Uncanny X-Men #12: Parasite

This was a fun standalone issue, reframing Gambit’s history in a way that added some depth to the current storyline without deviating too far from the established continuity. There were some jarring time markers (kid LeBeau lifted burner phones? Really?) but for the most part, this was a fun little one-and-done vignette.

As ever, Gail Simone had her greatest success writing Rogue. It’s interesting to see Rogue in this quasi-parental role, walking the balance between nurturing these lonely little kids and pushing them to be their best. Gambit’s voice was less clear, even as the focus of the story, and it’s a little difficult to believe that Gambit has been paying this character 25% of everything for years when there’s never been a hint of his existence before now, but if you can ignore that, the story is fun, and it’s impressive that Simone was able to shoehorn so much coherent story into a mere twenty-five pages.

Gavin Guidry’s art was the standout factor, here. He knows the landscape he’s drawing intimately, and it’s clear that he loves that land. His character design for The Vig was very interesting — if a bit Killer Croc-in-a-suit — and I’ve never seen anyone depict the act of peeling a shrimp quite so lovingly. I could just as easily say the same about the blood blisters he drew on Jitter’s hands, or the fraught tension of Rogue’s nightmares. Guidry is quite the artist, and his talent is on full display, here.

This story was a fun, if not vital, glimpse into a new corner of the Swamp Rat’s history. It’s well worth picking up.