After reading the new Marvel Heroines novel, Rogue: Untouched, I had a chat with author Alisa Kwitney about what it was like writing for one of the most iconic X-Men. Full review for Rogue: Untouched can be found here.
How long have you been a fan of the X-Men, and what is it about them that appeals to you?
I was an X-Men reader back in college, in the eighties, so I met them in their original Chris Claremont incarnation. I immediately fell in love with the romantic soap opera element, combined with all these weighty philosophical and psychological ingredients. In the nineties I was also reading Alpha Flight and the New Mutants.
What made you pick Rogue for this story, what about her character and story that drew you to her?
I’ve always wanted to write Rogue. I love that she’s so snarky and vulnerable and powerful. A lot of female superhero characters are more emotionally balanced than their male counterparts, and I’ve always been drawn to characters that are weird and charismatic and a little neurotic. I love watching TV shows like Fleabag and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, and my goal is to write characters that feel emotionally authentic, but to write them with as much humour as possible.
Was it hard to delve into the backstory of such an established character, one who has sometimes some very conflicting background and origins, or were you given a lot of free reign to do what you wanted?
Well, I had a lot of free reign, but yet still I accidentally broke from my approved outline like a runaway horse. I blame the pandemic. My Aconyte editor was incredibly kind, and allowed me to write Marvel a letter explaining why I had deviated from the outline and asking for retroactive approval. But I would definitely not recommend any writers try this at home with their Marvel prose novels.
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| Chris Claremont's X-Men |
The story brings in some other characters from the Marvel Universe, some very niche and not very well known ones too, were there any characters that you wanted to use but couldn’t find a way of fitting them into the story?
Not really. I would love to write other X-Men, like Kitty Pryde, but I was very focused here on choosing characters who would serve the story. I was just so happy that I was able to write a Rogue and Gambit love story with full-on secrets and jealousy and weird twists. In retro 80’s terms, I got to write a glam Dynasty meets body horror Reanimator—with some celebrity Love Boat cameos thrown in.
Your book takes some characters that have often been used as villains in the X-Men lore and have given them a more heroic or at least nuanced take, showing them to have motivations beyond ‘being evil’. Was it important to you that these characters be more than just one dimensional bad guys?
I don’t believe in Pure Good against Unadulterated Evil, so I can’t really write it. Even my favourite horror novels, like Rosemary’s Baby, have nuanced villains. (I’m not talking about Satan here, I’m talking about Rosemary’s hubsand, who is the real villain of the story.) The X-Men also lend themselves to nuanced storytelling, because one of the central conflicts is the question of how mutants should respond to human prejudice. Some mutants want to prove that they are allies, and others feel that humans will always view mutants as a threat, so there is no way to co-exist without mutants asserting their power and claiming the upper hand. No one is just moustache twirling and seeking wealth and power.
The book features the first meeting between Rogue and Gambit, and sows the seeds for their romance. Was it hard creating the start of one of the more iconic comic romances but making it feel fresh and new to your own story?
I love writing the spark and dance of early courtship, so it wasn’t hard at all. There’s a lot of rom com in both my superhero prose stories, but it’s umami rom com. I’ve written a lot of courtship stories in prose, but getting to try my hand at Rogue and Gambit was definitely a bucket list wish.
After this would you want to continue Rogues story, or do you feel like you’ve told the story you wanted to tell with her?
I’m not sure. I loved writing Rogue, but I do have a fun idea for what happens next. On the other hand, I’ve got a lot of other projects I’m eager to do as well, and there’s never enough time to write them all!
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| Alisa's DC graphic novel, Mystic U. |
Are there any other X-Women you’d like to write for other than Rogue, any heroes or villains that you’d like to give the same treatment to?
Off the top of my head, I would love write to Kitty Pryde. I’d also love to write new versions of Shanna the She Devil and the Cat, feminist icons from my childhood. After WandaVision, I’d also love to do an Agatha Harkness book.
If people enjoyed this book what else of yours can they check out to give them a similar experience?
My Avengers prose novel, which is also a full cast audio book, has some similar feels. I’ve also been told that all my books, no matter the genre, are recognizably mine because of the voice. Mystik U, which is a DC Comics graphic novel featuring Zatanna, might also be fun for readers who enjoyed Rogue.
What can we expect to see from you next?
I’m currently working on a humorous time travel comic book mini-series with the artist Alain Mauricet for AHOY comics. I’m also starting Endless, a new podcast about the Sandman comics, with my friend, story expert Lani Diane Rich. The podcast will be a good preparation for the upcoming Netflix Sandman TV series.
Anyone interested in seeing more of Alisa's work can head over to her website to find more on her back catalogue.
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