I'm all caught up on X-Factor now. Was on a comic reading hiatus for a while, but my obsession is rekindling. And before I say anything else, best of love to Peter David, and I hope he's healing up alright. ^_^
Anyway, what brought me back to comics was news that my favorite character was finally being pulled out from under the bus writers had tossed him under years ago. I speak of course of Gambit. Worry not. I shalt not spew fangirl hate, only hopes. Admittedly it was James Asmus' run for Gambit that returned my faith in marvel. For too long the charming Cajun got swept aside as just a plot point for Rogue and just another member of mutant society, which really depressed me. Especially when everything was done to depict him as a whining ponce and bastard, and the horrific choice to become Death. >_>
Then this new series came along, and it fixed all the mistakes the other writers who didn't really care about Remy were making. Mostly because it brought things back to the core of what separates Gambit from most everyone else who ever wore the X. He... has a life. Unlike all the others who came to the Xavier School for help with their powers, or to fulfill a social or emotional need and found a family among other mutants, Gambit never needed any of that. He was never indoctrinated with the Xavier dream, which everyone from Wolverine and Rogue to currently crazy Cyclops have clung to as their life boat for sanity. He only came to the school because Ororo wanted him their, and only stayed because he found friends.. and guilt, in his involvement in the Morlock Massacre. And then stuck around longer for Rogue, even when it felt like no one wanted him there.
The Gambit self titles have always shown that, thankfully, that with his thieving side job and carousing ways, he has a rich and busy life that has nothing to do with the 'war' between Mutants and Humans. Most of his friends and family are humans. And what a family? The Thieves guild is a sadly under used wealth of storytelling that I can only dream of writers dipping into more. Especially now that he has risen to the title of King of the Thieves! Handling the innumerable regional guild matters, playing enforcer to those who step out of line, savior to guildmates in trouble and even going on exotic new heists of his own, it could be never ending affair of globetrotting and tie ins with every manner of other marvel character from around the world. Tell me that couldn't justify a continuous Gambit title, while Wolverine gets 5 titles at a time to do nonsense. But I digress.
The point is Asmus wrote the character how he is supposed to be written, charming,, funny, tricky, quick thinking and most importantly care-free. He's someone who has gone through suffering his whole life, and shrugs it off, while others wear their burdens like lead pauldrons. Too many people write him mopey, defeated and confused. I like my Remy proactive and getting things done with a 'by the seat of his pants' savoire-faire that awes whatever lady is lucky enough to come along for the ride. He's a life long con man and social orchestrator who expertly reads others and plays them subtly like fiddles. The reading others part is a key, and one of the few things I liked through Legacy, when it was Remy who went to save Xavier from the assassins, and they had that flashback to when Charles disbanded the X-men. But Gambit stayed when the others left, just to tease that he knew it was a lie, because you can't con a conman, and unlike the others, he didn't blindly follow Chuck.
At the end of Asmus' series Gambit got his balls back. He was at the top of his game. Confident, elevated happy with his place in life, and he even turned down Rogue. Which as a Romy fan was actually cathartic for me. Seriously, he's always been there for her, going through hell for her, to help with her burdens and earn her approval. But in this series you also see how she doesn't give him that same respect. She wants him to conform to her world, and join the Avengers, more or less to keep him out of trouble. Not offering him an in back with her, so much as an invitation back onto her leash. I was proud when he turned her down. Still.. when she gets over her issues... I still hope for the future. 0_0
Then we move ahead to X-Factor. With Gambit as a key figure and psuedo-narrator to the story, I was really excited! And having Polaris be the one who brought him on had all kinds of fun and hilarious possibilities, when you recall her crush on Gambit(they had a Gambit stripper at her bachellorette party
). So it seemed like a ploy just to get him in bed more then in the team. But he takes it as a need to investigate Serval and find out what's really going on. Throw in Pietro to play off them both as a snarky sounding bored for his sister's furstration and Gambit's quips, and it sounds like a lot of fun!
So far though, I've been kind of let down. -_- While at the end of Asmus' run Gambit is in a position of fulfillment and importance, this series sort of drops him off a cliff, back to being that slower, weaker runner up character so many others portrayed him as. And mopey. I HATE mopey Gambit.
And instead of a fun espionage style investigation of his new employers, which with his thieves' guild ties, Danger's super analysis and computer hacking array, not to mention his own charms and thieving skills, giving him spying potential up the whazoo, he's done nothing but sit around and get played by Snow and even his wife! Meanwhile Polaris is basically just a whipped corporate figurehead who hasn't made so much as an awkward come on to Remy... What a waste of comedy.
I will say though that I do like the idea of the questionable corporate run Superhero team, and the run ins they've had so far were fun and creative. The book has a lot of potential, and I do have faith in PAD. Pietro, who I'll admit I've never much cared for, is really earning my favor here. This team seems like a chance for some redemption and piece of mind for him. The end of the last issue with him reuniting with his daughter after his grand confession at the press conference really tugged at my heart.
And while it may seem a bit corny, the Danger and Warlock pairing is cute and amusing. Cypher's been a bit depressing, but he seems to be finding a place. ..... the costumes are hideous though >_>
So.. I'll keep my faith. But please PAD. Do the right thing. Don't make me hate comics again.
