Rovaine Beckford June 5, 2025

Christopher Priest and Joe Quesada step up to bring a different type of story to the comic world with Marvel Knights: The World to Come #1. This debut issue plunges readers into a story set decades after the Avengers’ era, and introduces a catalyst for the “destruction of the old world as well as the emergence of the world to come.” The recurring phrase “The World to Come” is key, and readers will want to approach this series with a magnifying glass, as every detail seems to hold significance.

The comic opens with a striking and somber scene: an old, weathered King of Wakanda, seemingly defeated by a lifelong emotional battle, topples over and dies. This powerful image immediately transports us eight years before “The World to Come.” Here, we witness an older T’Challa battling a mysterious challenger for the Wakandan throne in a traditional one-on-one duel. The issue weaves between these past and future timelines, providing readers with the crucial context needed to understand the origins of this fight, the identity of T’Challa’s formidable opponent, and how this incident ignited the spark for “The World to Come.”

Credit: Marvel

This issue masterfully employs nonlinear storytelling, making “The World to Come” not just the series title, but a fundamental, world-altering event. Priest challenges readers to meticulously note each timestamp to unravel the mystery of this event and its genesis. It’s truly masterful writing. Priest and Quesada’s visionary collaboration shines through in their ability to pull this off so seamlessly. 

Joe Quesada’s art complements the story with a clear, dark, gritty, and cinematic vision. When the challenger wades through the water during the duel with T’Challa, the splashes practically leap off the page. Similarly, a tender moment depicting a marriage to a “lifelong friend” shows the figures almost floating in a passionate embrace, inviting the reader to linger on the page. Quesada excels at conveying emotion through character posing and expression work, adding a powerful visual layer to this complex story.

Credit: Marvel

Marvel Knights: The World to Come #1 interweaves past and future to deliver a unique experience that might initially feel jarring, but, after a second read, has the potential to become a timeless work.

Rovaine Beckford June 5, 2025

Christopher Priest and Joe Quesada step up to bring a different type of story to the comic world with Marvel Knights: The World to Come #1. This debut issue plunges readers into a story set decades after the Avengers’ era, and introduces a catalyst for the “destruction of the old world as well as the emergence of the world to come.” The recurring phrase “The World to Come” is key, and readers will want to approach this series with a magnifying glass, as every detail seems to hold significance.

The comic opens with a striking and somber scene: an old, weathered King of Wakanda, seemingly defeated by a lifelong emotional battle, topples over and dies. This powerful image immediately transports us eight years before “The World to Come.” Here, we witness an older T’Challa battling a mysterious challenger for the Wakandan throne in a traditional one-on-one duel. The issue weaves between these past and future timelines, providing readers with the crucial context needed to understand the origins of this fight, the identity of T’Challa’s formidable opponent, and how this incident ignited the spark for “The World to Come.”

Credit: Marvel

This issue masterfully employs nonlinear storytelling, making “The World to Come” not just the series title, but a fundamental, world-altering event. Priest challenges readers to meticulously note each timestamp to unravel the mystery of this event and its genesis. It’s truly masterful writing. Priest and Quesada’s visionary collaboration shines through in their ability to pull this off so seamlessly. 

Joe Quesada’s art complements the story with a clear, dark, gritty, and cinematic vision. When the challenger wades through the water during the duel with T’Challa, the splashes practically leap off the page. Similarly, a tender moment depicting a marriage to a “lifelong friend” shows the figures almost floating in a passionate embrace, inviting the reader to linger on the page. Quesada excels at conveying emotion through character posing and expression work, adding a powerful visual layer to this complex story.

Credit: Marvel

Marvel Knights: The World to Come #1 interweaves past and future to deliver a unique experience that might initially feel jarring, but, after a second read, has the potential to become a timeless work.