ROGUE #3 – Parts of the Puzzle

Creative Team – Erica Schultz, Luigi Zagaria, Espen Grundetjern, VC’s Ariana Maher, David Nakayama

Published by Marvel Comics

Catch up with Rogue #2!

The Story

This comic is reviewed by Nerd Initiative’s Shawn, and your truly, Megan!

Shawn – Is Muhammed Ali writing Rogue or Erica Schultz because I got lulled in and then bam, Schultz surprised me out of nowhere in the best way. This issue gave us a little bit of everything. We got silly Rogue, we got big reveals, a little Humanity First discussion, and even got to see what Constrictor has been up to.

Schultz is doing an amazing job writing Rogue. Every issue feels so true to the character, from her dialect to her actions. On top of that, we get to see things like the fun, silly, goofy side of Rogue that doesn’t always come out in her other adventures.

Megan – Rogue is turning over every rock to find out what these visions mean, and that means visiting every person from her past that had anything to do with Project P.E.G.A.S.U.S. Now, that means it’s time for her to drop in on The Constrictor. In the meantime, Rogue isn’t able to close her eyes without seeing John Shelton’s face. Hopefully, The Constrictor is able to give her some kind of insight as to what happened and what memories she’s missing.

Erica Schultz continues this exciting solo tale of Rogue that’s surrounded by mystery. The story gets more and more compelling with each issue, and it looks like there’s no stopping it. What I really loved was seeing Rogue fight and take down whoever gets in her path, with or without her powers. Schultz knows exactly how to allow Rogue to shine and show that she’s so much more than her mutant powers.

The Art

Shawn – Luigi Zagaria and Espen Grundetjern do a really good job in this issue with both the art and the colors. Silly face Rogue may be one of my favorite things ever. It’s nice to see Rogue just being Rogue. Not a hero, just an everyday person. Zagaria and Grundetjern capture that perfectly.

Zagaria should receive particular praise for the quality of work being put into faces. There are a lot of close-up panels in this issue, and every character emotes so well that you can read them even if you didn’t have the word bubbles. Maher does a great job with the lettering, helping your eyes move from place to place. There are a few panels in sequence, in particular, that the entire art team of Zagaria, Grundetjern, and Maher all have to work together perfectly for the reader not to get lost, and they manage it perfectly.

Megan – Luigi Zagaria, Espen Grundetjern, and Ariana Maher go out of their way to make this a comic filled with emotions. You can feel John Shelton’s fury through the panels when he’s looking directly at Rogue. You can feel Rogue’s frustration when dealing with The Contractor. Zagaria draws the characters in a way that invites the reader into their feelings and leaves little to the imagination. Grundetjern handles the colors excellently, making the mutants the vibrant focal points of the panels they’re in. Ariana Maher does a beautiful job with the lettering, as usual. The sound effects are perfectly placed and really put you deeper into the story.

Final Thoughts

Shawn – 10/10. The creative team continues to build on the success of previous issues with one big reveal and more teasing. For me, the difference in a good vs. a great comic is that the creative team works well to make you ready to pick up the next issue immediately. Rogue #3 scratches that itch, leaving me dying to see what happens next.

Megan – 9/10. Rogue gets more and more compelling with each issue that comes out! Seeing the ghosts of her past brought to her present, whether she remembers them or not, brings such a big tension to the story. I don’t know where Erica Schultz is going with this story, but I’m excited to find out!

Overall Grade – 9.5/10

Let us know in the comments what you thought of Rogue #3!