Rogue (Anna Marie LeBeau) Appreciation 2023: Sassy Southern Brawler

[Sisterhood Of Mutants]

Anyway a general question for everyone, what sort of stories are you hopping for in the new year? I've seen a fair few people say that Rogue's story arc is over now that she has control of her powers, but I disagree. I think she has a lot of story potential going forward.

IMO some threads to explore
- Last Name, her last name was kept a secret for so long, it'd be so anti-climatic if there isn't some twist to it.
- Teenage Terrorist, I'm surprised no writers really explore this period in her life more and have things from that time come back to haunt her. I'm sure Rogue did more than terrorize Carol and Dazzler.
- Queen of Thieves, what roles or responsibilities does she have as the wife of the organizations leader. I know Gambit has kept his distance from it during the Krakoa era, but he's still the leader in name at least, which should also affect Rogue.
- Mutant Counselor or Villain Rehabilitation Advocate, both kind of tie together but basic idea is Rogue has a desire to give back and help others the way Xavier helped her. This has been expressed in tutoring younger mutants in their powers and helping them gain control as well as reaching out to troubled or misguided young supervillains who are not evil at their core.

As well as bringing back some personalized villains like
- Pandemic, a scientist who stole Rogue's abilities and ran amok with them. Basically Dark Beast if he had Rogue's powers.
- Pulse, not exactly a bad guy from what we know but he's connected to the underworld (e.g. Mystique) and his abilities do mirror Rogue's and could be easily be used in a conflict against her.
- Vargas, last we saw he might have been assassinated but when has that ever stopped anyone in the MU, anyone I'm sure he still has a chip on his shoulder for Rogue considering he believed his and her destinies were intertwined.
- Blindspot, like Pulse she does not seem intentionally amoral but she did cause a lot havoc the last time they met and she seems more than a little fond of Rogue. I can see her memory-altering abilities being used in manipulative ways to cause trouble again.

Anyway, what story-lines or interactions do y'all want to see in 2023?

I can’t believe my girl has only had three solo books ever. And no ongoings! Yeah, sexism was (and is arguably still) a big problem when it comes to female characters getting solos at Marvel, but considering X23 is getting her sixth but has only been around since 2003 - and Marvel execs commissioned this year’s Scarlet Witch mini (and our new Rogue & Gambit!) - hopefully those same higher-ups start pushing for characters like Rogue and Storm to get some solo runs, too, since the X-Office is digging in their heels on the editor’s personal preferences. (I’d also kill for another Dazzler solo, but I’m not holding my breath until that office shakes up.) Meanwhile, DC has been killing it with their female solo book output lately. Like…

…a Rogue ongoing solo, with interior art from Joelle Jones, tons of beautiful variant covers highlighting her many (non-Savage Land) looks, Kelly Thompson given the opportunity to write an ongoing not surprise-cancelled to make room for a temporary status quo, and somebody like Jen Bartel or Jenny Frison drawing covers? I’d die. (I’m salivating picturing the variant takes on her Brotherhood days alone.)

One is only limited by their imagination and capabilities as a storyteller when it comes to most of these characters; comic writers have the kind of tools and (when editorial isn’t interfering) creative freedom that so many film and TV writers working with comparable IP would kill for. It’s laziness. Which is to say: anyone claiming her story “ended” is so unserious lmao. There’s infinite story not just untold but actively neglected, as you’ve illustrated with your wishlist alone. (It’s mostly detractors who want a reason to further **** on a character they already dislike. Nothing new, sadly. They were claiming the same long before she even gained control.)

“Teenage Terrorist”:
This has been number one on my wishlist for a Rogue book since forever (well, this and meaningful interaction with her mothers). I especially love that her original debut was meant to be that story where Mystique is already plotting Carol’s doom with the Brotherhood while Rogue sobs like the sad teenager she is up in her bedroom. I also love how Rogue was going against her mothers long before absorbing Carol - people forget that she was a big Dazzler fan before becoming her arch-nemesis. I think that’s so fascinating, especially because her turning on Dazzler seemed to be based on envy that Ali was a “closeted” mutant whose powers were useful instead of inherently destructive. I’d also kill for a team-up book between those two, any era. They were my favorite duo during the Outback era.

