So this scene ends up making the hinted at “menage a trois” between Hal Jordan, Huntress, and Lady Blackhawk in DC’s Cry For Justice look tame in comparison.
Ragnell of the Written Word blog summed the problem up best.
The point is that since human contact was such a rare and idealized experience for Rogue, an event like the loss of her virginity is certifiably a Big $$%#%$# Deal. It is a monumental experience for this character. It is her story more than anything else, because it is a moment that she has been denied all her life. It is a Rite of Passage that long boarded off to Rogue (with little detour signs leading to “Experience Prejudice”, “Prove One’s Valor in Combat”, and “Absorb the Memories, Powers and Life Force of An Entire Other Person”), and she expresses the pain of that roadblock in every appearance. Breaking through that roadblock, whether it’s through a temporary depowerment, or a forcefield, or a character powerful enough that she doesn’t completely absorb him, is a major life experience for Rogue. It is something that should affect her for the rest of her appearances, making the event she can never experience now be something she misses and giving her a comforting memory when confronted by the cold reality that she can’t even shake hands.This scene, like when the Thing says he was consoled by the Sentry after witnessing a supervillain destroy a bus full of children (Chris Sims said it best: “Welcome the Heroic Age, everybody”) or Tony saying the Sentry helped him when he was dealing with alcoholism (I’m surprised he’s stayed sober for so long, considering how often it gets brought up) serves only to make Robert Reynolds look as super-awesome as possible. Heck, a simple line like “No, I don’t think it went that far” would have been a good idea. First, there is that one little nagging detail that…
It is noteworthy enough that it deserves a three-issue mini-series with romance-novel style covers, a lush exotic locale, a tender build-up of affections and at the very least a soft silhouetted kiss then a fade to black. Then, most importantly, the fallout. The incredibly important reason why she did not stay with the person that could actually touch her every day for the rest of her life. Was it his choice or her choice? If it was his choice, how did she take it? If it was her choice, why? Because the reason for giving up the thing you want more than anything else in your life says a hell of a lot about what kind of person you are.
Even now that she can control her powers (again, not sure how long this will last before someone wants tragic Rogue back), the loss of her virginity is still an important event for her because physical intimacy is something that was denied to her so long. It is at the very LEAST something that needs to be covered in her own book and not any other character’s. We’re talking about the fulfillment of a lifelong dream of Rogue’s here, something more special for her than the other character who might be involved for a laundry list of reasons.
But instead this event is implied not in any of Rogue’s wistful memories, not in the most private thoughts that comfort her in her darkest moments, but in a half-page tribute to the $#%$#%#$%# Sentry.
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If Stan Lee and Jack Kirby had wanted to do a Superman character, they'd have done one. It would have been a terrible idea, so they didn't. Along comes zombie marvel aka Disney Comics and the Sentry slides out.
