After decades of believing her powers are a curse, Rogue wants a cure.
X-Men: Legacy #224
Publisher: Marvel
Writer: Mike Carey
Penciller: Scot Eaton
Inker: Andrew Hennessy
Colorist: Brian Reber
Letterer: VC’s Cory Petit
Cover: Lee Bermejo and Morry Hollowell
Summary: “SALVAGE” Part 5 (of 5)
The climactic finale of “Salvage” is here! Rogue and Gambit fans, DO NOT MISS THIS ISSUE! The status quo is shaken and the effects of the final reckoning between Danger and Xavier are felt!
Review: Marvel’s decree for Rogue and Gambit fans to read this issue is dead on accurate. You can’t miss this! Giving in to fans’ hope and dreams for this much loved character, Professor Xavier believes he has finally solved the problem and offers Rogue a chance to cure her absorption liability while not only retaining her powers but allowing them to mature as they should have all along.
Despite the faults of the X-Men: The Last Stand movie, it is plausible that a woman with Rogue’s devastating powers would search for a cure. The 1990s animated series addressed it as well. In each case however, the writers handled Rogue’s decision differently. Here in X-Men: Legacy #224, Mike Carey guides everyone’s favorite southern belle in the direction of wanting a cure even if it sacrifices her mutation. Carey’s approach is a bit too hackneyed and copies the Jean Grey/Phoenix story of the X3 movie. He applies the concept of mental barriers which supposedly repressed the Phoenix in Jean, to partitions within Rogue’s mind that segregate each personality/memory she absorbed. Luckily, the Messiah child Hope cleaned Rogue’s mind so there are no longer tons of personalities hidden. She’s been left with empty partitions except for the one occupied by Mystique. Professor Xavier’s mental projection of himself handily faces off against Mystique, but why did he feel the need to project his image naked? Other than that questionable imagery, this is some of the best X-Men artwork on shelves today.
Predictability aside, every reader will be able to relate to the longing felt between the star crossed lovers, Rogue and Gambit.
June 2nd, 2009 at 3:14 pm
Hey, so a few things I wanted to say (in no specific order);
1) I think every time Xavier projects himself to the astral, he’s nekkid. Except when he has to fight, then he has “armored up.” But I think he’s nekkid like a Ken doll rather than nekkid like Dr. Manhattan.
2) Yeah, I remember when Rogue’s brain got all clean just before she sucked Mystique in and got herself all screwed up again–and I vaguely remember the cleansing had to do with Hope, as #224 here suggested, but I don’t understand how AT ALL, and I can’t be arsed to dig out my unorganized back issues of Messiah Complex. A little help? I thought Hope (at the time she was pre-named) has/had no powers at all. Her mutancy was Cerebro’ed but nothing tangible except her existence seemed to be there.
3) Remember Morry Hollowell at CGSS? Good times.
June 3rd, 2009 at 4:35 am
2) Hope definitely has some kind of power but may not not what it is or how to use it. When she was born Cerebra blew up so she has some kind of psychic-ness. Mystique was the one that kidnapped Hope and touched Rogue’s comatose body with the baby which is what woke Rogue up.
3) CGSS - FTW!
June 3rd, 2009 at 2:42 pm
I’ve heard good things about LEGACY, and that cover is amazing. I’m going to look for this one!