This is the first of the X-Men Origin series that I’ve picked up and read through, and I’m glad I did.  There’s no new story here, just a few glimpses into the life of Remy Lebeau that explain who is, and how he came to be an X-Men.

If you have even a cursory knowledge of Gambit’s history in the X-Men, there’s nothing to spoil here for you.  Mike Carey takes the important snapshots in Gambit’s pre-X-Men life: meeting Belladonna, marrying her to end the Assassins/Thieves of New Orleans feud, leaving her when he’s exiled, meeting Sinister, recruiting the Marauders, rescuing Marrow from the Morlock Massacre, and meeting Storm.  All told in quickly moving panels.  Just bare bones, here’s Gambit storytelling.  But, it works.  The art is part of why I enjoyed the comic.  There seems to be a little Olivetti influence in the way it’s drawn and colored, but only a little. 

All in all, a fun little romp to catch up on the X-River Rat.