Gambit #5 review (forwarded)
Lynxa 101
contacted at ffba...@prodigy.com.
GAMBIT #5 REVIEW: S*P*O*I*L*E*R*S
This issue was absolutely awesome. The character study was one
of the best I've seen in an X-book in a long time. X-Cutioner's
personality finally comes alive and in the reflection of Carl's ego we see
the best analysis of Gambit and what makes him tick that's been done
to date in the comics.
If UXM and XM had character development like this, Marrow wouldn't be
some lump hanging over a shoulder for the last 3 issues.
So far GAMBIT has only gotten better with every issue.
RANDOM COMMENTS:
X-Cutioner:
X-Cutioner's comments on Rogue were a nice opening and I loved
the lies behind truths behind lies theme that ran through the whole
thing.
Prior to this X-Cutioner seemed to have little character and no brains nor
even twisted logic to what he did. Now he does. Making this a birthday
present to himself was absolutely logically warped based on what we
find out. And besides, he also got to spend his birthday with a pretty (or
is
it darned cute) girl. What more could he want?
It would have been nice to have noted somewhere though that X-Cutioner
once considered Rogue Cody's murderer. Maybe he checked into it
and got the facts and realizes now it was an accident? That would at
least fit in with the sense of honor Fabian created in X-Cutioner in this
story over him being "right" in his profession.
It will also be interesting to see what he will be like upon his return now
that he's had this moment of epiphany about what he's done so far with
his work and life.
The Professor:
Nice comments from him as well concerning how Gambit feels about what he's
done in comparision to the others. Remy just heaps the guilt and bitterness
on himself. The Professor's comments sounded more appeasing than factual
though. I don't think he and the others quite see it as the same yet,
although it is. It was a nice start of a discussion for them, but it would
help if the Professor backed it up as he's not been very good at
that in the past. Nor does he seem anything like this in the X-Books.
Interlude #1:
Interesting. Someone looking at the AoA Magneto and Rogue - AoA Gambit?
Legion? "All Great Truths began as Blasphemies?" I don't think it's Dark
Beast.
No one "sees" themselves in 3rd person that way nor is he is the least bit a
"grey"
character. Legion certainly could kick someone out of his mind and the
title New
Son would definitely have meaning with him but Fontenelle's already found
reading
Gambit is hard too. An older AoA Gambit surely would be even harder. And
older
Gambit's always make me think of the Witness. I like both ideas. Makes you
wonder how it ties to Xavier and Ryking and Black Womb. This was an
intriguing mystery whatever it's leading to and it's not forced or obvious.
Green Mist Lady:
She's *finally* growing on me. I want to know what she really wants from
Gambit. Fabian may get that silk purse out of that's sow's ear yet.
And finally we come up with a logical and so in-character reason why Gambit
hasn't told anyone about her. Yes, the Gambit 1/2 showed she was powerful
enough to threaten Rogue, but the truth is Gambit feels honor bound to her
for
what she did for him. Same as he does to New Son. Makes one wonder where
he gets this trait from? Hint: Go back to Gambit #4 and Jean-Luc's comment
on honor. I do love when things make sense. Seems like Gambit's as much
like his father as X-Cutioner is like his. Remy stands by his debt despite
how
the other treats him. And it just keeps getting him between a rock and a
hard place. You'd think it'd work for him just once. There is no glory in
honor.
And I still think that's how he got hooked up with Sinister in the first
place.
Gambit:
I'm enjoying the jokes, witty banter and cleverly serious insights.
We haven't seen this in Gambit in so long, and it was one of his
main characteristics in his early appearances. Rogue's got her
smart mouth back too and even X-Cutioner made me chuckle.
"Fanciest one I've ever seen." "Stargate?" "Mousetrap."
"I thought he was just a scavenger of discarded alien weapons"
"Make a bundle puttin his collection for sale on home shopping
network."
"Two at once? Not my style. Really" (ROTFL - one of the best
comments in the book. As much a character analysis as a joke.
Gambit's contridictions run deep. And his jokes about himself
usually are the true insights into who he really is as compared to
how he portrays (and sometimes thinks) himself to be. He's not
his reputation (it's his mask) yet most everyone buys the image
over the substance, even to an extent, Gambit himself.)
More directly to the point, X-Cutioner comments on Gambit's fear
of deserving everything that's happened to him and more. Gambit's
feelings of low self worth hide slickly beneath his veneer of Cajun bad
boy with not a care or moral concern in the world.
