Topic: Gambit Watch 2023

[WhiteVeils]

Keeping this going. I really enjoyed Gambit's appearances in Captain Marvel 43-45 (and I presume 46 as well but I haven't read it yet).  Rogue has been captured by the Brood, and they're doing a rescue. Gambit is there to rescue Rogue, yes, but it's much more about Gambit than it is about Rogue.  Lots of callbacks to Mr. and Mrs. X.   There is hardly any Rogue in it at all.

Favorite Moments:


Gambit is trussed up with everyone else, who is unconscious and trapped in a power-borrowed Psylocke delusion with everyone else. He figures out the 'Rogue' in it is not real, and quietly tells Psylocke in the illusion (which is smart...yay for not making a big scene).  She stabs him with her psychic knife, which breaks him free of the delusion. He has an organic power inhibitor burrowing into his leg, as well as being chained up.  But, he has a knife and can cut himself free.  He realizes if he cuts the power inhibitor or the ties binding him, he'd notify the Brood he'd broken free, so he cuts his own flesh out of his leg in order to 'cut off' the power inhibitor.  This is 100% prime era gambit from way back when, and it was so good to see him being intelligent like this.


Another moment that was really nice: in the delusion, they are all in a galactic party.  Lorna and Psylocke and some of the others are watching Gambit leave them to go meet Rogue, who is waiting for him.  Lorna says, "Must be nice..." and the others start to tease her for lusting over Gambit, but Psylocke finishes Lorna's actual thought which was '...to be so loved.'  She wasn't lusting over Gambit...she was feeling jealous of Rogue.  I don't know why but it felt very romantic and made me feel fuzzy inside. Captain Marvel (2019) #45 | Comic Issues | Marvel

Anyway, it's been a great arc.

I am also reading X-treme X-men right now, which is fine for Gambit, but not as good.  It was interesting that they added there that Gambit has a group of street kids working for him now, keeping the peace and helping keeping other kids on the streets safe. /Not/ stealing.  X-Treme X-Men (2022) #2 | Comic Issues | Marvel

Also looking forward to Rogue and Gambit March 1.  We'll see. [size=78%]Rogue & Gambit (2023) #1 | Comic Issues | Marvel[/size]


All a little out of date until we get more, but if I'm missing any Gambit titles right now, let me know? Thank you!

[purplevit]

Small but a great showing for Gambit in X-Treme X-Men 3.
He appears, steal the show, make it fun and with style.







In X-treme 2 Claremont introduced 2 sidekicks for Gambit- 2 teen sisters from Thieves Guilds. Interesting why and what he planned with them.

[purplevit]

Keeping this going. I really enjoyed Gambit's appearances in Captain Marvel 43-45 (and I presume 46 as well but I haven't read it yet).  Rogue has been captured by the Brood, and they're doing a rescue. Gambit is there to rescue Rogue, yes, but it's much more about Gambit than it is about Rogue.  Lots of callbacks to Mr. and Mrs. X.   There is hardly any Rogue in it at all.

Favorite Moments:


Gambit is trussed up with everyone else, who is unconscious and trapped in a power-borrowed Psylocke delusion with everyone else. He figures out the 'Rogue' in it is not real, and quietly tells Psylocke in the illusion (which is smart...yay for not making a big scene).  She stabs him with her psychic knife, which breaks him free of the delusion. He has an organic power inhibitor burrowing into his leg, as well as being chained up.  But, he has a knife and can cut himself free.  He realizes if he cuts the power inhibitor or the ties binding him, he'd notify the Brood he'd broken free, so he cuts his own flesh out of his leg in order to 'cut off' the power inhibitor.  This is 100% prime era gambit from way back when, and it was so good to see him being intelligent like this.


Another moment that was really nice: in the delusion, they are all in a galactic party.  Lorna and Psylocke and some of the others are watching Gambit leave them to go meet Rogue, who is waiting for him.  Lorna says, "Must be nice..." and the others start to tease her for lusting over Gambit, but Psylocke finishes Lorna's actual thought which was '...to be so loved.'  She wasn't lusting over Gambit...she was feeling jealous of Rogue.  I don't know why but it felt very romantic and made me feel fuzzy inside. Captain Marvel (2019) #45 | Comic Issues | Marvel

Anyway, it's been a great arc.

