What would it take to sell your soul to the devil? That’s the question that Rogue Sun #29 asks, as it brings two battles to a head. On one end is our current Rogue Suns, Dylan and Aurie, who have to deal with the poisonous menace of Noxious. Aurie has some skin in the game; Noxious’ latest attack puts her mother Juliette in danger, while Dylan refuses to help as he sympathizes with Noxious.
After reading Rogue Sun #29, it’s not hard to sympathize with Noxious or understand Dylan’s position. Ryan Parrott and Nick Cotton dig deep into what drives hero and villain alike, showcasing that they really aren’t that different. While Noxious did make a deal with the mysterious Mourningstar, he only did it to avenge his dead wife and daughter. Likewise, Dylan and Aurie are driven to become Rogue Sun due to the actions of their father, Marcus, and Marcus wasn’t exactly the perfect dad, so their differences on how to handle Noxious makes for great character drama.
This leads to the fight between Marcus and his fellow Rogue Sun, Caleb. Not only is it a match of their skills, but a great deal of psychological warfare is utilized. Caleb takes Marcus to task for his failure as a father, while Marcus finally reveals the reason he chose Dylan as his Rogue Sun successor – and the answer probably won’t be a surprise to Rogue Sun fans. What is a surprise is the big reveal that Parrott and Cotton drop towards the end; I need to see where that goes.
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Rogue Sun #29 also has Abel and Bruno Frenda pouring an immense amount of energy into the fight scenes, making them stand out in different ways. The battle between Noxious and Aurie (and later, Dylan) makes short work of a luxury yacht, with water swirling around combatants and innocents alike. Caleb and Marcus’s battle, on the other hand, takes place within the realm of the Sun Stone rendered as a vast, sun-scorched desert. This interplay between elements is only enhanced by Natalia Marques’ color work. Cold blues set the stage for the Noxious battle, permeated by Noxious’ neon green fumes and the Rogue Suns’ reddish-orange flames. Caleb and Marcus also have the same flames, but Marcus’ glowing white armor is in direct opposition to Caleb’s jet black suit.
In the end, it’s that sort of duality that powers the core of Rogue Sun. You have Dylan, who didn’t ask to be a superhero yet shows that he isn’t a complete asshole at times; Aurie finally gets her wish to be a Rogue Sun, but learns that it isn’t as easy as she’d hoped; Noxious, though committing horrible acts, was driven to it by forces outside of his control. Even Caleb and Marcus get more exploration of their past lives. Rogue Sun #29 gives depth to hero and villain alike, as it sets the stage for its next big storyline. Considering future issues involve new villains and Medieval Spawn, it’s safe to say the creative team is going to bring a lot of character work (and fire-based imagery) to the table.
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