X-TREME X-MEN #17
"Rogue's Destiny: La Suerte de Matar!"
Not Recommended (2/10)
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Marvel Comics
Writer: Chris Claremont
Artist: Salvador Larroca
Colors: Liquid!
Letters: Tom Orzechowski
Editors: Andrew Lis
Price: $2.99 US/$4.75 CAN |
I'll give Claremont credit for one thing: this story, set in the aftermath of his lengthy other-dimensional invasion storyline, is easy to follow. We learn enough about the main players to make for an accessible read, but that's about where the strengths of the book end. Stilted dialogue, illogical plot and some oddly-colored visuals all add up to an unengaging read.
Though stabbed through the chest by Mutant-hater Vargas, both Rogue and Gambit are not dead... not yet, anyway. Rogue is able to tap into the many powers she has absorbed over the years -- including Wolverine's healing factor -- in order to recover, but the inconsistent and uncontrolled nature of her powers keep her from recovering fully. That, however, doesn't stop her from hunting Vargas down, seeking revenge for his murder of fellow X-Man Psylocke and the attack on Gambit.
I often enjoyed Larroca's artwork on Claremont's Fantastic Four run, but here, it's lost its focus. Without an inker like Art Thibert backing him up, his art isn't as much... well, fun. The colors are meant to fill that inking role here, and it just doesn't work. An inexplicable green glow persists through many scenes, and it even washes characters out from time to time.
So, Rogue's been stabbed through the heart, but she's OK... sort of. But not really. She could die at any moment, but probably won't. I think. One of the problems with Claremont's story is that he doesn't seem to establish any sort of rules. Rogue's powers kick in and out, not at random, but when the story requires it. After all, with the strength of the Hulk or Magneto's powers, Vargas wouldn't pose much of a threat to Rogue, would he?
The reason I remain uninterested in Claremont's storytelling in X-Treme X-Men is that he's dwelling on the superhuman aspects of the characters, not the human ones. Even the dialogue indicates as such, with its purple prose. The characters don't sound human, don't behave human. The whole point of the X-Men and its racism analogy is to demonstrate that the characters are still people, despite their differences. But Claremont emphasizes those differences, and the characters lose their heart in the process.
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