Gambit is another title from the "nearly dead" list - this month's issue is the penultimate one. 

Somewhat belatedly, the book finally gets around to the Thieves Guilds.  In fairness, they're a hideously convoluted area of continuity, and I can well understand why the creators would want to steer clear of them, at least in the early days.  It feels a little odd to set the book in New Orleans and still ignore them, though.

Anyway, the Guilds finally turn up, and wisely the focus is on Gambit's relationship with his ex-wife rather than any of the complicated Guild politics.  It's been a while since we've seen Belladonna, who often ends up written either as a bitter ex or a slightly bland supporting character.  Layman takes a slightly different tack.  Belladonna is running the Guilds quite happily, has no issue with Gambit (although she's a little put out that he didn't bother to phone when he was in town), and she's moved on with her life.

In order to prove that she's moved on with her life, Belladonna wheels out her new boyfriend - Bandit, the poor man's Gambit.  It would have been all too easy to simply create a Gambit clone for the role, so I admire Layman's efforts of research in dredging up a real one.  Or at least, I assume he's a real one.  Even for a fairly obsessive fan like me, Bandit is a character I've barely heard of and remember virtually nothing about.  With a grand total of twelve previous appearances to his name, all of them a decade ago, he's really off in the twilight of Marvel continuity.  He's Night Thrasher's half-brother, if that helps any. 

The art from his original appearances suggests Layman has a point casting this guy as Gambit Lite.  Mind you, it's entirely possible that a bunch of hardcore New Warriors fans are reading the issue and seething, for all I know.

Anyhow, the interplay between Gambit and his slightly crap replacement makes for some good comedy.  It's another fun read.  Now that the pace has picked up from the sluggish early issues, I've been enjoying this title over the last few months.  A bit late now, of course, but there you go.

Rating: A-

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