Okay, first off, I feel as if I should give a warning as I’m writing this review that I’m in an incredibly sappy mood. If this issue wasn’t enough, Meridian & Elektra both came out the same day which brought my “girlie-ness” to an all time high. I mean, that whole scene between Jad & Sephie where he begged her to stay with him as she was dying in his arms and then Elektra finding out Matt (DareDevil) still cared for her when she found her old ribbon in his desk draw. Plus, it’s probably not helping in the slightest that I’m listening to The Cure’s “Love Song” either.

So what the hell happened in the annual? See Rogue. See Rogue get bothered by voices in her head. See Rogue flee in terror- wait, no. See Rogue actually do something different that the last 50 billion times a writer has told this story about her.

Poor Rogue has been one character no one seems to ever want to grow up or being anything more than a victim. As long as she’s been around, she’s always been the girl who’s barely holding it together with all the chatter in her head dragging her down and only a matter of time until she snaps and loses control. Every story about her is always about how poor Rogue deals with her powers that really must suck to have.

Will she ever become more than a one trick pony? Claremont gives the impression to be the first writer to at least start to make progress. Sure, he’s the same writer that gave her that lame Skrull deal with her powers going “rogue” (yes, I detest them as much as everyone does, gah) but at least it will hopefully be the end of “Ah can’t tell who Ah am anymore with all these people’s voices in mah head! And Ah even really me?” we’re been forced to sit through time and time again. For as overexpose as she’s been, this is the first good story we’ve seen about her in a long damn time. I’ve said in the past, since his return Claremont could only apparently write a good Jean, Storm & Gambit, but with this issue proves that he cane write Rogue great too… when he puts his mind to it

The rest of the team plays second fiddle to Rogue. Bishop ends up in a loin cloth as he takes Tessa & Rogue with him on a wild ride to Dream Land (I don’t understand why the girls end up in bikinis myself, but whatever). Tessa & Storm stand around working their heels in some Reaver ass later when the team is attacked, while Bishop himself sticks with his guns.

True to form, Neal asks a bunch of questions during the duration of the annual. “What does it mean?” “You’re a girl?” “Dude, where’s my car?” On the flip side, Gambit (who comes in out of no where… just where the hell was he??) seems to be the only one who knows what’s going on and why the Shadow King is after Rogue. In fact, Gambit seems it be the only one so far in X-Treme’s run that has any clue as to what is going on. He knew were Vargas was in Italy, he knew who was setting him up and how to go about it, he knew how to calm “crazy mind tripping’” Rogue down. I think I may have figured out just why Claremont refuses to add Gambit to the team, the arcs would only last less than two issues.

And on the subject of Gambit, time to get sappy people because there were some magnificent Gambit/Rogue moments. Yes, I’m a sucker for a stolen kiss, hug, hell anything the writer throws at me concerning those two (well, no, not angst). CC seems to be on a roll with the Gambit & Rogue love-fest since they’ve met back in back in X-Treme #5. It’s just odd to see a writer not treat love like a curse, which… not to knock the male writers, but they seem to suck at it for the most part. They seem to describe being in love as a weakness to the character(s) and how it holds him/her/them back.

Sal’s art is wonderful as always. You can bet the team saves money by just washing their clothes on Bishops abs… I know I would. Look kids, he’s also done every issue up to 9 and found time to fit in the annual without missing a date (I recall the book being late ONCE, and only by a week).

So, to chalk it up:

GOOD

* Rogue kicking some bootay and growing as a character.

* Gambit & Rogue making out… a lot.

* You know, Gambit just being there is always a great thing.

* Plot Device & Neal Version 2.0 were no where to be seen.

THE BEST!

* Gambit & Rogue are still together & stronger than ever!

BAD

* Bishop saying rookie. Make the hurting stop.

* Could have been a little easier to follow.

* The ending was a little too cheesy for me.

THE WORST!

* Psylocke is still dead!!!

Buy the issue and just cough up the $5 already. You can miss one meal at REDRUM BURGER can’t you?

And no one has the right to touch you in your bathing suit area.

-- Sara