Review by Frank Plowright

Only missing the five chapter story ‘Re-Gene’ separates this collection from the earlier Rogue Trooper: Tales of Nu Earth Volume 02, and that story presumably appears in The Complete Collection 3. Otherwise this combines what was earlier collections Eye of the Traitor and To the Ends of Nu-Earth. However, what differentiates The Complete Collection is the restoration of colour to some strips.

Once again the star factor is the art provided by Cam Kennedy, at first alternating with Brett Ewins and Spanish artist Rafael Boluda Vidal, but seeing out the collection with a long run as the sole artist (allowing for interruptions from stories prepared for annuals and specials). Kennedy provides the grit the war aspects require, supplies iconic opening panels of Rogue, and rejoices in any change of scenery, really shining with the SF elements. Boluda is only credited by his middle name, and certainly also talented, but doesn’t maximise the visual possibilities as well as Kennedy. The unfortunate truth, though, is Kennedy giving the wrong impression by disguising what are often mediocre rambling stories.

As seen in Complete Collection 1, Gerry Finley-Day’s excellent conceptual mind created Rogue accompanied by his former comrades reduced to computer chips, and continues to supply interesting ideas, yet can’t make interesting stories from them. Rogue training Souther officers, flashbacks to his past, and the recurring Venus Bluegenes are all well conceived, but Finley-Day will always take the plot for a walk rather than focus on the idea.

Kennedy draws the hell out of the two exceptions, raising them both still further. ‘Gasbah’ is almost a Star Wars interlude, benefiting from Rogue’s interaction with folk other than his chipped comrades, and a tight plot. Better still is the relative complexity of ‘You Only Die Twice’ in which Gunnar’s chip is restored to a body. For once Finley-Day doesn’t let a serial run away from him, and the growing suspicions and tensions provide a fine mood.

Elsewhere Finley-Day’s plots wander, fail to maximise their potential and are prone to repetition. Rogue’s continuing obsession is the capture of the officer who sold him and his fellow Southers out during the Quartz Massacre. This individual appears several times, yet always manages to elude final capture, mostly due to improbable convenience. Unconvincing dialogue is another never solved problem.

While Finley-Day writes almost everything, the strips for annuals and specials were turned over to others, which is why Alan Moore is noted as contributing. Even early in his career Moore knows how to focus on the core idea better than Finley-Day does, and he has the creativity to add to Rogue’s backstory, but despite some nice character art from Jesus Redondo this is still filler.

There’s a lot of great Kennedy art here, but in story terms surely most readers will expect more than they’re given.