“Mutant Counselor or Villain Rehabilitation Advocate”:
Honestly, yes. Again - if editorial bias wasn’t at play, we’d have definitely seen something like that this era, and it’s a shame we haven’t. Bad taste of team name aside, she and Remy should have been the ones running the Marauders. (Not to mention Kurt! Like… a pirate book without Kurt! How!) Especially since Rogue’s selection process as a team leader has always been “most of the Brotherhood and other ex-villains I want to keep an eye on… oh, and also my besties Bobby and Sam” lmao. I’m especially sad I didn’t see her reunite with Pyro or Avalanche considering how long they kept the former dead. (I’m most annoyed about her separation from her mothers, but that dead horse is underground by now.)

Speaking of X23 - it’s bizarre that their similarities have never really been touched upon despite being so blatant. Both were teenage girls raised to be weapons against their will… who received wildly different receptions from the X-Men when they first joined. Was this due to the X-Men growing as people, writer inconsistency, or simple hypocrisy? (Especially since those early aughts writers grafted so much of their plan for Rogue onto that character when Marvel wouldn’t let them “reboot” Rogue to match her movie/Evo selves.) She’d have honestly been a great choice in the mentor role for the particular run Marjorie Liu was chosen to write if it weren’t for the fact that Liu doesn’t like her… so she was never gonna turn up (aside to be referenced as Remy’s evil ex lol). But I’d be interested to see Kelly Thompson write their interactions. We got smidges of it in MMX; hopefully before their guest turn in Captain Marvel ends. Gabby in particular strikes me as the type of character she’d have a blast mentoring.

Personalized villains:
I loved Blindspot (and thought she had serious sapphic energy with Rogue that was about as explicit as Marvel allowed for the early aughts), so I’d definitely be thrilled to see her again. It would be really interesting to see her interactions with Remy, too.

General interactions I’d love:
-Fun domestic setting shenanigans with Remy. More of Remy’s shady poker games with ex-villains! Forced close quarters between Rogue’s mothers and Remy! Date nights gone wrong! (Aka please bring back Mr. and Mrs. X as the ongoing it was meant to be before editorial cancelled it?)
-Kurt. I loved their easy patter in Thompson’s books. It reminded me of the great moments she had with him during Claremont, as well as during her second solo where they’re so lazy they’re calling each other on the phone while sitting across the same couch lol.
-Sunfire. I was heartbroken she barely spoke with Shiro when they were on Duggan’s team together.
-Bobby. They’re best friends. Let them hang out. Let them go on another hilarious road trip. (Maybe this time Bobby’s the one melting down over an ex and Rogue’s forced to keep him on the lowdown amongst the humans they encounter?)
-Ex-Brotherhood. I liked the tiny snippets we saw of her with Fred at the bar, but I’d like more. Why not Rogue inviting the ex-Brotherhood over to play mediating roles when her mothers visit for brunch with her and Remy?

[rhaenylis]

Rogue will show up in Love Unlimited's next issue
I don't think Rogue and Karma ever interacted before

[seccruz]

While I know it is still a good 8-10 months away, I am getting excited! (We could have nothing to look forward to or have a few years wait ahead of us, so I am looking at it very positively!)

I am hopeful. I remember Lenore being all: We can curse now!
So I'm hoping for something fun!

[seccruz]

Rogue will show up in Love Unlimited's next issue
I don't think Rogue and Karma ever interacted before

I don't remember either. But I don't think they have before now.

[ChronoRogue]

I can’t believe my girl has only had three solo books ever. And no ongoings! Yeah, sexism was (and is arguably still) a big problem when it comes to female characters getting solos at Marvel, but considering X23 is getting her sixth but has only been around since 2003 - and Marvel execs commissioned this year’s Scarlet Witch mini (and our new Rogue & Gambit!) - hopefully those same higher-ups start pushing for characters like Rogue and Storm to get some solo runs, too, since the X-Office is digging in their heels on the editor’s personal preferences. (I’d also kill for another Dazzler solo, but I’m not holding my breath until that office shakes up.) Meanwhile, DC has been killing it with their female solo book output lately. Like…

…a Rogue ongoing solo, with interior art from Joelle Jones, tons of beautiful variant covers highlighting her many (non-Savage Land) looks, Kelly Thompson given the opportunity to write an ongoing not surprise-cancelled to make room for a temporary status quo, and somebody like Jen Bartel or Jenny Frison drawing covers? I’d die. (I’m salivating picturing the variant takes on her Brotherhood days alone.)

Agreed, more solos would be nice. To be fair, I kinda count her duo books as quasi-solos since they do dig into her core relationships and development. Rogue & Gambit vol 1 focused on fixing her relationship with Gambit, Mr and Mrs X went into her trauma and explored ranged absorption, and Rogue & Gambit vol 2 will likely go into her relationship with her mothers. I do feel kinda bad for Remy though, it feels like he got the short end of the stick in the series but he does have a lot more solo stuff in comparison.