It was a nice touch to see the contrasts and common points X-Cutioner
has with Gambit. X-Cutioner's reputation (his mask) hides a lie.
Remy's hides the truth.
So I really enjoyed seeing Gambit through X-Cutioner's eyes. There
was both an understanding and hatred/jealousy of the Cajun. They both
have a inbred sense of honor and deep connections with their fathers. The
big differences besides their perspectives on what's important in life in
general
seem to come in why they hate themselves. Gambit feels inadequate as
a person. X-Cutioner feels inadequate as a professional. He's built his
whole life around that profession, being better at it than his father was
and then "fails" at it as his father did. Carl has no problem believing
he's
the good guy and is right but he keeps making mistakes in enforcing that
belief so he's not accomplishing his job. I got the feeling that's why he
hates Gambit. Gambit may not feel he has personal self-worth but he's
definitely reached the top of his profession and then some if his Interpol
file is inches thick and there's not one decent piece of evidence against
him
for any of that. That must be infuriating to someone like X-Cutioner for
someone he thinks beneath him to be so good at what he does..
The Battle:
Admittedly here was one of the few weaknesses of this story. Skroce's
fight scenes are seeming to flow better than they did in the first issues
but
still there are some gaps, confusion, and questions.
Just what are those shiny globes spitting lasers? Something makes me think
they are some weapon from another comic in the past, but we aren't told that
here and weren't in issue #4. At least put something in the scripting or
clue
us in some other way.
There was also the scene where Gambit's cards miraculously end up in the
back of their armor. I'm still not sure of what Skroce was trying to show.
Gambit dumped them out, and they got sucked in the back of the armor?
Gambit used slight of hand? Don't know. I also had to assume the finger
snap
was setting off the delay charge.
Still, Gambit looked in top form during the fight scene. He use to be able
to deflect bullets, it's about time he looked that tough again.
Gambit and Rogue:
As much as I want an indepth Gambit/Rogue story where they hash
out a few things, I think it's a bit soon considering what they've been
through recently. Here they were handled with a controled emotional
veneer of humor and wit to hide their feelings about each other that
because of pain, fear, hardship, and necessity have been held back
inside themselves. They need to re-establish the fun, warm
connection they had in those early days to start over in a way, to
show each other the emotion is still there, and to do so without either
running to or be the only issue in each other's lives.
(What's more Rogue needs to deal with her individual personal issues
like powers, past, fears, family, etc., in her own stories as well. There
are plenty of wonderful stories in my favorite stripe haired ex-terrorist
mutant bombshell who can't touch (yet - that's one of them). She's been
left out blowing in the wind in the X-books for **far** too long and needs
development there. Hint, hint, Marvel)
For Gambit and Rogue though, this issue was a wonderful simple start
to rebuilding the fun and attraction that made them the hottest couple
in comics. Their actions for each other and the looks in their eyes at the
end said all that needed to be said and had every bit the passion they've
always had. Hopefully it will be a new beginning without forgetting what
they've been through together and apart. It would be nice to see Gambit
and Rogue individually start dealing with issues so they can have a serious
discussion in the future. In the mean time, some fun moments between
them hanging around the mansion would be wonderful. When was the
last time the X-Men had a fun night out or had a casual moment of silliness?
It so was nice to see that in Gambit #1 with the other X-Men. Now I'd like
to see it with Rogue.
I will also note as a Rogue fan, it was also pleasant deja vu to see her
as intelligent, fiesty, and even wildly snippy again. The nyah, nyah,
nyah harkened back to a more fun loving Rogue who flirted, screamed
wah-hoo at the top of her lungs, danced between planes, and cracked
a few pretty witty sayings herself.
Interlude 2:
Along with the history already hinted at with the Antiquary, the thought
of an international body of Thieves is very credible. It's the basic
concept behind organized crime around the world. Contacts, secrecy and
family loyality. It makes sense to develop the Guilds as more powerful
and influential in the underworld in their way. Maybe the Assassin's
Guild has ties to other Assassin's organizations.
Overall this was a top notch comic that had a bit of everything smoothly
interfaced together for the most part. Definitely worth a least a couple of
rereads. I enjoyed it imensely and only hope for more of the same as we
head down to New Orleans for that southern specialty, pork BBQ.
Scott Lob
That is, if I have to take the subway here in NYC, I often pick up a comic at
the station and read it en route. (It's either that or talk to myself, and
that gets really boring...as you might imagine.)
