UNCANNY X-MEN #266: GAMBIT (Out of the Frying Pan)

Storm is rescued by a mysterious new ally!

Originally Published August 1990

When we last left off, Storm -- in her form that would not be permitted to ride the big waterslide at Six Flags -- had been thieving all over Cairo, Il, and was just about to make her last big score by pinching some previously-stolen artwork currently in the possession of a local collector. Unfortunately, this all turned out to be a trap designed by Ororo's childhood nemesis, the Shadow King, and she just couldn't resist taking the bait.

Ororo is able to fend off the Shadow King's Hounds -- who seem to have gotten the memo about spiked bodysuits from some other Hounds we've known -- using a combination of guile, luck, and her intermittently-functioning weather powers.

And one wet towel.

The Shadow King, of course, has formidable psychic powers, and needs not rely exclusively on his pets, grabbing his prey in his psychic grip.

Ororo is able to fire off one last-ditch blast of lightning, with the backlash causing her to tumble over the balcony and into the pool. As she pulls herself out, she is met by ominously approaching footsteps...

Topside, Shadow King regroups as a fog rolls in, meant to enable Ororo's getaway. Shadow King notes that some force is shielding Ororo from his telepathic scans. And who might that be?

Yes, lest we forget Nanny and Orphan-maker are monitoring this fight from afar (but not too afar) in order to keep tabs on their target in order to press her into joining their weird.... family... thing. They discover that Storm is being pursued by the nastiest-wastiest of all evils, the Shadow King, who will twist her to his own ends if not stopped.

Inside the mansion, Storm follows the mysterious stranger down to the vault, where he speaks not a word but goes straight to his work. It seems Ororo has not been the only one interested in this cache of stolen artwork.

Kid Ororo watches on as this guy totally blows up her spot, but when a Hound arrives, he turns his attention to them, noting that the Hound seems to be looking for extra treats and skritches from its master in exchange for Ororo. He has something to say about that.

The explosion knocks Storm into his arms. He introduces himself as Gambit, and thought Storm protests that she doesn't need saving, her fellow thief is dubious and elects to rescue her and come back for the fortune another time.

Upstairs, Gambit runs into Dr. Shen and the other Hounds. Shen warns Gambit not to meddle in their affairs, and Gambit pours on the charm, insisting he's just a working stiff passing through. This seems to work, his words having a strange, soothing effect on the Shadow King's slaves, but the big man soon arrives himself, intent on adding Gambit to his club.

Storm distracts, but is unable to fire off another lightning bolt to zap her foe. The distraction, however, is enough for Gambit to use his explosive power and enable her to make a getaway.

When Gambit is faced with punishment from Horny Dr. Shen for being such a tease, Ororo sends a fog through the fireplace to mask their escape. They only have one path, though -- the roof. On their way out the door, Gambit phones the cops with a tip on the big recent Boston Museum heist.

While Gambit makes some incredibly inappropriate remarks about Ororo's body, the two ride a parachute on the wind back to Ororo's aviation graveyard home. When they land, Storm explains about the Shadow King, or as she calls him the Evil One, and how he will track Storm anywhere she goes, and punish her -- and anyone who helped her. It seems that for Gambit, no good deed will go unpunished.

In Washington, DC, Mystique has arrived at Val Cooper's home. She knows Cooper is under the Shadow King's thrall and has been commanded to kill her. Mystique, thinking only of her lost love, seems prepared to face death with dignity...

To be continued!

Further Thoughts:

The best way to introduce any new character is to have them help save the life of an established one: it worked with Kitty Pryde, it worked with Rogue, it worked with Jubilee, and it works here. Gambit seems purpose-built to be the cool new character of the 90s, the way Wolverine came to dominate the 80's. He makes an intriguing counterpoint. Both are competent loners with mysterious pasts and their own particular moral code, but where Wolverine is presented as a gruff, rough-hewn veteran, Gambit takes the form of a cool, charming customer who can talk his way out of dire situations (implied, or outright stated, to be an aspect of his powers.) It's hard not to already be sold on Gambit based on this initial appearance, with his action-ready powers and banter with Storm, and a few years later, Gambit would be solidified as one of the kids' favourites thanks to his place in the 1992 X-Men series. I'm sure that he wishes he were photographed in his proper outfit for the cover, rather than the bizarre bananahammock variation we see above, but there's always some kinks to work out with a new character (and when we're talking about a Claremont comic, I often mean that literally.)