Rogue has long been one of the most popular X-Men, but has rarely gotten much love when it comes to solo titles. She’s had three solo miniseries over her 45-year existence, and two with her husband Gambit. This has always felt weird because she’s one of the team’s most beloved members. She’s led the team several times, and the Avengers, and has returned to the big chair in Gail Simone’s fantastic Uncanny X-Men. The X-Men office has been giving numerous characters their own solo series, and it’s Rogue’s turn, from the team of Erica Schultz and Luigi Zagaria. Rogue #1 is basically a textbook on what to do when launching a new miniseries, doing everything right.
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This story starts out wonderfully, dropping readers into a battle between the X-Men and a giant monster. It’s an exciting little fight that shows Rogue as a leader, while reminding readers of her past. This is a great way to start a new issue. New readers might not know that Rogue is a leader (especially if they’re X-Men ’97 fans but haven’t picked up the comics in a while), so showing her in the field and how proficient she is in command is a great thing to show. There’s a little tease of which way the story is going to go in the first few pages, and the whole sequence is extremely entertaining. Schultz does a bang-up job of showing why Rogue is one of the X-Men’s best superheroines, and she nails the character’s individual voice and where she is as a character right now. Even if you don’t know a lot about her in the past few years, this story will still work for you.
Rating: 4 out of 5
| Pros | Cons |
| Schultz nails Rogue’s individual voice | It feels more like a Wolverine plot, even though Rogue fits into it well |
| Well-paced issue that uses its page real estate very well | |
| Gorgeous art that is fluid and detailed |
The opening fight introduces the issue’s main plot, and what follows is a well-paced section of the book that will get readers more interested in the book’s central mystery. Rogue’s past as a villain is an important part of her origin, and this issue plays off that nicely, using it as the basis for a mystery that takes Rogue to Mystique and Destiny. Schultz is able to capture the imperious Destiny nicely (something some recent X-writers don’t do well), as well as Mystique’s more doting love of Rogue. I think one of the things I love about the way the issue is written is how Schultz is able to deepen the mystery of the book without giving away too much of the ghost too quickly, making it more and more intriguing. This issue succeeds at creating a book that’s going to draw fans in. If I have a problem with it, it’s that this doesn’t really feel like a Rogue story, but it’s well done enough that this is a minor qualm.
The Art Looks Amazing
Rogue is one of the best-looking X-Men, and has been drawn by some amazing artists over the decades. Currently, Uncanny X-Men has been blessed with art by David Marquez, Luciano Vecchio, and Javier Garron, three of Marvel’s best artists. Luigi Zagaria has some big shows to fill, and he’s very much up to the challenge. The book’s opening battle looks great right from the first page, a nice splash of the massive mole-looking monster. I like that Zagaria gave it a “realistic” look; it’s just a massive wild animal, and it looks like it. The fight also feels hard-hitting, which feels right for this battle.
The page layouts are all pretty great, and the detail is pretty consistent. Zagaria’s character ating really brings the emotions of the scene to the fore. Rogue’s flashbacks build the sense of dread of the whole situation, and you can see how confused and scared by them she is right from when they begin. Zagaria draws a great-looking Rogue in general, and I enjoy his versions of Gambit, Deathdream, and Sabretooth. All in all, the art looks great, and it really adds to the enjoyment of the story.
The current X-Men office can be very hit or miss, especially for the main three books like Uncanny X-Men, X-Men, and Wolverine. The solo books have been better received, though mostly basic, and Rogue is looking to be a very interesting addition to the rest. There’s a feel to this story that makes it seem important from the beginning, and Schultz builds an awesome mystery that will hook you. The X-Men line of books need more series like this.
Rogue #1 is on sale now.
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Image Courtesy of Marvel Studios
