Every goodX-Menhero deserves a proper villain, both an antithesis and reflection of the hero’s best and worst traits. Professor X has Magneto. Wolverine has Sabretooth. Soon, everyone’s favorite Cajun card thrower is about to receive a major addition to his backstory and rogues’ gallery. It’s easy to forget that Gambit wasn’t always a hero and that an entire organization of dark shadows lies behind him.
Looking ahead at theUncanny X-Menseries’ future releases, the solicit forUncanny X-Men #12 -by Gail Simone and Gavin Guidry - teases a terrifying debt that has finally caught up to Remy LeBeau.
Cover Artist:
David Marquez
The smoothest X-Man, Remy LeBeau, A.K.A. GAMBIT, is forced to face his past, as an UNSTOPPABLE force comes to collect a DEBT, whether from the Cajun’s pocket or his HIDE. Details of Remy’s life, never before revealed in this thrilling one-shot crime tale, as everyone’s favorite card-thrower faces THE VIG.
Described as an “unstoppable force,” Gambit will have to face his dark past as a professional thief and the consequences of the crimes he committed. Hidden in the seedy shadows of his past deeds,a new villain called “The Vig” is coming for blood and a debt to be paid.This one-shot crime thriller is sure to test the convictions of the charismatic thief.
The X-Man’s Criminal Past Starts With Rotten Roots
Gambit Made Many Enemies Before Joining the X-Men
Like most X-Men, Remy LeBeau comes from a checkered past of crime but was given the opportunity to redeem himself thanks to the kindness of the X-Men. Abandoned at birth because of his noticeable mutations, the infantGambit was kidnappedand instead raised by the New Orleans Thieves Guild. Nicknamed the “White Devil,” Gambit wasprophesied to unite every major crime guild in New Orleans.When he was only a boy, he attempted to pickpocket the Guild’s patriarch, who admired Gambit’s guile and adopted him as his son.
10 Things Even the Most Hardcore X-Men Fans Don’t Know About Gambit
For many X-Men readers, Gambit is their favorite character, but they still may not know absolutely everything there is to know about the Cajun hero.
Some years later, Remy was introduced to Bella Donna Boudreaux, the heiress of the Assassins Guild. The two fell wildly in love and were set to wed, until Bella Donna’s brother protested the marriage, challenging Remy to a duel. Tragically,Gambit was forced to kill his opponent in self-defense.From that day, Remy was exiled from the Thieves Guild and chose to leave his love behind. After a brief stint as Mister Sinister’s lackey, fellow mutant ex-thief Storm vouched forGambit’s heroic natureand the rest was history.
Gambit’s New Nemesis’s Name Holds a Clue to Their Identity
The X-Men Has Wronged a Lot of People
Gambit’s new villain could be anyone. He spent decades in the Thieves Guild, stealing from who knows how many people. “The Vig” could be a member of the Assassins Guild come to seek revenge for Gambit’s actions. It could be Bella Donna, scorned by the death of her brother and wounded by her abandonment.Getting deeper into it, “vig” is a shortened version of the word “vigorish,” an excessive rate of interest on a loan or the percentage deducted from a gambler’s winnings. Regardless, Gambit must have taken a lot of money from people who want it back.
Fortunately, Gambit is among a family of ex-criminals and optimistic forgivers who won’t leave his side.
The real worry is how muchGambit’s dark shadowswill affect the rest of the Louisiana X-Men,especially its youngest members.The Outliers have already been forced to fend off a mutant-hunting hag, an experimental mutant prison, and the Alaskan X-Men. Now, with what looks like multiple people coming to collect a debt, the kids could be in more trouble than ever before. Fortunately, Gambit is among a family of ex-criminals and optimistic forgivers who won’t leave his side. Hopefully, Gambit and hisX-Menare ready to withstand whatever secrets from his past are hungry for revenge.
Uncanny X-Men #12will be available July 31, 2025 from Marvel Comics.
X-Men
The X-Men franchise, created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, centers on mutants with extraordinary abilities. Led by the powerful telepath Professor Charles Xavier, they battle discrimination and villainous mutants threatening humanity. The series explores themes of diversity and acceptance through a blend of action, drama, and complex characters, spanning comics, animated series, and blockbuster films.
