Super Saturday: Parallels

Ever notice how very similar the backstories are for Rom the Spaceknight and Beta Ray Bill? I must be a sucker for that theme, because I like them both.






(Pages from Rom #1, Bill Mantlo writer, Sal Buscema artist, 1979; and Thor #340, Walt Simonson writer/artist, 1983.)

Super Saturday: Rogue's First Kiss

Trivia Question: Who was Rogue's first kiss in Marvel publication history? Hint: It's the most awesome possible character, of course. (Scroll down to see who it is...) Hell yeah, it's ROM THE SPACEKNIGHT!!! (Fooled ya, maybe?)

This is Rom #32, which I believe is just Rogue's third appearance ever as a character. She first appeared in Avengers Annual #10 (August 1981), then Uncanny X-Men #158 (June 1982), and then here in Rom #32 (July 1982). Of course, the kiss doesn't really do anything because Rom's an alien cyborg -- although the follow-up panels give Rogue a stunned expression, with a caption that says it's her first experience with true decency, and, "She finds that she... likes it." Which leads Siskoid over at Blog of Geekery to conclude: "There you have it, folks: Rom is so The Man that one kiss from him turned Rogue to the Light Side of the Force." Man, I love me some Rom. (I mean, not in that sense. Not that there's anything wrong with it.) Big thanks to Siskoid for the Rom retrospective and scans. Edit: Fooled you again! Via the comments, poster Agent of W.E.R.Q., points out that Rogue actually did kiss someone in the earlier Avengers Annual -- Captain America, while unconscious, successfully stealing his powers. Mea culpa. Well, it was nice to think about!

Super Saturday: Thor Puzzler #5

Question: Exactly what is the relationship between Balder and Sif?

Answer: What I refer to as the "Reverse Skywalker".



(Pages from JIM/Thor #102, 144. Plot/writer Stan Lee. Penciler Jack Kirby. Dates 1964, 1967.)