Gambit #1 is an untold story clarified. It is amazing that Claremont was brought back to tell a tale that possibly only he knew the true details of. And it could be possible that this history remained hidden in his own planning for decades. Whilst the characters' futures can be read about in hundreds of comics that succeed when this one is set, that is not the point of this issue The relationship between the characters is being demonstrated, with the dynamic between Gambit and the young Storm being beautifully written and deeply investing. Perhaps the title is misleading, as the focus of the plot appears to be Ororo (which is not a complaint) instead of Gambit. Read Full Review

While the story is good and the art is passable, one must wonder why Claremont decided to revisit this story 30 years later. It was not a story arc that lasted particularly long. Because of that, there is an extremely limited audience for the story. This is particularly worrisome for fans of Gambit whose future in the current day Marvel Universe is in question. It feels like many would have rather seen a more Gambit-focused story for a Gambit #1. Read Full Review

Gambit #1 has an excellent premise but suffers from an imbalance between text and visuals. Read Full Review

I was thrilled when Marvel announced plans to have Chris Claremont return for a Gambit mini-series. Claremont's more recent stories have received mixed receptions, but he's still a legend among the comic book field. I liked this first issue more than many of his other attempts over the past few decades, but it does need a little work. It still feels like a slice of nostalgia and you just can't be mad about that. Read Full Review

Gambit #1 plays into the nostalgia crowd. Unless you absolutely loved this moment for the X-Men, these characters, or Claremont, it's an issue that doesn't make a case of why it's needed. It hasn't yet revealed anything particularly interesting. It hasn't made itself vital. It also has a choppy sense in its narrative. It feels like a missed opportunity for one of the best to return to revisit a classic era. Read Full Review

Gambit has done quite little to grab me in this first issue. Part of that is because I'm still not really sold on the core thrust of this series which sees Gambit traveling around with a young Storm. Read Full Review

For X-Men fans looking for something far removed from the Krakoan era and recent plot arcs, this will be a welcome alternative. The book reads and feels like it jumped out of 1997, and there is surely a ravenous audience for works of this tone. While it likely won't reveal astonishing secrets about each character, it may just be a fine precursor to the forthcoming Chris Claremont X-Men book and will surely give his fans reason to rejoice. Read Full Review

A pure nostalgia piece; if you didn't already have a fondness for the later years of Claremont's original X-Men run there's nothing here for you. But for those of us who are the target audience for this sort of cash-in, it's a perfectly pleasant start, even if the art is a little hit-and-miss

This issue's art and prose are messy and rough around the edges, like Gambit. And like Gambit, they both have an undeniable charm. This is a fun read.

The plotting worries me, though. The Shadow King gets a lot of attention, then the last page pivots to a very different (and much less promising) story. If this were 20th-century Claremont, I'd be sure the Shadow King would be coming back. With 21st-century Claremont, though, who the hell knows?