Is Rogol Zaar a hit or a miss?

[Korath]

It's a little early to tell, but I quite like him. Bendis hinted several time at some events in his past to explain his demented hatred of all things Krypton. The fact that he seems to have a reputation terrible enough to force a surrender just by appearing on a battlefield, coupled with his ability to direct the Phantom Zone prisoners to attack Superman so easily truly makes him terrifying.

He may be a simple "Space Warrior", but his characterization is already better than Mongul (IMHO), who relies far too much on War World to be a tangible threat. Rogol seemes to be the Sins of Krypton coming to destroy them. Could he be the last of the Worldkillers from New 52 Supergirl (I seems to remember a missing one), or the result of another experimentation/earlier expansion in space from Krypton ? Bendis can still add a lot of information to him and make him great.

[Dispenser Of Truth]

I think he's interesting so far as an idea, though not yet in execution. Not in him being THE KILLER OF KRYPTON, really hoping that'll be a fakeout in the end, but because he's a proto-Superman. His rags are red yellow and blue, the symbol on the ax is a stylized angular s-like shape inside a circle instead of a round shape inside an angular larger design. He's the great hero of the cosmos, but one whose time has passed but kept on out there and whose regressive outlook brings him into conflict with the new model.

[Korath]

Also, I just thought about it, but Zaar is basically an inversion of the trope used for Zod.

Zod is the Super man, in that he is the perfect specimen of Human, with god like power, steeped into a militaristic and ultra-nationalist ideology. He's basically main Universe Overman, without the doubts or guilt. He is Superman gone wrong, Injustice Superman in Prime Universe.

Rogol, so far, despite being a warrior like Zod, despite being as agressive and merciless as Zod, is actually presented as the result of some ancient wrong which made him what he is. He is the Victim turned Butcher, in a sense, the one who decided that the only way to never feel what he felt when his world was destroyed was to become the war-dof of the Circle, and then to destroy Krypton. It's an angle I hope Bendis will develop this angle, because it would be extremely interesting, IMHO.

[Celgress]

So far I would say he is a miss. I do hope something more interesting can be done with him in the near future.

[magha_regulus]

Count me in the too early to tell camp. I like the concept, but i don't like his design that much. I hope they'll change his look a bit. Storywise, he has potential. He presents an intriguing mystery.

[DrNewGod]

Miss. This is basically Lobo with neither a sense of humor, nor an adequate dental plan.

[SiegePerilous02]

Middle of the road. he's neither the worst Creator's Pet villain I've seen, nor the best. I think he's fine, but not the main draw of this run.

I think Bendis should have revamped Black Zero or Amalak instead.

[Myskin]

Middle of the road. he's neither the worst Creator's Pet villain I've seen, nor the best. I think he's fine, but not the main draw of this run.

I think Bendis should have revamped Black Zero or Amalak instead.

Well, he's basically Amalak (he looks like Busiek's revamped Amalak, too: https://comicvine.gamespot.com/images/1300-5598969 ) with a different name and a touch of Black Zero. In the same way as Morrison's Nimrod is Terra-Man.

[Kuwagaton]

Count me in the too early to tell camp. I like the concept, but i don't like his design that much. I hope they'll change his look a bit. Storywise, he has potential. He presents an intriguing mystery.

Yeah, there's some pretty decent potential. Right now he's the least interesting part of a very interesting story... so it doesn't actually say much.

[Vordan]

Well, he's basically Amalak (he looks like Busiek's revamped Amalak, too: https://comicvine.gamespot.com/images/1300-5598969 ) with a different name and a touch of Black Zero. In the same way as Morrison's Nimrod is Terra-Man.

I like Nimrod better than Terra-Man, but man neither Rogal nor Amalak really peak my interest.

[Ascended]

I feel it's too early to tell.

Rogol's design still comes across as a cross between other villains, only less cool and less original. Lobo wardrobe aesthetics (and motorcycle). Big ugly monster face. In my mind the only thing really interesting going on with him is the red and blue eye and what that could indicate.

Rogol himself is less interesting though than the actual facts of the history of Krypton that he could be indicative of. As simply a fanatical agent of a more sinister cabal or conspiracy, Rogol is fine. Sort of just a driven and physical foe that can compete on Superman's level but who is really just the first agent we meet of a greater epidemic. And in that mind, just being a legendary space mercenary barbarian with a kind of standardized alien barbarian mercenary look is apt enough and fine for this sort of "Chapter 1" storyline. I mean I guess it's more of a Chapter 2, since MOS was the Chapter 1, but you take my meaning - Rogol is just the first salvo in something bigger. The boss of LEVEL 1. Rogol is just Iggy Koopa.

I think by the time Superman deals with Rogol we'll sadly have to be inclined to think that Rogol's high point was ... what? Perhaps-maybe-Phantom-Zone-Killing the Nuclear Man?

I mean this dude ain't a Darkseid (Space Devil). Ain't even a Mongul (Space Tyrant). This dude is just a Space Warrior.

I'm inclined to think that we'll get more specifics soon on how Rogol Zaar is just a mad dog zealot on a mission, but he was carrying out (knowingly or not) someone far more nefarious's purpose.

Pretty much this.

Rogal is a total miss as far as design, dialogue, and (to this point) motivation are concerned. But he's got some solid feats and is a fair "hired help" villain (Iggy Koopa! Ha! I'm stealing that!). Of course, the "hired help" villains are (almost) never remembered, so that's not doing Rogal any favors.

We'll see how things turn out when all is said and done. The best aspects of Rogal's story have yet to be explored and that may shed new light on the character. But if I had to call it right now? Total miss. He's just a redundant mix of other foes; he's got the connection to a Kryptonian tragedy like Brainiac, Zod, and the Eradicator, he's a big ugly hulk like Doomsday, Darkseid and Mongul.....and he somehow manages to be less interesting than any of them. But his story isn't finished yet so I'm gonna wait before I make any final judgements.

[Jackalope89]

Miss. He's like a cheap knock-off of Doomsday.

[Johnny Thunders!]

I think he is a bit of a miss. I don't see anything distinguishing him from any number of "secret" Superman villains. I really liked Neal from Geoff John's and John Romita's Jr.'s run. He was one of those secret Superman foes that suddenly show up and make Superman question his entire existence. Luthor could have pulled of the Phantom Zone thing, and it bugs me that things aren't phantomy in the Phantom Zone. Do your own thing but please, it's like the Regular Zone.

[Vordan]

Bendis should not have let Lee design him. I think part of what’s hurting Rogal besides his weak motivations is how utterly generic he looks. How many musclebound strong guys does Supes have with Mongul, Doomsday, Bizarro, etc? It’s part of why I think Red Cloud is getting a better reception. For one she’s female and Supes doesn’t have a lot of female villains, for two she has a really cool and unique looking design, and for three her powers aren’t just a copy of Supes.

[Kuwagaton]

Pretty much this.

Rogal is a total miss as far as design, dialogue, and (to this point) motivation are concerned. But he's got some solid feats and is a fair "hired help" villain (Iggy Koopa! Ha! I'm stealing that!). Of course, the "hired help" villains are (almost) never remembered, so that's not doing Rogal any favors.

How is he hired help? The only interactions we've really seen are with people telling him not to do what he does.

Seems like he can't win, though. Because it's not just one comparison to much different characters, it seems like many people are citing the similarities. Like between Doomsday, the organic Destroyer or Darkseid, king of cosmic hell. I mean sure I guess they all go to the same gym with Bane as their designated spotter, but you can definitely tell different stories with each.

But it's kinda par for the course. Superman has a Prankster, Mxy, and four Toymen... to most people it probably all seems the same.