Strikeforce: Morituri #9

Strikeforce: Morituri was launched by Marvel Comics in 1986 under the Epic Comics imprint, created by writer Peter B. Gillis and artist Brent Anderson. The series occupied a unique niche in the mid-eighties sci-fi landscape, focusing on a group of human volunteers who are granted superpowers to combat an alien invasion, with the tragic caveat that the process is guaranteed to kill them within a year. Issue #9, published in 1987, continues this thematic exploration of mortality and sacrifice, maintaining the series' reputation for subverting traditional superhero tropes by emphasizing the psychological toll of terminal power.

The visual identity of the series was heavily defined by Brent Anderson's grounded, kinetic illustration style, which sought to convey the visceral reality of combat against the alien Horde. As the series progressed toward its ninth issue, the creative team leaned into the narrative urgency inherent in the characters' limited lifespans. The book was well-received by critics at the time for its dark, character-driven narrative, which stood in contrast to the more optimistic superhero fare common to the era, eventually becoming a cult classic among readers who appreciated its unflinching approach to its central conceit.