Cataclysm has been unmasked, and now Rogue Sun has to fight the last person he ever wanted to, to save a man he isn’t even sure he likes. Your Major Spoilers review of Rogue Sun #6 from Image Comics awaits!

ROGUE SUN #6

Writer: Ryan Parrott
Artist: Abel
Colorist: Natalia Marques
Letterer: Becca Carey
Editor: Michael Busuttil
Publisher: Image Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: July 27, 2022

Previously in Rogue Sun: When the monster that killed his father comes for him, it’s going to take everything Dylan’s learned just to survive. Can he succeed where his father failed?

Will Cataclysm claim the life of another Rogue Sun?

A FAMILY CRISIS

With the villainous Cataclysm unmasked as Dylan Bell’s mom, the new Rogue Sun is in a very awkward position. On the one hand, he doesn’t want to fight his own mother, even if she did sell her literal soul to a literal devil. On the other hand, what she wants is to destroy the sun stone that provides his power, which will end his heroic career and end the post-mortem existence of his dad, the previous Rogue Sun. It’s a true quandary, made worse by the fact that his parents can’t actually hear one another arguing, and are yelling at him at the same time. (That part is a little too real.) Dylan finally makes his difficult decision, but then has to deal with the repercussions of his decision, which makes up about the last quarter of the issue. Dealing with the fallout requires the help of his half-sister, who, you may recall, tried to kill him a couple of issues ago, his father’s second wife, and the local witch, but also sets up the new Rogue Sun status quo.

KIND OF A JARRING ENDING

The resolution of this issue has a lot of rough edges and moments that don’t feel like they organically happen, which is definitely due to the pacing. And not only the pacing of this issue, but the second half of this arc, as issues #4 and #4 have similar pacing stumbles. The new status quo, which is 100% necessary thanks to the events of the issue, feels a bit rushed, as though we missed some important moments along the way. Abel’s art is very good during the extended battle/parental conflict sequence, which does help to sell the stakes, but it’s somewhat less so in the non-fight portions of the issue. A conflict with high school bullies that ends the issue is particularly fraught, with cartoonish proportions and MASSIVE heads that don’t really read as teenagers at all.

BOTTOM LINE: GETTING THERE

Even with those complaints, I enjoyed Rogue Sun #6 as the big wrap-up issue for the first arc, with art that works more often than it doesn’t, and, more importantly, where it most NEEDS to, and a story that has all the important beats, even if the rhythm feels awkward, earning 3 out of 5 stars overall. I picked up number one after the Super-Massive crossover issue, only to get poleaxed by a storyline swerve, and I hope that wherever Dylan’s adventures go from here, they can keep providing that level of surprise.

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ROGUE SUN #6

60%

60%

That Was Unexpected

This issue's script could have used a little more room to breathe, but it was effective, in a bleak sort of way. With another arc or two under their belt, this book can be something truly excellent.

• Writing

  5
• Art

  7
• Coloring

  6
• User Ratings (0 Votes)
  0