Three days ago I stumbled onto GAMBIT #5, and I couldn't keep it to myself a
moment longer -- I LOVED THIS BOOK!
This was one of my favorite singel-issue comics of the past few years...which
is pretty incredible when you consider I created X-CUTIONER (in fact, Carl
Denti was actually the name of my psychology teacher in college!) and probably
came to the story with set of preconceived notions. But Fabian pulled it off
amazingly!
Fabian has used the Absentee-Father-as-profound-impact-on-character's-life on
more than one occassion, but never as effectively as he has here. And the way
he pulled off the Denti/X-Cutioner dichotomy, and then tied it into the his
birthday (in many ways this has all been about a painful "death" and rebirth
of the character as a result of the self-fullfilling events herein) was
excellent! If you haven't read this issue, do yourself a favor and go get it.
Again, it was one of the best examples of a great super hero story to have come
out of the Tomb Of Ideas in a while!
(To give you an example of how much I loved this story, it actually got me
thinking "If Marvel Idiotorial feels to the need to do yet another X - title
instead of making the existing x-titles better, they should really give Fabian
the elbow room to do an X-Cutioner ongoing! In just 22 pages, Fabian made this
marginal x-character more interesting and complex than many of the other Marvel
characters that have been gasping for characterization for years. At least
it'd be something different than another adjective in front of another X-book,
or another Unrevealed Story limited." )
Either way, Fabe, for what it's worth, I loved this issue!
Scott Lobdell
Joseph Harris
>
>Scott Lobdell
Fabian-
Does Scott win your review contest?? I forgot what the prize was, but I'm
willing to start writing some of my own if the swag is good!
--Joseph Harris
FabNic
>more than one occassion, but never as effectively as he has here
Of course, I plead mea culpa to the "absentee-father" syndrome (although many
of those situations were already inherited, obvious traits of the character in
question), but in THIS case, the military father angle was STEVE SKROCE's idea,
not mine, and I went along with it because it fit in nicely to the character of
Carl Denti and his situation.
As for an on-going X-CUTIONER book, Scott, you really would say anything to
rake in those royalty $, wouldn't you! ;-)
Thanks for the nice words, Scoot.
As for Joe Harris's question: sorry, but I had already decided and posted the
winning review before I read Scoot's. Although, since the "prize" every month
is an e-mail file with my original plot and script for the issue reviewed,
maybe I should send it to Scott anyway... I mean, just so he can learn how
it's done... ;-)
-- fabe
Marty Blase
FabNic wrote:
>
> maybe I should send it to Scott anyway... I mean, just so he can learn how
> it's done... ;-)
Two of xbookdom's best-known creators raggin' on each other in the middle of
a discussion? A third regularly responding to feedback month after month on
his own title?
What a cool newsgroup we got here. :)
- mb
Jefferson Eng
Marty Blase <mbl...@ncsa.uiuc.edu> wrote:
:Two of xbookdom's best-known creators [Scott Lobdell and Fabian N.] raggin'
:on each other in the middle of a discussion? A third regularly [I don't who
:the third one is you're talking about...] responding to feedback month after
:month on his own title?
:What a cool newsgroup we got here. :)
I hear rec.arts.drwho has loads of Doctor Who authors posting there. :-)
-
Jefferson Eng, member
The Peter Wisdom Rehabilitation Brigade:
The Tack on the Seat of X-Fandom Since 1996
_______________________________
"'Eureka' is Greek for 'this bath is too hot'." -Doctor Who
Truman1997
>:the third one is you're talking about...]
I think perhpas he's talking about Jay Faerber....
Scott the obscure
Lord of deXness
>
> In article <37497916...@ncsa.uiuc.edu>,
> Marty Blase <mbl...@ncsa.uiuc.edu> wrote:
>
> :Two of xbookdom's best-known creators [Scott Lobdell and Fabian N.]
> :[I don't who the third one is you're talking about...] responding to
> :feedback month after month on his own title?
>
> :What a cool newsgroup we got here. :)
>
> I hear rec.arts.drwho has loads of Doctor Who authors posting there.
Oh, DON'T get me started on the many reasons why this newsgroup is
infinitely better than RADW. I'd rather pound nails through my fingers
than read that group.
deX!
Evil Simon Skill
one guy is a fan of "drilling screws into his toes" instead of whatever.
To make this X-related... umm... what did people think of "The Adventures of
Cyclops and Phoenix?" :-)
--evil simon
Lord of deXness wrote in message <37498D7A...@bbn.com>...