One of my favorite couples in Marvel comics have their own book and let me tell you the chemistry between Remy LeBeau (Gambit) and Rogue is palpable! The comic opens with a panel snapshot of Gambit and Rogue’s history which spans over a couple of decades. These two have been through a myriad of adventures together as an ensemble team as members of the X-Men, and now in this new series—written by Kelly Thompson—we get a closer and more refined story of this duo which is both refreshing but also nostalgic and familiar.
I remember Gambit’s thirst for Rogue the most from X-Men: The Animated Series on Fox television back in the 90s. Gambit even then was always finding a way to get Rogue to mingle with him and from this comic book issue that hasn’t changed one single solitary bit. In fact, there’s a moment when Rogue and Gambit have a conversation about her kissing Deadpool which Gambit found to be repulsive and meanwhile I thought where the hell has the time gone? I have definitely missed out on a lot of the shenanigans happening in Rogue’s love life or even its lack thereof.
So let’s discuss what happens in this story, shall we?
Gambit and Rogue have a close encounter in the Danger Room—because why not? The metaphors are all there, it’s dangerous, risky, adventurous, and a chance to build and hone skills over time are all the kinds of activities that happen in the Danger Room. This foreshadowing and I’m not sure if its intentional or not, but for me as a reader is the preface of what’s to come from this encounter between Rogue and Gambit. Remy who incessantly has been trying to hook up with Rogue since he became an X-Man, asks her out to dinner. Rogue, of course, is reluctant and mentions that their romance has been put on “pause”. She appears to seem to have lost some sense of self-control over her emotions which tells us that there are still some feelings there for our favorite Cajun.
Headmistress of Xavier’s Institute for Mutant Outreach, Kitty Pryde assigns Rogue on a mission with Gambit which Rogue isn’t all too happy about. However, Gambit agrees accordingly—and this is the launching pad for these two to begin which I am certain are one of many adventures which will ultimately lead them back into each other’s arms. Thompson’s writing of Gambit’s voice was on point and picks up where it left off for me as someone who was an avid reader of X-Men books in the early 90s. He’s relentless, but not too aggressive and knows when to back down when Rogue puts him in his place. I did cringe when he referred to Storm aka Ororo Munroe as “Stormy”.
Really dude?
However, that’s true to form of who Remy is, he uses nicknames, plays shortcuts and likes to push buttons to get reactions from people—especially if he likes you. So be prepared to see a lot of push and pull and flirty fighting between these two as we see how they handle one crisis to the next.
Writer: Kelly Thompson
Penciler: PERE PEREZ
Cover Artist: Kris Anka
What's Your Reaction?
As a longtime fan of Gambit (and formerly a Rogue and “Romy” fan), his behavior in the first half of the book is…odd, because I *have* kept up with what’s gone in since the ’90s. He makes the remark about having stepped back in time with regard to using Sentinels in the Danger Room, but it seems that *he* has suddenly regressed. They’re not the same people they were 20 years ago, and while he will always have genuine love for her, I that he made his peace and was trying to move on. I did like when he was more serious in the second part of the book, when he tells her he’s been the only one invested in their relationship because it’s true. For her part, I first read it as uninterested, but having read it a second time (as well as reading Charles Soule’s current Astonishing run), I think she *does* want a relationship with him but is pessimistic about it, and is using excuses to avoid the issue, because that’s what she always does.
I am curious as to what’s going to happen in the rest of this mini, and honestly for these two, it should really be an ongoing, ’cause they have stuff to work out and 5 issues aren’t enough.