This comic book demonstrates the strength of the Ultimate brand and how it offers writers a chance to tell stories with familiar characters that actually shake things up a bit. On the surface, this is a typical super-hero story, based on a hard-to-swallow coincidence, but it's fun super-hero fare all the same. Where the book gets its real strength is in how different one of the characters is from his mainstream Marvel counterpart and how surprising and status-quo-altering an ending Vaughan provides. Furthermore, Marvel is doing an excellent job of reviving the annual format. There was a time -- in the Silver Age -- when Marvel's annuals were key issues or stood out as being special in some way. That sense has returned here, but the creators have taken care to offer self-contained stories as well. It may prove to be the best thing for the brand since its debut.
Gambit and Rogue embark on a heist in Las Vegas, targeting a vault at a casino owned by the Fenris corporation. Of course, they're not after the cash, but a talisman of power -- something that's far more valuable to their enemies. Unfortunately, the caper is about to get a bit complicated, because an old friend of Rogue's is coming to visit after his recent escape from S.H.I.E.L.D. custody. It's Rogue and Gambit versus the Juggernaut, and there's going to be more than one loser after this matchup, not to mention property damage aplenty.
Tom Raney did great work on Thor. He did great work on Outsiders. But he doesn't always do great work. I run hot and cold when it comes to his stuff, and I'm pleased to find this comic is one of those instances in which his art is red hot. He captures Rogue's youth quite well, and he conveys the monstrous quality of the Ultimate incarnation of the Juggernaut perfectly. His depiction of the various villains of Ultimate Spider-Man made for a nice combination of fun and creepiness as well. The art is solid from start to finish, and it makes me wish we were seeing his work on a more regular basis these days.
Vaughan's script does an excellent job of reminding old readers and informing new ones of Rogue and Juggernaut's history with Weapon X and the connection they shared. I didn't realize that i this continuity, Juggernaut is a mutant, and I love the new dynamic between him and the former X-Man. On the surface, this issue seems like a little more than an extended fight scene, but it's the Juggernaut's twisted emotions and Rogue's need to separate from two periods of her past that really drive the story forward.
Great ending... just great, if only because I've never been a big Gambit fan. I do find the relationship between Rogue and Gambit to be unsettling. He's clearly a lot older than she is, and while the passion shines through, seeing a teenage Rogue involved with an adult is disconcerting -- but in a good way. Rogue keeps moving from one unhealthy circumstance to another, and I like that the relationship puts me ill at ease. 7/10
