The Newlyweds Survive a First Year against Candra in Mr & Mrs X No. 12
By Alex Widen
Image by Marvel Comics
A Little More Local Focus and Less Star Wars May Have Helped?
As she expresses in the editorial column, writing Rogue and Gambit had been a lifelong dream for Kelly Thompson, and it is hard to disagree with her. She has a terrific voice for the pair as individuals, and an understanding for why they sync up well as lovers. She throws the notion that marriage “ends” drama in a fictional relationship to the wolves where it belongs to depict a high-energy adventuring couple who trade quips and references to their fetishes amid whatever battle or disaster awaits them.
Yet in many ways, the only demerit of the series is that it sometimes focused too much on spectacle and not on fundamentals. When given a chance, Thompson played very well with Gambit’s usual Thieves Guild storyline. She used it to showcase Remy embracing his duality, much as Rogue did in Mojoworld. She also utilized his cast well, from Bella Donna to Jean Luc to a tease of Tante Mattie. One can only imagine what may have happened had the couple decided to be the superheroes of Louisiana all this time.
Image by Marvel Comics
Instead, this only made up three out of twelve issues. The run focused much of its energy with adventures in space, where the subplot had to often play second fiddle to set dressing and rattling off cameos. The opening arc had Deadpool show up in two issues, and, while it made a degree of sense since he’s Rogue’s ex, it also is similar to when new series in the 1990s had Spider-Man, Wolverine, or Ghost Rider “christen” them within the first 2-3 issues. The Mojoworld arc has some biting bits of satire, but the opening space arc lasts at least an issue too long in some eyes.