Rogue #1
Writer : Erica Schultz
Artist : Luigi Zagaria
Colourist : Espen Grundetjern
One More Sugah
Rogue #1 by Erica Shultz and Luigi Zagaria is great start for a character with a lot of complex stories to be told.. We see the powers of Rogue in action with a monster fight that punches you from the page. Erica Schultz instantly creates mystery with a trip down memory lane, but the road is under construction.
This issue introduces us to Rogue the hero, Anna Marie the person, and X-Men past and present. As a reader, you are reminded of who Rogue is, but you are taken on a ride into a story that feels fresh by diving into the past of Rogue. This first issue gives you fun action, interesting mystery, and lots to connect the dots with going into issue #2.
Rock & Rogue : Issue #1 Review
WARNING SPOILERS!
The Southern Belle
I have never read any X-Men or Rogue books, ever. Do not judge me; just judge my review. This was a great first issue for a complete newbie. I enjoyed this read from start to finish, with Schultz implementing a fantastic introduction to a well-known X-Men hero, Rogue.
I was looking forward to reading this after being assigned it by my editor. I am a 1990s baby. I watched the X-Men cartoon, and Rogue was always a huge part of that show alongside her partner, Gambit. The introduction of Rogue by Schultz was perfect in my opinion. She showed off the immense powers and strength of Rogue, her good-willed but not perfect leadership, and her imperfections. Specifically, she focused on something we all face sometimes: how your past actions can catch up to you.
From the get-go, Erica Schultz nailed the character and personality of the Southern Belle. Her dialogue has the southern twang, making it super fun for me to read because I assigned a precise "Rogue" voice of my own to her speech. The dialogue of Rogue also helped incorporate her nonchalant demeanor at times, giving her character a distinct personality that connected with me from the 1990s cartoon show.
What better way to introduce Rogue to a new fanbase, as well as reintroduce her to an existing fanbase, than to have her fight a giant mutant possum at an airport in Louisiana! It was a fun, exciting, and eye-catching way to grip me as a reader and get me invested in the character and story.
Playing Possum
This fight is more than a cool spectacle to show off the powers of Rogue. While it certainly does that, it also allows the reader to be introduced to the immediate supporting cast of Rogue. Schultz cleverly puts Rogue in minimal peril to allow her to display her leadership skills. Gambit, a household X-Men affiliate, was great for me personally to see because I understood their relationship. This was super important for me as a reader because I did not feel out of my depth. Schultz invited me into this story rather than scaring me away with too many past events that I would not know of.
Then there are new recruits that Schultz introduces to us (Deathdream and Ransom). Schultz softly familiarizes these characters to the reader with their names and powers. That is all I need for now because I want to concentrate on the main story. This is great writing from Erica Schultz.
The opening scene is an action-packed hero versus gigantic monster fight, and is great to draw you in as a reader with the excitement it creates—this helps Schultz set up the true narrative of this story arc for our Heavy Hitter.
The Brotherhood of Evil Mutants
While defeating the ginormous mutant possum, Rogue saves the life of what seems to be an innocent bystander (an "NPC" if you will). Schultz does a brilliant job of making this regular scene into a story arc-defining moment. We are given a flashback to a horrific scene that involves Rogue when she was part of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. Rogue cannot quite remember much about this person she has just saved. That fits right with what I was feeling as the reader. I do not know what is going on, and neither does Rogue. This makes me feel okay and not overwhelmed with historic events.
Schultz makes me, as the reader, feel like she is going to take Rogue and me on a journey together to solve these mysteries of her past. It also built empathy in me towards Rogue. She is doing her best to do good, but sometimes her past creeps back up and tries to derail her. This is something we all have to learn to deal with as we get. The main point is that we need to embrace what we did in our past because it has shaped who we are today.
This chance encounter with a person she dealt with in her past follows up with a terrible dream, which adds more questions to the table for you as a reader. That’s exactly what I wanted, because it’s helping flesh out a clear direction of a narrative that I’m getting on board with.