I am also reading X-treme X-men right now, which is fine for Gambit, but not as good.  It was interesting that they added there that Gambit has a group of street kids working for him now, keeping the peace and helping keeping other kids on the streets safe. /Not/ stealing.  X-Treme X-Men (2022) #2 | Comic Issues | Marvel

Also looking forward to Rogue and Gambit March 1.  We'll see. [size=78%]Rogue & Gambit (2023) #1 | Comic Issues | Marvel[/size]


All a little out of date until we get more, but if I'm missing any Gambit titles right now, let me know? Thank you!

Cool review!
Yes. Cap Marvel is a good X-Men team book now.


I think that Gambit may appear in Duggan's X-Men 20-21 that is also Brood arc.
But will see. Duggan can't be trusted.

[remydat]

This has been my happiest day as a Gambit fan in a long time.  He was portrayed really well in both Captain Marvel and Xtreme.


Captain Marvel
It is not secret I was not a fan of Kelly Thompson.  I found her Romy book to be too heavily skewed towards Rogue and by the time she did let Gambit shine a bit the book was ending.  However, I must say here version of Gambit in this book has been well done.  Perhaps that is because Rogue is sidelined but Gambit is highly competent, clever, and has the respect of the team to the point that in today's issue he effectively serves as the field leader of one of the teams when they decide to split the teams.  The other thing that makes this great is that despite all of that, the other team members also get their moments to shine.  In some ways it felt like he was written a bit like Cyclops where he is surrounded by arguably more powerful teammates but they respect and listen to him because they recognize he has experience and a tactical mind.


Xtreme
This is 90s Gambit at his finest.  Cocky, confident and downright deadly in hand to hand combat.  If you followed the last issue a character named Beasty Brute essentially took Bishop and Sage out of commission and in this issue Wolverine seems to struggle a bit after initially appearing to defeat him.  Queue the Rajin Cajun who just bursts onto the seen and takes out the bad guy while ribbing and complimenting Wolverine in the same breath.  It is a testament to the character assassination that Gambit has experienced the past 2 decades that I was waiting for his cockiness to come back and bite him and for someone to take him out as he is strutting around the place like a peacock and was surprised when it never came.  Claremont's Gambit is just that badass.

[killphil]

I'm beginning to think Claremont has a very specific idea about Gambit's fighting style.

Generally I'd assume the writer leaves most of the action specifics to the artist, but Claremont seems to be dictating much more descriptive details for his artist to follow. I'm referring to the move where Gambit headlocks his opponent with his staff from behind and flips them over his back, faceplanting them into the ground.

X-Treme X-Men#42 from 2004 drawn by Igor Kordy:




Gambit#4 from last year drawn by Sid Kotian




And now this issue by Larroca:




3 different artists over a 20 year time span, drawing the exact same move. Never seen any other artist have Gambit doing this maneuver unless Claremont was writing.
 

[wantutosigh]

This is actually a good article.
https://screenrant.com/gambit-xmen-best-fighter-marvel-universe/

[remydat]

I'm beginning to think Claremont has a very specific idea about Gambit's fighting style.

Generally I'd assume the writer leaves most of the action specifics to the artist, but Claremont seems to be dictating much more descriptive details for his artist to follow. I'm referring to the move where Gambit headlocks his opponent with his staff from behind and flips them over his back, faceplanting them into the ground.

X-Treme X-Men#42 from 2004 drawn by Igor Kordy:




Gambit#4 from last year drawn by Sid Kotian




And now this issue by Larroca:




3 different artists over a 20 year time span, drawing the exact same move. Never seen any other artist have Gambit doing this maneuver unless Claremont was writing.

Good catch.  Noticed it too but didn't make the Claremont connection.

