Abstract

The X-Men’s Rogue’s ability to absorb the powers and personality of others through “flesh-to-flesh contact” presents an affective figure for the queer potential of the X-Men’s meta- phor of mutancy as difference. Close readings of Rogue’s first appearance, Avengers Annual #10, and the end of her first major character arc, Uncanny X-Men #185, reveal that this affective figure for queerness is variable and derived from X-Men writer Chris Claremont’s ongoing engagement with feminist politics and theory.

Keywords queer theory, X-Men, comics, superheroes, affect