter and Vertigo killed the Witness. In issue #202, it is revealed that Arclight brought down the Wohnhaus Strucker, a building that has ties to the future. Also in issue #202, it is revealed that Harpoon impaled Vargas with harpoons until his death. The Dark Mother was another victim taken out. They also thought they killed Gateway, although he survived. Bishop was also sought after in these attacks. Later in issue #202, the Acolytes attack the X-Mansion looking for Destiny's diaries, but find fakes. They also go to take out Blindfold, but she saw them coming and prevented her death. In issue #203, Iceman and Cannonball go against the Marauders for the diaries, but the diaries are destroyed in the process.

The Marauders also play a major role in X-Men: Messiah Complex storyline. In Messiah Complex: Chapter One, they arrive in Alaska and kill some Purifiers with the loss of Blockbuster and Prism, without finding the specical mutant child.^{[volume & issue needed]} In X-Men #205, the Marauders battles the X-Men at Sinister's Antarctic base. In Uncanny X-Men #494, the Marauders track Cable and the baby to Forge's Aerie in Dallas, where they defeat Bishop and seize the mutant child. The Marauders fight in the final battle on Muir Island and Scrambler and Vertigo seemingly all die.

The Marauders appeared once again in the ongoing series of X-Force, where a contingent of Marauders clones had recently awakened after the death of Mister Sinister. The team returns to the facility where Vanisher lost the virus and battle the cloned assassins.

Lineup

The Marauders featured on the X-Men #200 wrap-around cover, with art by Humberto Ramos. Several characters include Vertigo, Riptide, Sunfire, Harpoon, Scalphunter, Malice, Gambit and Lady Mastermind.

• Arclight (Philippa Sontag): A super-strong mutant, her mutation allows her to release shockwaves (like Avalanche and Rictor) and cause disorintation to her enemies, cause objects to shatter, and to generate earth tremors in limited areas.. She served with the American ground forces in the Vietnam War, and is still haunted by memories of that place. She has a romantic interest in Scalphunter.
• Blockbuster (Michael Baer): A superhumanly strong mutant who has stood up to punches from Thor, though a single hammer blow from an enraged Thor killed him. He did some work with German terrorists before hooking up with Sinister.
• Hans: A creation of Sinister while he was infiltrated at the Weapon X Program, at a time in which only Scalphunter remained loyal to Sinister. Even though he possessed a wide array of powers, he was nonetheless killed by Sabretooth. Hans was the first of Sinister's creations dubbed The Children. He has no relation to the Children of the Vault.
• Harpoon (Kodiak Noatak): A young Inuit who can charge objects (usually his Slayspears - 20 pound (9 kg) barbed harpoons) with bio-energy for various effects.
• Malice: One of Sinister's top lieutenants whose sadistic orders are followed without hesitation or question. She exists as an incorporeal psychic being that possesses others, though she often 'hides' in the person's subconscious and reveals herself in a mirror or as the dark side of the target’s consciousness. For much of her public activity with the other Marauders, she used the X-Man Polaris as a host. Malice was apparently killed by Sinister for disobeying orders,^[2] but has returned as a digital entity, rather than a psionic one, and possessed Omega Sentinel.^[3] Not be confused with the Fantastic Four villain named Malice.
• Mister Sinister (Nathaniel Essex): Leader of the Marauders.
• Prism: An overconfident and cold-blooded killer who often underestimates the fragility of his crystalline body, which can deflect/reflect most forms of energy attacks, but not physical impact.
• Riptide (Janos Questad): A brutally evil man who can spin his body at superhuman speeds and fling out shurikens (made from a resin his skin secretes) for amazing amounts of damage. He was the first of the Marauders to "die", when his neck was broken by Colossus.
• Sabretooth (Victor Creed): The longtime enemy of Wolverine. He did not appear on the team during Messiah Complex.
• Scalphunter (John Greycrow): A ruthless ex-G.I., and the group’s tactician. His orders are overruled only by Malice or Sinister. Scalphunter is the most cold-blooded of the group. He is capable of "technomorphing" (altering the configuration of any technological device), a power he uses to create a number of weapons from his battle armor. He also has incredible regenerative powers as he survived being executed by his fellow American soldiers in 1944 after having murdered and scalped eight fellow officers.
• Scrambler (Kim Il Sung): The youngest Marauder, is a Korean mutant who can manipulate powers and systems, whether they be biogenetic, electromagnetic, or even technomechanical, such as mutant abilities, upon physical contact. He has been shown to be a psychopath more concerned with looking stylish than with the suffering he inflicts on others.
• Vertigo: A mutate who can psionically induce a sensation of vertigo in others. She was a clone of one of the Savage Land Mutates of the same name.^{[volume & issue needed]}

