Gambit: Wanted #2
Writer: Chris Claremont
Artist: Robert Gill
Colorist: Bryan Valenza
Cover Artist: Leinil Francis Yu and Romulo Fajardo Jr.
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Gambit versus Bullseye, round two. Place your bets!
Anyone know Daredevil's number? He might want to get in on this…
I Never Miss
We begin with a flashback to several months prior. Gambit (Remy LeBeau) is teaching 'Ro (a de-aged Storm) and Elodie (a street urchin girl that Remy has taken under his wing) how to fight. Elodie possesses a large amount of potential, but her temper gets the better of her. The child called 'Ro fares much better, almost getting the better of Gambit and forcing him to play dirty. The three of them almost feel like a family.
In the present, Bullseye—the deadly assassin whose life Gambit saved last issue—attacks Elodie and the other street kids. Although Remy has taught her well, the girl is no match for the assassin, and she is beaten. Bullseye brings her before the mysterious woman named Suzerain, who is very interested in both Elodie and Gambit.
While trying to get the kids to safety, Gambit is confronted by Bullseye, who wants a rematch. The fight is evenly matched, but Remy is able to gain the upper hand… until the two men are interrupted by an altered Elodie that wants to take Gambit down and bring him to "her queen!"
Gambit soon learns that Suzerain has not only taken and altered Elodie, but also several other women from his past. In order to free the young girl from the villain's control, will Gambit have to surrender himself—and his soul?
Deuces Wild
Sometimes you just want an old-fashioned story, without all the bells and whistles that we expect today.
So far Gambit: Wanted manages to scratch that itch.
I've been a fan of Gambit since I first picked up a copy of Chris Claremont and Jim Lee's X-Men #1 (my very first X-Men comic ever!) in 1991. As someone who was never the biggest fan of Wolverine, the Ragin' Cajun became my "mysterious man with a dark past" of choice. Over the years, as they pulled back more and more of his layers, he still managed to hold on to much of his mystique. But even at that, the character as he exists today is very different than the one that tween me fell in love with decades ago.
Which makes it nice to be able to go back to a simpler time for the character.
No X-Men. No Rogue. No Mr. Sinister. No dragon curse.
Just a mutant thief with more of a heart than he cares to admit.
The rematch between Gambit and Bullseye this issue wasn't as good as their fight in issue #1—but that fight had the advantage of being completely unexpected. This one we knew was inevitable, and even then it was still pretty cool to watch. I do wonder if maybe Gambit fared a little too well against the assassin who has given Daredevil so much trouble over the years, but I guess you get to be extra awesome when it's your name on the cover of the book. And it's not like Gambit is a slouch in the fighting department anyway.
A large portion of the issue was devoted to fighting. Gambit teaching Elodie and 'Ro (I have to admit, I chuckled at the idea of a flashback in what is effectively a flashback series in the first place), Elodie and Bullseye, Gambit and Bullseye. Each one brings its own stakes, which keeps the issue from feeling repetitive.
I'm confused as to what Suzerain is doing to the women under her power, or how she knew who else to grab in order to cause Gambit maximum pain. I guess that's just one of the powers of being the main villain for the story? I am intrigued to see where the story goes from here, and what effect being under her power will have on certain characters.
Dealer's Choice
When it comes to the X-Men, Chris Claremont is the master. By going back to an earlier, simpler time for the character, he is able to zone in on the classic portrayal of his creation, Gambit, and tell a tale that still gives us insight into the Cajun. He paces the story very well, using the initial flashback to establish Remy's relationship with Elodie before pulling the rug out from under them. The fight with Bullseye is plotted smartly, giving both characters a chance to shine. And although I didn't read the last miniseries that he wrote for Gambit, Claremont did a good job explaining who the women from Remy's past were so that I didn't feel lost or confused by their presence.
Robert Gill's art works well for the story being told here. His character designs look somewhat similar to cover artist Leinil Francis Yu, but he has a different sense of motion that he brings to the issue's many action scenes. He choreographs them all well, with the camera angles and panel layout making everything easy to follow. Suzerain's mutated women look strange and awkward at points, but their appearances are bizarre and unusual, so the unnatural dimensions may go along with that.
The color work by Bryan Valenza maintains a little bit of a darker tone to it, which fits the look of the old comics this story is supposed to take place in. It also fits the darker and less overtly heroic feel of Gambit's world at this point in his life. Even the purple of his armor, which is normally done in a bright metallic tone, is kept much more muted and almost dirty here. You could read this comic right alongside the original Gambit issues of Uncanny X-Men, and it would fit right in, visually.
Call Your Bluff
Gambit: Wanted #2 is another solid issue from Chris Claremont and Robert Gill that tells a "lost story" from the Cajun X-Man's past. It features the strong character work and dialogue that Claremont is known for, and gives a terrific action scene in the form of Gambit versus Bullseye, round two. Things take a bit of a turn when Suzerain's plan is revealed, and things don't look good for our favorite thief at this point.