Rogue Torpor

[2000AD Online]

So why was 'Rogue Trooper' so popular? We're pretty much agreed it was contrived, it was formulaic, yet despite such niggles, I always enjoyed it. Was it really a case of the art flattering the scripts?

To be honest, I'd rather 2000 AD put more effort into creating new strips than relying on former glories.

[Leigh S]

The concept of Rogue Trooper was almost always better than it's execution IMO.  Nu Earth is to Rogue what MC1 is to Dredd but it was very rarely used to it's full potential.  All the elements are there - treachery, revenge, the 'ghostly' prescence of Rogue's fallen comrades, giant and plain weird hardware -  GFD just wasn't a subtle enough writer to pull it off though.  Read the Alan Moore Rogues and you can see what this strip might have been...

[The Amstor Computer]

>>>Read the Alan Moore Rogues and you can see what this strip might have been...<<<

Amen, brother. I remember Moore's description of the biochips as "the electronic whispers of dead mens voices" and being struck with how *good* Rogue could actually be. In the right hands, the character & his world could go far beyond the pulpy war strip that it's been so far.

GFD's strips were nearly always good fun, but they were at their best when Rogue took a back seat. It was more interesting seeing the war on Nu-Earth from the perspective of the *men* who fought it, rather than the invincible trooper. He always struck me as a deeply sinister figure, a walking weapon - not the kind of guy who inspired trust.

Just like Dredd is best when he's in the background & the stories of the city take centre stage, so Rogue shows the most potential when he's just another rumour on the battlefield.