There’s no denying that Gambit is one of the most popular X-Men on the planet. Part of that is because he helped fill the role of “mysterious loner” that Wolverine was starting to grow out of at the time, and most of it is due to his whirlwind romance with Rogue. Thanks to appearances on X-Men: The Animated Series and X-Men ’97, not to mention Channing Tatum fulfilling a lifelong role by portraying him in Deadpool & Wolverine and the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday, Remy LeBeau’s star has never shined brighter. It’s the perfect time for Gambit: Wanted #1 to make its debut.
Set before the events of Uncanny X-Men #270, Gambit: Wanted #1 finds Remy LeBeau at a crossroads. Having returned a de-aged Storm to the X-Men, he now struggles with a decision over whether to join the mutant heroes or to continue his path as a thief. Things get out of hand when one of his fellow thieves, Elodie, gets in over her head during a poker game. Though Gambit saves her, the head of said poker game, Suzerain, takes this personally and hires a mercenary to track down the Ragin’ Cajun. That mercenary just happens to be Bullseye!
Gambit: Wanted #1 will more than likely catch readers’ eyes due to the involvement of Chris Claremont. Claremont’s work on the X-Men is legendary at this point, as he’s scripted iconic stories like the Dark Phoenix Saga and Days of Future Past in addition to co-creating iconic mutants like Gambit, Rogue, and Kitty Pryde. He’s also responsible for kick-starting the X-Men “flashback” series that continues to this day with entries like X-Men: Outback and Psylocke: Ninja. Claremont’s prose remains lengthy, yet laden with meaning as fans will get a good look at Gambit’s inner monologue, which showcases that he’s not as cold-hearted as he’d like people to believe. As Professor Xavier so eloquently put it in the finale of X-Men: The Animated Series: “How many times must the scoundrel prove himself a hero, before he believes it himself?”
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This is especially true when Gambit and Bullseye first come to blows. Anyone who’s read Bullseye’s appearances, particularly in Daredevil stories, knows that anything becomes a weapon in his hands. So Claremont highlights the advantages Gambit has, both in his superpowers and the fact that he’s far more athletic. In a series of pages, Gambit not only manages to wrap his signature trench coat around Bullseye’s hands and immobilize him, but also peppers him with a flurry of cards that has a truly explosive result.
Such a scene is brought to life by Robert Gill, who perfectly captures Gambit on every page. It’s not just his trademark costume, with the silver boots and black-and-purple ensemble, but the way he moves: confident, with a purpose behind every step. In contrast, Bullseye is forever stamped with a psychopath’s grin and stands out thanks to his black-and-white costume. A writer of Claremont’s caliber deserves a top tier artist to work with, and Gill definitely proves himself to be top tier.
Topping off the art is Bryan Valenza, who brings rich hues that truly highlight the vibrant workings of New Orleans. Surprising no one, the color that Valenza uses the most is purple. From Gambit’s purple bodysuit to the crackling violet energy that surrounds his eyes and hands whenever he uses his powers, there’s a lot of purple in this comic. It even shows up in Ariana Maher’s captions, giving Gambit a unique voice. To her credit, Maher also captures Gambit’s signature style of speech.
Gambit: Wanted #1 opens a door into the Ragin’ Cajun’s past, as Chris Claremont and Robert Gill deliver the comic book equivalent of a solid opening hand. Now the question remains: will they pull off a royal flush?
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