[killphil]

Is this new X-treme X-Men series supposed to be set in modern continuity or is it a story from the time the original series took place?

Everything about this series seems like it's from back in the day. The uniforms, Rogue being powerless and tattooed etc.


Edited:

I found another example (maybe) of that move but also another instance of Claremont's idea about Gambit's fighting style.

Contest of Champions 2 from 1999 by CC and Mike Ryan:




Wolverine breaks free so we never get to see Gambit finish this move or if Wolverine was intended to eat pavement. It's very similar nonetheless.
But also in the dialogue, there's this idea that Gambit understands pressure points and precision strikes.

Since Wolverine is so experienced and fully trained, we don't really get to see Gambit use his techniques to completion, but these concepts came back in last years Gambit series:




It's interesting to me that Claremont not only envisions Gambit as a superb fighter, but that he has a very unique way of engaging in combat.

[DonPriceTag]

Cool review!
Yes. Cap Marvel is a good X-Men team book now.


I think that Gambit may appear in Duggan's X-Men 20-21 that is also Brood arc.
But will see. Duggan can't be trusted.

Never trust the Duggan.

[remydat]

Is this new X-treme X-Men series supposed to be set in modern continuity or is it a story from the time the original series took place?

Everything about this series seems like it's from back in the day. The uniforms, Rogue being powerless and tattooed etc.

It is set at the end of the original XXM when Rogue still didnt have her powers back.

[andresa]

Gambit making two good appearances in the same week hasn’t happened in a long time. The only downside was that both showings were way too short but him having his voice in the right place and displaying some pretty awesome fighting skills was great to see. 

[WhiteVeils]

New article out today: https://aiptcomics.com/2023/02/20/x-men-monday-stephanie-phillips-gambit/

[andresa]

New article out today: https://aiptcomics.com/2023/02/20/x-men-monday-stephanie-phillips-gambit/

Rogue being the core of every answer comes as no surprise like no one would've guessed she is the protagonist with all the synopsis revolving around her. That's how imbalanced this is.


Phillips doesn't sound that much different from Thompson, who is a huge Rogue fan that also happens to like Gambit, especially with Rogue (at least Thompson can write a decent Gambit when Rogue is not the focus).


Also, those covers are awful with a few exceptions. Sucks that I always feel afraid instead of excited. 

[malachi]

Rogue being the core of every answer comes as no surprise like no one would've guessed she is the protagonist with all the synopsis revolving around her. That's how imbalanced this is.


Phillips doesn't sound that much different from Thompson, who is a huge Rogue fan that also happens to like Gambit, especially with Rogue (at least Thompson can write a decent Gambit when Rogue is not the focus).


Also, those covers are awful with a few exceptions. Sucks that I always feel afraid instead of excited.

Yeah the interview was suprisingly light on Gambit for being a Rogue&Gambit interview. Tough I really dislike these faux interviews. We send in questions and they can cut out parts they don't like or simply just gives us a halfassed answer if the question ends up being asked. It would have been so easy for the interviewer when they do the interview to notice that hey she hasn't really talked about Remy and what she likes with him, what is fun to write about him and so on.  Then simply ask her that specific question. I get that parts of the plot and so on might be locked tight from marvels side but questions about the 2 main characters and what she likes about them should be the bare essentials of a interview like this.

I want to be excited for this mini. I should be but so far I have very little to go on. Remy at odds with Rogue? sigh, again!. Remy bantering with manifold? I never warmed up to Eden during Hickmans avengers run, still it could be worse. That is it from a Gambit perspective so far. Comeone Marvel give me something to get excited over!

[DonPriceTag]

Yeah, this made it really hard to be excited over. I'm more interested in DNA's variant for issue 2 than I am... issue 1. That's weird. The whole thing sounds shallow. Its like another shot at a Rogue solo that they know cant get over with the writers they have so they just keep pinning Gambit to it. I don't get not using Gambit/Rogue lore in a Gambit/Rogue story. Manifold? Deathstrike? Just through sheer extension - the Spider-Man franchise characters makes more sense than either of them.