Talking ‘Rogue Trooper’ And The Christmas Prog With Writer Geoffrey D. Wessel

War isn’t a place for anyone, let alone a child, yet it’s a child that Rogue Trooper runs into in writer Geoffrey D. Wessel and artist Simon Coleby‘s story, “Runaway” for 2000 AD’s Christmas prog. For more on what it was like writing Rogue Trooper, check out this interview with Wessel below:

Rachel Bellwoar: In your personal pantheon of top 2000 AD characters, how high does Rogue Trooper rank?

Geoffrey D. Wessel: Oh, definitely a top five character in 2000 AD’s roster. One of the most distinct and iconic looking characters, for sure, and the striking art and design by Dave Gibbons lured me in when I was first getting into the worlds of 2000 AD in the wake of discovering Judge Dredd as a youth.

When Tharg asked me to write Rogue Trooper for this issue, I was honored, and floored too, that I was asked to take on a top shelf character and series. Best part, it was a lot of fun to do, and I hope to do more with Rogue and his cohorts! 

Bellwoar: While there’ve been a few more think pieces written about the phenomenon lately, in light of TV shows like Game of Thrones and The Mandalorian, there’s always been an enduring appeal to pairing-up tough cookies with children. What made you want to pair Rogue Trooper up with a child in this story (and a child from the Nort, unlike Rogue, who is a Souther)?

Wessel: Pairing children up with the heroes is a time-honored (if not highly questionable!) trope in popular fiction, especially in comics. I mean, see also the kid/teen sidekick phenomenon. And of course, one of the finest works of comic fiction ever produced, Kozure Okami / Lone Wolf & Cub.

Really, though, what lead me to it was the initial idea of the runaway Waldo, which then lead to the title of the story. I then realized that everyone in the story should be running away from something, therefore you have the Waldo out of control, Rogue on the run from Milli-Com as he hunts the Traitor General… so I figured the central focus of the narrative should be a runaway from his settlement, going to join up with the Nort army.

As to why Temu, a Nort instead of a Souther, like Rogue, I just thought it would be more interesting to show the argument for just why anyone should not just run away and join the army to fight on a poisoned planet than someone from the Souther side, because you also have Gunnar’s antagonism to the whole idea, and there’s some internal dramatic tension there too. 

Bellwoar: I really enjoyed the narration in this story, which almost gives it the feel of a children’s book with a moral at the end. Was that intentional?

Wessel: Yes, it was, and in its own way, it’s a holiday story, for the year-end holiday Prog. Including, as you say, a moral, and a Christmas miracle in its own right.  

Bellwoar: With Rogue Trooper, a lot of time has to be spent reestablishing that his gun, helmet, and bag talk and have their own personalities. Is it difficult, finding the right balance between making the story accessible to new readers but also keeping the plot moving?

Wessel: I wouldn’t say it’s “difficult” per se, but it’s also very easy to get in the weeds of your own head, and unconsciously forget that not everyone knows what you know about the backgrounds of characters and situations. It’s still true that every comic can potentially be someone’s very first one, so it is helpful to keep that in mind when writing a long-serving character like Rogue.  

Bellwoar: It’s been said that it’s scarier when a monster is teased out rather than shown all at once. Did you enjoy teasing out the Waldo in this story, and keeping him slightly hazy and distant?

Wessel: Very much so, and Simon did a WONDERFUL job of doing just that, whilst also conveying the menace of it throughout the strip. It was a real honor to work with Simon on “Runaway.” I never thought in a million years someone of his stature would have drawn it, and yet there we were working together.

A dream come true to have one of the preeminent Rogue Trooper artists of all time do this strip. And yes, building up the mystery and tension is always great fun, especially when it leads to the big reveal at the end!

Bellwoar: Thanks for agreeing to this interview, Geoffrey!

2000 AD Prog #2362 is on sale now from 2000 AD.