The X-Men join the battle against the symbiote god Knull in two newly released covers for the upcoming Marvel Universe event, King in Black. Following the events of Donny Cates’ run on Venom in 2019, the god of the symbiotes known as Knull has come to Earth with his symbiote dragon army in an attempted invasion.
The Marvel heroes join forces to defend humanity from the sinister threat, including everyone from Daredevil to the Fantastic Four to the X-Men. In two newly released covers for King in Black #4 and tie-in King in Black: Marauders #1, the mutant teams take on the dragon army.
King in Black #4 finds a core group of X-Men members facing off against the symbiote dragons, with Cyclops, Wolverine, Jean Grey, and Storm surrounded, joined by Magneto. Meanwhile, in Marauders, an alternate team of mutants also unite against the dragon army. Iceman, Bishop, Katie Pryde, Pyro, and Lockheed use their abilities to fight the monsters. Cover art for the issues along with a synopsis for King in Black: Marauders #1 can be seen below:
- KING IN BLACK #4 (OF 5)
- Written by DONNY CATES
- Art and Cover by RYAN STEGMAN
- WHAT’S A GOD TO A KING
- KING IN BLACK: MARAUDERS #1
- Written by GERRY DUGGAN
- Art by LUKE ROSS
- Cover by RUSSELL DAUTERMAN
- THE QUEEN IN RED SAILS!
- Red Queen Kate Pryde and her crew of Marauders set sail against the forces of Knull! Captain Kate has pledged to fight for the needy, and a global disaster like this one gives plenty of folks in need.
The inclusion of Magneto on the cover of King in Black #4 with a shadow veiling his face could potentially allude to a sinister affiliation. As Captain America has faced the symbiote’s possession, it’s not out of the question that Magneto might come under Knull’s power as well. Although, even with the threat against humanity, it would be in character for Magneto to do what he can to defend mutant-kind and their natural habitat of Earth from an invasion by an alien species. With these five mutants being spotlighted in an event meant to include just about every single hero in the Marvel Universe, it begs the question: where are the other mutants? Are other mutants rising up to the occasion, like the Marauders? Are they taking shelter in Krakoa? Will other X-Men aside from these groups be featured going toe to toe with Knull’s dragon army?
At this point, little information has been given regarding the role of mutants in the event, which is said will impact the whole of the Marvel Universe and even conclude with some heroes losing their lives. Instead, the focus of King in Black according to previews has been on Venom and the Avengers, with heroes like Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four in the background. It comes across as unlikely that a member of the X-Men will meet their end in the event. However, the matchup of Lockheed fighting other dragons could spell out potential danger for Kate Pryde’s closest friend. King in Black begins in December, with Issue #4 and the tie-in King in Black: Marauders #1 releasing in 2021.