REVIEW: Rogue #1

Story: Howard Mackie
Art: Mike Wieringo and Terry Austin
Colors: Dana Moreshead and Mike Thomas
Review: Art Bee

For the longest time X-Men and Fantastic Four were my comics of choice. They offered a much younger me so much: hope, creativity, morals, and (most of all) escape. It pains me to see what the modern execs at Marvel have done to these creations. Fortunately the teams I grew up with still exist in the pages of comic books to be relived over and over. Each member of the X-Men has a unique and elaborate background and they are brought together by two factors, Charles Xavier and the mutant X gene.

In January, 1995 many X-Men fans rejoiced as Rogue #1 graced comic book shelves. This comic is a must-read for every X-Men fan. Issue #1 brings the reader up close and personal with the character Anna Marie, a.k.a. Rogue. The book does an amazing job unifying three core elements of Rogue in this story.

The first element is Rogue’s background. The past is the greatest villain Anna Marie ever faces. When her powers manifested, she put her boyfriend at the time, Cody Robbins, into a coma. Meanwhile, she lives her life with the memories and consciousness of Cody every day. Once a year she travels to visit him in his coma. This is very important to her character. She is not just plagued by her own conscience, but the conscience of every victim of her power.        

The second element is her love for Remy LeBeau, a.k.a. Gambit. The relationship between these wildcards is truly something to see evolve. Gambit has all of the patience in the world for Rogue, but she has little for herself. This issue really captures the essence of the romance between the two.

The third element is the villains surrounding the current situation. Chandra and the Assassins Guild are striking a new deal and one of terms involves Rogue and Gambit. I won’t say more there, so as not to ruin the issue, but it is really worth reading.

The artwork is great. Bright colors and fantastic detail bring the story to life just the way Marvel used to deliver in almost every issue…back when they cared more about the product rather than profit margins. The opening page features Rogue in flight with a pair of fighter jets, and the image truly portrays speed…like they will fly right off the page.

My heart yearns for the Marvel of my childhood, but those days seem to be long gone. Fortunately those days can be relived easily.