Warhammer 40,000 has been a dominant force in science fiction since the game first premiered in 1987. In addition to the original tabletop game, countless novels and videogames have been created to enrich the world of Warhammer 40,000. Given the wealth of spinoff material, it was no surprise when Warhammer's owner, Games Workshop, announced a partnership with Marvel Comics. If the newly revealed variant cover is anything to go by, Marvel is sparing no expense with the creation of Warhammer 40,000: Marneus Calgar.
Focusing on the leader of the Ultramarines, Warhammer 40,000: Marneus Calgar will tell the title character's origins. The Ultramarines are perhaps Warhammer 40,000's most iconic group of characters. Clad in their blue power armor, the Ultramarines are both a religious order and a fierce army. Though the universe of Warhammer 40,000 is famous for its endless list of morally questionable characters, Calgar is as close to a hero as players can find in the grimdark future. Calgar is a fierce tactician who is well known for caring about those who he commands. Though all Space Marines are the product of genetic engineering which makes them significantly stronger and more resilient than regular humans, Calgar was the first to become a Primaris Space Marine, which gave him greater strength, reaction speeds, and endurance than his fellow Space Marines. The new comic from writer Kieron Gillen and artist Jacen Burrows will shed light on how Calgar became the first Primaris Space Marine and how he grew to be one of humanity's most stalwart defenders.
The new variant cover depicts Calgar standing proudly in his armor, complete with eagle head pauldrons and iron halo. The iron halo is of particular interest as it denotes his valor in combat and provides his armor with a sort of force field. The contrast between the background's hellish oranges and Calgar's cold blue power armor coupled with the gothic designs all mark the painted cover art as uniquely Warhammer 40,000.
Fans of the grimdark franchise have good reason to be excited for this collaboration between Games Workshop and Marvel. Burrows is well known for his distinctive art with Marvel characters such as Punisher while Gillen has a proven track record with the Eisner Award-nominated comic The Wicked + The Divine. The duo are also apparently fans of the franchise as well, with Gillen tweeting out a picture of his uniquely colored Ultramarine army.
Between the top tier talent and gorgeous variant cover, fans of Warhammer 40,000 have good reason to be excited for Marvel's take on the grimdark future in Warhammer 40,000: Marneus Calgar. Look for the comic when it is published in October.