Rogue #1 (January 1995) 

Howard Mackie, Mike Wieringo, Terry Austin  

“An Affair to Remember” 

Sometimes when you go dollar bin diving, you strike gold. On Friday, June 21^st, I stopped by Eide’s Entertainment on my way home from William Penn Tavern (where I had lunch and a few beers as a pre- birthday celebration). I saw the gold foil cover of Rogue #1 while looking around and I knew I just had to have it for a buck plus tax. The added touch to the cover art was noticing the ‘Ringo signature below Rogue’s visage. I loved Mike Wieringo’s art when I was growing up and he is sadly and sorely missed.

This limited series kicks off with Rogue and Gambit spending time at Harry’s Hideaway. Rogue tells Remy she is traveling to Mississippi for her yearly pilgrimage to visit Cody, the young boy that was left in a coma when her mutant powers emerged. When Rogue arrives at the hospital room days later, Cody is missing and she is attacked by assassins. Bella Donna, Gambit’s ex-wife, has kidnapped Cody. It’s a race against time to find Cody and rescue him before he is hurt or killed. 

Rogue’s popularity among X-Men fans skyrocketed to record heights after the pivotal role she played in the first season of the X-Men ‘97 cartoon on Disney Plus. Variant Comics dedicated an entire episode on the history of Rogue, which I included in an Open Thread last month. 

In 1995, Rogue’s budding relationship with Gambit would play a crucial part in the ongoing X-Men comic series and Gambit’s pursuit of Rogue is highlighted in this first issue. Storm offers Gambit some helpful advice – if he wants to be closer to Rogue, give her some space to breathe. Unfortunately, Gambit doesn’t take these words to heart and he speeds off after Rogue. Gambit will most assuredly end up in the crosshairs of Bella Donna and Rogue will have to make a terrible choice – who will she save – Cody or Remy? 

Both Rogue and Remy’s pasts are catching up to them in the present – can they have a future together? Back in 1995, this issue would have had you sitting up at night wondering if Rogue and Gambit would end up together or if they would go their separate ways. In 2024, we have an answer but their relationship and its ups and downs helped drive sales back in the 90s and 00s.  

I should have kept digging to find the other issues that comprise this mini-series. If I can find time next week, I’ll look for the rest of them. If all else fails, I will buy them digitally online. 

Where does Rogue rank on your personal list of favorite X-Men? Where does Rogue and Remy’s relationship rank among the other X-Men? Feel free to tell me in the comment section below!