One is only limited by their imagination and capabilities as a storyteller when it comes to most of these characters; comic writers have the kind of tools and (when editorial isn’t interfering) creative freedom that so many film and TV writers working with comparable IP would kill for. It’s laziness. Which is to say: anyone claiming her story “ended” is so unserious lmao. There’s infinite story not just untold but actively neglected, as you’ve illustrated with your wishlist alone. (It’s mostly detractors who want a reason to further **** on a character they already dislike. Nothing new, sadly. They were claiming the same long before she even gained control.)

Agreed, though it does feel like even writers like the "reset" button too much. See how Joe Quesada felt about marriage "aging" Peter too much. :/

It feels like some section of the fanbase just get wrapped up into a concept and never want to explore different sides of it.

“Teenage Terrorist”:
This has been number one on my wishlist for a Rogue book since forever (well, this and meaningful interaction with her mothers). I especially love that her original debut was meant to be that story where Mystique is already plotting Carol’s doom with the Brotherhood while Rogue sobs like the sad teenager she is up in her bedroom. I also love how Rogue was going against her mothers long before absorbing Carol - people forget that she was a big Dazzler fan before becoming her arch-nemesis. I think that’s so fascinating, especially because her turning on Dazzler seemed to be based on envy that Ali was a “closeted” mutant whose powers were useful instead of inherently destructive. I’d also kill for a team-up book between those two, any era. They were my favorite duo during the Outback era.

“Mutant Counselor or Villain Rehabilitation Advocate”:
Honestly, yes. Again - if editorial bias wasn’t at play, we’d have definitely seen something like that this era, and it’s a shame we haven’t. Bad taste of team name aside, she and Remy should have been the ones running the Marauders. (Not to mention Kurt! Like… a pirate book without Kurt! How!) Especially since Rogue’s selection process as a team leader has always been “most of the Brotherhood and other ex-villains I want to keep an eye on… oh, and also my besties Bobby and Sam” lmao. I’m especially sad I didn’t see her reunite with Pyro or Avalanche considering how long they kept the former dead. (I’m most annoyed about her separation from her mothers, but that dead horse is underground by now.)

Speaking of X23 - it’s bizarre that their similarities have never really been touched upon despite being so blatant. Both were teenage girls raised to be weapons against their will… who received wildly different receptions from the X-Men when they first joined. Was this due to the X-Men growing as people, writer inconsistency, or simple hypocrisy? (Especially since those early aughts writers grafted so much of their plan for Rogue onto that character when Marvel wouldn’t let them “reboot” Rogue to match her movie/Evo selves.) She’d have honestly been a great choice in the mentor role for the particular run Marjorie Liu was chosen to write if it weren’t for the fact that Liu doesn’t like her… so she was never gonna turn up (aside to be referenced as Remy’s evil ex lol). But I’d be interested to see Kelly Thompson write their interactions. We got smidges of it in MMX; hopefully before their guest turn in Captain Marvel ends. Gabby in particular strikes me as the type of character she’d have a blast mentoring.

I totally forgot about Rogue being a fan of Dazzler! Oh, I wish CC had brought that up more, that puts an interesting twist to their interactions and how she seemed to want to provoke Alison at times.

Agreed on wanting to see her interact with her former Brotherhood members. It would be so cute! plus of all the villains on the island, they're the least problematic and make the most sense for reform



Same vibes tbh lol


I'd be down for Laura and Rogue to interact more. Wish the girls during X-Men vol 6 had done that more in general tbh. I'm not even sure we've gotten a good idea of how Laura might view Rogue, since we know she is close to Gambit. I'd hope she likes her, but Laura isn't always the quickest to warm up to more out-going people like Rogue. And yes, I would've loved to see Rogue mentor her or more of the New X-Men in general. Especially Wither... wherever he is right now, hopefully not still being abused by Selene.

Personalized villains:
I loved Blindspot (and thought she had serious sapphic energy with Rogue that was about as explicit as Marvel allowed for the early aughts), so I’d definitely be thrilled to see her again. It would be really interesting to see her interactions with Remy, too.

