Rogue Sun #35: An Action Shocker

Action is the order of the day in Rogue Sun #35. The issue is built around Dylan’s attempt to rescue Byron following their recent college trip. It effectively concludes that story arc, spinning Dylan off in a surprising direction by the end of the issue.

Rogue Sun #35’s stakes are high. This starts with the danger to Byron, Dylan’s only friend. They increase considerably as a result of Dylan’s mother’s involvement. She is trying to play both sides of the conflict, helping Hellbent against Dylan on the idea that making Dylan give up the Sun Stone will allow him to have a safe, normal life. The result is a kind of divided loyalty that makes the action story less straightforward. Parrott and Cotton build more nuance in the conflict between the two of them than between Dylan and Hellbent. It’s a nicely layered action sequence.

Aurie and Dylan’s reunion is welcome. Their recent separation allowed for two interesting storylines to be told, but there is a fun dynamic between the two when they are both in a fight. Aurie and Cotton are already very different characters, and Parrott and Cotton do a good job preserving that difference when they are in action as Rogue Sun. They always provide a nice counter balance to the other.

Dynamic art is always the case when it comes to Rogue Sun’s action sequences. Abel delivers energetic poses and depictions of action are extremely easy to follow from one panel to the next. The result is a constant sense of movement during the fight between the two Rogue Suns, Dylan’s mother, and Hellbent. This makes Rogue Sun #35 a quick read, as action oriented issues of the series often are. But it’s also fun and, thanks to the emotional subtext between Dylan and his mother, narratively complex.

The strong art in Rogue Sun #35 isn’t limited to the compelling and dynamic action. The issue ends in a surprising way that results in a few lower key, more emotional pages. Abel conveys emotions extremely well in these final pages. There is never an overload of detail on characters’ faces. Expressiveness comes largely from mouths and eyes with only slight extra detail for conveying more extreme emotions. The work on Dylan is especially effective. Abel has a very strong handle on the character visually, and it’s especially good when it comes to the wider emotion swings consistent with a teenage character.

Marques’s coloring style for Rogue Sun is further on the vivid side, but what stands out are always the various costumes and abilities of the Rogue Suns and their adversaries. In an action heavy issue like this one, the results are rich, bright colors that grab the attention and focus it on the biggest action beats.

Rogue Sun is seldom heavy on sound effects, even during big action sequences. It’s a bit heavier handed here, though, and Carey does a good job attaching sound effects to actions that cause them. They radiate outward from a point of impact or follow the swoosh of a weapon. In the case of a big moment at the end of the fight, Carey’s work adds visual impact and energy.