Arcade Plays A Deadly Game In ‘Murderworld’

by Tony Thornley

Across five huge issues, Arcade is about to earn his title as the Marvel Universe’s greatest assassin. It all begins in this month’s Murderworld: Avengers and now we know how the story will unfold.

Coming from Jim Zub & Ray Fawkes, each issue will feature a popular hero or family of characters, and art from rising stars, as well as covers from Paco Medina. Across these five issues, a whole new cast of characters find themselves face to face with Arcade at his darkest and most brutal.

Two hundred contestants. One hundred million dollar prize. One winner. And to survive, they’ll have to endure a series of brutal tests in Arcade’s brand-new Murderworld. Arcade’s circus-style contests have been a punchline in the past, but this game is no joke and the body count will rise with each twist and turn. Has Arcade finally found success? Enter Paul Pastor, the extraordinary young documentarian who hopes to expose it all but he can’t do it alone. Luckily, the Black Widow has a personal grudge to settle with the Murderworld mastermind – but how many will die before she can put a stop to this wildly violent scheme??

“When I first saw Murderworld in an issue of Uncanny X-Men, I was fascinated by its colorful corniness mixed with deception and violence,” Zub explained. “Many years ago, Ray and I chatted about a twisted thriller-survival story set in Arcade’s deadly playground and now, starting with Murderworld: Avengers, we’re finally getting the chance to unleash it!”

“Murderworld is one of those stealthy, ultra-compelling concepts that always made the Marvel Universe so fascinating to me – the gaudy, family-fun veneer slapped over a deadly threat. When Jim and I were discussing it, ideas to make it more and more frightening and exciting just kept coming to us. I’m thrilled to bring them to readers in all their horrible glory!” Fawkes added.