General interactions I’d love:
-Fun domestic setting shenanigans with Remy. More of Remy’s shady poker games with ex-villains! Forced close quarters between Rogue’s mothers and Remy! Date nights gone wrong! (Aka please bring back Mr. and Mrs. X as the ongoing it was meant to be before editorial cancelled it?)
-Kurt. I loved their easy patter in Thompson’s books. It reminded me of the great moments she had with him during Claremont, as well as during her second solo where they’re so lazy they’re calling each other on the phone while sitting across the same couch lol.
-Sunfire. I was heartbroken she barely spoke with Shiro when they were on Duggan’s team together.
-Bobby. They’re best friends. Let them hang out. Let them go on another hilarious road trip. (Maybe this time Bobby’s the one melting down over an ex and Rogue’s forced to keep him on the lowdown amongst the humans they encounter?)
-Ex-Brotherhood. I liked the tiny snippets we saw of her with Fred at the bar, but I’d like more. Why not Rogue inviting the ex-Brotherhood over to play mediating roles when her mothers visit for brunch with her and Remy?

Blindspot. <3 I feel like she would be the one's Mystique and Destiny might try to push on Rogue as a better partner lol. Raven already tried with Pulse, but maybe it's different now that she's married. Surprisingly Raven's been really quiet on this actually and it's been Irene who has been vocal.

Kurt! Yes, I'd love to see them interact more. ...as long as we don't ever get any more creepy sex dreams about the two of them. Spurrier pls no

All the yes to Sunfire and Bobby interacting with Rogue again. I love her friendship with Shiro, it's funny when Rogue charms hotheads like him and gets them to open up. Also, I think it speaks to how Rogue can be a good counselor when she correctly identifies how to navigate a relationship with someone who can be emotionally sensitive or feels uncomfortable in a situation that they cover it up with anger. As for Iceman, road-trip will forever be iconic for Rogue calling Bobby's dad a bigot lol. I love that they stick up for each other, with Bobby defending her when Scott was criticizing her leadership and Rogue having faith in him to be her back-up on a team full of villains.

Brotherhood reunion when? I'm hoping we get some of that in Rogue & Gambit vol 2. Anyway, really good ideas Sisterhood of Mutants!

[ChronoRogue]

Rogue will show up in Love Unlimited's next issue
I don't think Rogue and Karma ever interacted before

Thanks for the heads up! Will definitely check out next week's issue then. Probably just a cameo, but love the two of them.

[seccruz]

Thanks for the heads up! Will definitely check out next week's issue then. Probably just a cameo, but love the two of them.

Given the cover, probably not... it would be cool to see them team-up and cause some ruckus.

[ChronoRogue]

Given the cover, probably not... it would be cool to see them team-up and cause some ruckus.

I did see she shows up in a couple of panels at least, so that is a possibility.

Also missing Rogue using her absorption powers like this.


Hopefully Phillips has some fun scenes in store for us. March feels so far away. T_T

[seccruz]

I did see she shows up in a couple of panels at least, so that is a possibility.

Also missing Rogue using her absorption powers like this.


Hopefully Phillips has some fun scenes in store for us. March feels so far away. T_T

Carey did right by her! He had fun with her power!

[Dipter]

I know the Krakoan era renders this hypothetical somewhat irrelevant, but I thought it would be interesting to ask nonetheless:

Would Rogue use her power to extend her own lifespan, remain eternally youthful, and perhaps immortal? Or would she prefer to age naturally? What seems more in-character?

[Arachne]

I don't know what would be in character, but during the Twelve storyline they showed that she hadn't aged in a century.

[ChronoRogue]

I know the Krakoan era renders this hypothetical somewhat irrelevant, but I thought it would be interesting to ask nonetheless:

Would Rogue use her power to extend her own lifespan, remain eternally youthful, and perhaps immortal? Or would she prefer to age naturally? What seems more in-character?

She'd likely let herself age naturally... if she had someone she wanted to grow old with, I think. She aged in X-Men: The End for example.

Though there are a few realities where she stayed youthful, notably in one Gambit had married Marrow, so I wonder if that had anything to do with her choice.

[TheRealWashout]

I know the Krakoan era renders this hypothetical somewhat irrelevant, but I thought it would be interesting to ask nonetheless:

Would Rogue use her power to extend her own lifespan, remain eternally youthful, and perhaps immortal? Or would she prefer to age naturally? What seems more in-character?

Ever since she got her Wonder Man powers, she has been depicted in more than one alternate future (including Orlando's current 2099 stories) as still alive and still looking young.

[seccruz]

Ever since she got her Wonder Man powers, she has been depicted in more than one alternate future (including Orlando's current 2099 stories) as still alive and still looking young.

That good ionic ****! She doesn't age, in theory...

[Phoenixx9]

That good ionic ****! She doesn't age, in theory...

LOL, just what I was going to write!