The Marauders in Messiah Complex. Art by Simon Bianchi.

During the Messiah Complex storyline, four former X-Men joined the Marauders.

• Gambit (Remy LeBeau): Before joining the X-Men, Gambit was hired by Sinister to assemble the Marauders. Feeling responsible for the deaths of hundreds of Morlocks, Gambit kept this a secret from the X-Men until Rogue absorbed his memories and found out Gambit's secret. His brainwashing by Apocalypse and manipulation by Sinister has led him to abandon the X-Men.
• Lady Mastermind (Regan Wyngarde): An illusion-creating mutant and one of Jason Wyngarde's (the original Mastermind) daughters.
• Mystique: A shapeshifter and mother of Rogue and Nightcrawler. She infiltrated the X-Men in order to betray them from within.
• Sunfire: A Japanese mutant and former X-Man with fire generation and manipulation abilities.

Other versions

Age of Apocalypse

In the Age of Apocalypse storyline, the Marauders are a band of human terrorists equipped with wrist-armories and air-steppers, serving Apocalypse and consisting of Dirigible, Red, Arcade and the Owl. They were notorious cowards with power; hunters by name, but scavengers at heart ever looking for easy targets.^{[volume & issue needed]}

The group was sent by Apocalypse to destroy the land of Wakanda where Arcade was able to murder Black Panther and together destroy much of the land, the Marauders' life was cut short by Clint Barton and Gwen Stacy.^{[volume & issue needed]}

House of M

In the House of M timeline, the Marauders are a covert ops group led by Callisto and consisting of T-Rex, Mammomax, Blob, Banshee, Sunder, Black Tom Cassidy, and Caliban.

Mutant X

In the Mutant X dimension, a group of thieves calling themselves the Marauders are made up of mostly X-Force and Generation X associates, such as Sunspot, Wolfsbane, an overweight Cannonball, Jubilee, and Husk.^[4]

Ultimate Marvel

In the Ultimate X-Men series, the Marauders appear as a white supremacist group led by Arnim Zola.^[5]

What If?

The Marauders are featured in What If? issues #74 and #101.

Other media

Television

• The Marauders as a group are not featured in X-Men. Sabretooth is a major recurring villain, but is usually seen working alone. Additionally, Mister Sinister's primary underlings are instead the Nasty Boys and the Savage Land Mutates. Vertigo belongs to the latter group and is later seen with the Nasty Boys in the "Beyond Good and Evil" four-parter.
• The Marauders first appear in the Wolverine and the X-Men episode "eXcessive Force". It consists of Mister Sinister, Arclight, Blockbuster, Harpoon, Multiple Man, and Vertigo. Like the comics, they tend to collect Mutant DNA by force for Mister Sinister's plans to create the "Ultimate Mutant." Cyclops ended up disrupting their missions at the time when Cyclops thought Mister Sinister had Jean Grey. In the episode "Guardian Angel", Mister Sinister transforms Angel into Archangel. Archangel becomes a full Marauder in the episode "Shades of Grey" in which he and the other Marauders (namely Arclight, Blockbuster, Vertigo) are captured but escape.

References

1. ^ http://www.uncannyxmen.net/db/article/showquestion.asp?faq=12&fldAuto=323
2. ^ X-Factor #105
3. ^ X-Men (vol. 2) #200
4. ^ Mutant X #26
5. ^ Ultimates Annual #2

External links

• Marauders at Marvel.com
• Uncannyxmen.net feature on the Marauders