Mystique-al Destiny
I like that Schultz has presented a clear directive for the story of Rogue. This gives an indication of what I as the reader, need to look forward to as the result of this plot. It also means that there are a lot of threads I am willing to be taken through. The major points of this first issue are that Rogue has had some deep, dark, and unnerving memories unleashed from her past with the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. Schultz helps us get right into the uncovering of these memories and what they mean.
We are taken straight to the home of Mystique and Destiny. Both are former members of the evil group that Rogue was a part of. Schultz also creates a fleeting moment of peril that caught my attention as the reader: Rogue sees blood on her hands, freaks out, and falls from the sky. It was the only moment that seemed out of context for the issue. This makes me think it is a subtle moment to help further the narrative we are being told.
Here is some connective storytelling that is great for current and previous fans of the X-Men. These three characters have history, but Schultz continues to go straight for the story at hand, which I really appreciate. What is Project PEGASUS? That is what Rogue asks of Mystique. The dramatic and ambiguous response of Mystique only fueled my desire to want to know more. This is exactly what you want from a first issue.
The One You Don’t Touch
The end of this story perfectly sums up a brilliant first issue as a whole. Most comic book readers know of the main power of Rogue. She touches people and steals their powers. It is something that Schultz alluded to throughout the issue, but she waited for the end of it to show it in action. This was a great use of the main event.
The touch of Mystique from Rogue reveals visions of cleverly constructed confusion from Schultz. They reveal images that tell part of the story, and that is by awesome design from Erica Schultz. I was left wanting more and looking forward to the next issue to delve deeper into the mysterious memories of Rogue and what they mean for this storyline.
Art You Can’t Touch
I have never read the relaunch of Doctor Strange, the new release of Wanda in Sorcerer Supreme, or Rogue until now, and I am loving the artwork. As I mentioned, I am a kid of the 1990s and that era of comic book art was big, bold, flashy, and larger than life. That is what I am seeing here, and I am a fan.
Andrea Zagaria and Java Grundetjern bring Rogue and her story to life with bold lines and colors that will touch your heart. Zagaria does a tremendous job of depicting a range of emotions on the face of Rogue. We see confidence, strength, assurance, empathy, doubt, and fear. Seeing all of these emotions in only the first issue helps me connect with the character. This is a character that I have never read, which made the art all the more important.
Grundetjern provides striking coloring for Rogue and all of the various X-Men seen in this first issue. This is particularly true of the way Grundetjern colors Rogue and her superhero outfit. The colors make her feel like a proper star of her own story. The deep greens and yellows pop off of the page and give her a contrast versus the environment in every scene. This makes her the focal point of every panel.
My favorite panel from this issue was from the first few pages because it set the scene of what was to come: a proper superhero story with lots of fun monster fighting, side character support, and a strong introduction to Rogue as a leader. The way Zagaria draws Rogue giving the huge mutant possum a left hook shows off her strength. The next panel, which zooms out, reinforces that by presenting the size difference between Rogue and this kaiju.
There is also a cool showcase of how Gambit feels about Rogue. The panel displays the affection Gambit has for his wife, Rogue. You should get someone who looks at you like Gambit does Rogue.
Conclusion & Rating
This was an awesome issue filled with monster battling action, romantic drama and mysteries from memories of the past. Everything you want from a first issue, especially if you’re a new reader.
Schultz does a fantastic job of presenting to the reader who Rogue is as a superhero and as Anna Marie. She is a complicated person who feels all of the emotions we have. The pacing is fantastic as we start with a kaiju battle, move to romance between wife and husband, go into lost memories, and start our journey for answers from the past.
Rogue #1 is a must-read for new readers and seasoned Marvel book lovers alike. Everyone will find many elements of this story to like, and I really like the direction Schultz is taking us in. It is clear and provides a comprehensible goal: Rogue needs to find out what these visions are all about. I feel like there is going to be a lot of twists and turns on this power-draining journey. I am strapped in and all ready for it.