Rogue Trooper
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Rogue Trooper was a science fiction strip in British comic book 2000 AD, created by Gerry Finley-Day and Dave Gibbons. It followed the adventures of Rogue, a G.I. (or Genetic Infantryman, a genetically modified, blue-skinned, manufactured elite soldier) and his three comrades (in the form of "biochips", into which a G.I.'s entire personality is downloaded at the time of death for later retrieval) -- Gunnar, mounted on Rogue's rifle, Bagman, on his backpack, and Helm, on his helmet. He is immune to every poison gas known of in the story. His skin is not affected by strong acid.
The strip is set on Nu-Earth, where a perpetual war between the Norts and Southers is being fought. The Souther high command deploy their secret weapon, the Genetic Infantry, but a traitor betrays them to the Norts and they are massacred.
With Rogue the only surviving G.I., he goes AWOL in order to track down the Traitor General responsible. Along the way he thwarts numerous Nort schemes, discovers and inadvertently destroys the only portion of Nu-Earth not contaminated by chemical weapons, and is betrayed by every female character he encounters.
This quest continued from 1981 until 1985, when the G.I. had his final confrontation with the traitor general and Finley-Day ceased writing the strip. Since then Simon Geller, Steve White, John Smith and Gordon Rennie have all taken up the reins, with varying degrees of success.
In the mean time Rogue has been the subject of constant fan discussion, with subjects ranging from the utility of Helm (is he just a "fancy talking hat", or does he have sensors and communications gear?) and the existence, or not, of the clone warrior's gonads.
The Rogue Trooper Boardgame was released in 1987 by Games Workshop. A computer game for the Amiga and Atari ST was also made in 1991 by Krisalis Software.
Rebellion Developments, owners of 2000 AD, are currently working on a new Rogue Trooper game.
External links
- 2000 AD Profile (http://www.2000adonline.com/?zone=thrill&page=profiles&choice=rogue)
- Rogue Trooper - 1st Episode (http://www.2000adonline.com/?zone=thrill&page=thrillviewer&choice=rogue)