Gambit: Wanted #3
Writer: Chris Claremont
Artist: Robert Gill
Colorist: Bryan Valenza
Cover Artist: Leinil Francis Yu and Romulo Fajardo Jr.
Publisher: Marvel Comics
It's an interesting choice, at the midpoint of a character-focused miniseries, to shift the focus largely to one of the supporting cast. But that's just what we get this issue.
It's a bold move, Cotton. Let's see if it pays off.
Training Day
In order to free his protege Elodie from Suzerain's control, Gambit offered himself up instead. So now the mutant thief is covered in energy spikes and responding to the mysterious woman's commands. Her first order? Capture Elodie anyway, promises of letting her go be damned.
Fortunately, Elodie has been a good student of Remy's many lessons, and she is able to hold her own against her mentor. That is, until the arrival of the woman called Bounty, who is also in Suzerain's service (apparently everyone in New Orleans at this point in time is?).
Will Gambit be able to break free of Suzerain's control, and what secret about Elodie has he been keeping from the girl?
Not Like the Others
Things took a bit of an unexpected turn this time around.
We spend the entire issue inside Elodie's head instead of Remy's with most of the narration looking back at these events from some time in the future.
By seeing Gambit from his protege's perspective, we are able to see just how formidable he is—as a tracker, as a thief, as a fighter. Fortunately, Elodie is no slouch herself, having taken his many lessons to heart. Most of the issue is a game of cat-and-mouse between the two, and it's well done for the most part.
By changing the primary viewpoint to Elodie, we have no idea what is going on in Gambit's head while they fight. Is he aware of what he's doing? Does he have any control over his own body at all? How exactly does he finally break free of Suzerain's control? We don't know, which is a nice way to keep some air of mystique around a character who has had most of his layers peeled back over the years.
There's part of me that wants to grumble about how easily Elodie was able to get the better of him at several points in the fight, especially after him giving Bullseye a run for his money previously. But since we don't know how in control of his own mind he was, I can shrug it off as him not really being himself during the fight. Plus, she used a few tricks that she picked up from young Storm, and there's no way Remy would have been expecting that.
Now if there's something here I do have a real issue with, it's the revelation that Elodie is a mutant. Seriously, is it possible for the X-Men to swing a dead cat and even that not end up being a mutant (admit it, you're curious what kind of power a dead cat would have)? It's as bad as 90% of Spider-Man's supporting cast getting superpowers. Isn't anyone allowed to be just ordinary anymore? Where have all the "regular" people gone?
Ahem. I digress.
Not only do I not understand why Elodie had to be a mutant, but apparently Gambit knew and didn't tell her? That's so very not cool. And just how did he get enough of his marbles back to transfer the energy back to her, or whatever he did, which is very unclear? Just way too deus ex machina for my taste, and it actually left a bit of a sour taste in my mouth.
On Bourbon Street
Chris Claremont tells a good story for the most part here, and I do like that Elodie's voice is distinct from Remy's. Sometimes a series like this changes narrators, and there wasn't a note telling you who was talking; you wouldn't know it was a different person. That's not the case here, and that's a good thing. The pacing of this mostly-chase issue is handled well; I just really dislike the resolution to the fight and the revelation of Elodie's mutant heritage. Just poorly handled.
Robert Gill's art continues to work well for this series, with plenty of kinetic movement and hand-to-hand action here. I'm not crazy about the look for the "possessed" Gambit; the spikes everywhere look silly. And why does everyone get really sharp teeth when they're changed? It's just weird. There are some brutal hits exchanged when Elodie and Remy throw down, and that adds to the feeling of desperation as she struggles to beat her mentor.
Bryan Valenza's colors keep the more subdued tones of an older comic, like the ones published during the time period this story takes place in. He still brings modern effects to things like Gambit's spikes and his normal powers, which make them stand out. I actually wish New Orleans was a little brighter than he's got it here. Everything just feels a little too dark for the city that never stops—especially during Mardi Gras—and it hurts the atmosphere a little bit.
Laissez Less Bons Temps Rouler
Gambit: Wanted #3 isn't quite as strong an issue as the previous two, with our lead spending the issue possessed while his protege takes over narration duties. There's still plenty of kinetic action and a couple of cool moments, but a deus ex machina finish and an out-of-nowhere reveal drag things down a bit. Hopefully things will get back on track once Remy is himself again, and the remainder of his miniseries can finish strong.