Marvel and Games Workshop have announced a new series, “Warhammer 40,000: Marneus Calgar,” by writer Kieron Gillen (“The Wicked + The Divine”) and artist Jacen Burrows (“Moon Knight”).
The series will tell the untold story of legendary Space Marine Chapter Master, Marneus Calgar. It will chronicle his beginnings on Nova Thulium, to his involvement in the Black Crusades, up until the currently unfolding mystery of the Black Altar, where a threat from Calgar’s past has returned, and threatens the Ultramar system.
In a statement, Gillen described being “venerable enough to have bought Rogue Trader in 1987,” and now considers “every hastily dry-brushed Necron, every badly edge-highlighted Marine, every ignored Harlequin (as painting Motley petrified [him])” as preparation for writing the first Warhammer comic at Marvel. He continued “If I said, ‘Getting to explore the roots of Marneus Calgar and setting the stage for Marvel’s Warhammer comics is a dream come true,’ I would be betraying everything this grim future should be since ‘dream’ implies the possibility of hope. But getting to do this is the sort of thing Slaanesh would wave in my direction if she wanted me coming over to the tentacle-y side.”
For those “less indoctrinated in 40K,” Gillen concluded that he was “excited.” Games Workshop’s Global Head of Licensing, Jon Gillard, said that both Games Workshop and Marvel were “keen to focus on one of the most central Warhammer characters there is and tell their origin story,” and added “Kieron’s depth of Warhammer knowledge mixed with his extraordinary comic writing skill has delivered a unique series that further expands upon the already massive 40K lore.”
The partnership between Marvel and Games Workshop was announced last September, with Titan Comics previously holding the licence to publish Warhammer comics.
“Warhammer 40,000: Marneus Calgar” #1 is scheduled for release in October.
