Writer: Chris Claremont
Art: Sid Kotian
Colors: Espen Grundetjerk
Letters: VC’s Clayton Cowles
Cover Artists: Whilce Portacio & Alex Sinclair
Variant Cover Artists: Russell Dauterman & Matthew Wilson
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Price: 3.99
Release Date: August 31st, 2022
Less isn't Always More
Thieves, women warriors, the Shadow King, and an interstellar bounty hunter–Gambit #1 roared out of the gate with a lot of high stakes balls in the air. Gambit #2 charts a quieter course, dialing the story’s stakes back down, and even separates Gambit and ‘Ro for the issue.
Though elements of the Shadow King storyline remain, Claremont changes course in Gambit #2 and in the opening pages Gambit and ‘Ro are injured when they are run off the road by two onrushing cars, both of which are slamming against each other as they drive. After the crash, the woman driving one of the other cars lends aid which leads to an unconscious ‘Ro being tended to in the woman’s mother’s home clinic and Gambit getting embroiled in a real estate scheme to take the mother’s house away.
The strength of Gambit #2 is the titular character. Claremont’s return to Gambit’s early days allows him to dial up Gambit’s mischievous danger and charm that has been subdued over time. This portrayal of the character will continue to appeal to fans of his earlier years. If you’re looking for a reason that this Gambit mini-series should exist, Claremont’s choice to feature this version of the character is definitely a good one.
Unfortunately the character element is just about the only reason to read Gambit #2. The storyline has precious little to do with the first issue (aside from a couple mentions of ‘Ro’s connection to the Shadow King) and sees Gambit get involved with a fairly small-scale plot involving characters we’ve known for less than a full issue that, while a reasonable vehicle to showcase Gambit’s old habits, isn’t especially compelling in its own right.
The other area where Gambit #2 stumbles is the lack of interaction between Gambit and ‘Ro. While Gambit is the series’ titular character, it’s undeniable that the success of the first issue is largely due to how Claremont wrote the two characters and delved into a previously unexplored aspect of their relationship. There was a fun give and take between the two with equal parts humor and compassion that even included hints of a mentor/mentee relationship. The absence of that interaction here is keenly felt. And while the time the issue spends with Gambit and his new lady friend is amusing it isn’t nearly as engaging.
A Happy, Fun Gambit
While Gambit #2’s narrative may be a step down from the first issue, its art doesn’t miss a step. Kotian keeps the fun factor going throughout by drawing an expressive Gambit that constantly looks like he’s having fun in all but the most dire of circumstances. This contributes nicely to the success of Gambit as a character and makes the issue more enjoyable. And no doubt many readers will like Gambit in a Speedo.
There are also some nice dream sequences depicted largely in grayscale with hints of accent colors. Given how vibrant the rest of the issue is, this is good work from Kotian and Grundetjern to set them so very much apart from the rest of the issue and emphasize their importance.
Final Thoughts
Gambit #2 isn’t a bad comic. In fact it’s perfectly fine. But that’s essentially its problem. It isn’t particularly gripping as a narrative, seeming to rely on the reader’s affection for a particular character existing in a specific slice of time. The story in this issue never feels like it needs to be told or has anything particularly new to say. It’s possible that that’s nothing more than a side effect of needing to transition into a new part of the arc, but it doesn’t make you want to stick around to find out what that might be.
Originally published at The Comic Book Dispatch.
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