 Hi everyone, this is Chichu. Welcome to my channel, and welcome to another comic book reading, and we're reading a pretty important book. Okay, it's one of the key books from the modern age of comics. It's X-Men number 266 first full appearance of Gambit. Okay, and this comic book, the cover art is done by Andy Kubbert Kubbert. Okay, I'm not sure how you were supposed to pronounce that. And the story script is written by the great great Chris Claremont. The pencils is by Mike Collins, inks by Joe Rubinstein, colors by Brad Vanquetta, letters by Pat Broso and Tom or Zuchowski. Okay, I'm sorry if I'm brutalizing the names. Okay, and this is considered to be the first full appearance of Gambit, and Gambit's first appearance, and it's considered to be a cameo, occurred in Uncanny X-Men annual number 14, which appeared a month, I believe. Okay, before this issue came out. So that issue came out about a month before this one came out, I believe, if I'm not mistaken. So let's take this out of the Mylar bag that it's in, and I put it in Mylar because it is on the more expensive side, and it is a very good copy, or let me use comic book terminology. It should be in near mint condition. The tape really sticks to the Mylar. Let's get rid of the tape here. And this book came out in 1990, and this is Chris Claremont's run on X-Men. It's considered to be one of the greatest runs in comic books, comic book history, really. So let's take a look at the cover of this. See what kind of grade this would be in. This would be definitely in near mint condition. There are no dings. You can check out, run your finger on the cover and see if there's any dings, and there's no dings on the spine here. Now, let me show you very sharp edges. Very nice book. This would be graded as far as right now that we're seeing, based just on the cover, as a 9.4 easy-peasy. And here's the spine. Could possibly get a higher grade at 9.6. Oh, there's a little bit of... See that right there? But you can't feel it. And I picked up this book at cover price, basically. If not two dollars, less than two dollars. What does the cover say? On sale twice a month. They were really pushing X-Men back in the 90s, late 80s, or 80s and 90s. Yeah, but it looks mean. He's been. I like Gambit. Smart guy, smart guy, loner, lone wolf, really. Entered a mutant called Gambit and X-Men annual number 14. For the longest time, you could have got it. Very, very cheap. Right now, X-Men number 14 is selling for a mint price. Very expensive. The back cover, again. No dings that I can feel. This is unread. So we're reading a mint copy, really. Three to four hundred dollars, depending on the grade. That's what Elder God is mentioning on the chat. And it must be done. We must read. Yeah, no, that's nothing. It's just a the line from... Let's see if you can see it. It's just a line from the front cover going in, right? So we're not going to bother flipping through this. We're just going to read this. Okay, gang. Beautiful, beautiful cover. Andy Pencils and Inks by Andy Cupert. Cupert, practice open. We'll try to be careful. I mean, look at this thing. This is... Like, it hasn't been read. We're reading a beautiful unread copy of X-Men 266. Fantastic. We're going to read the fine print on this game. We're going to read the fine print first. Okay, so let's see if we're going to read it. The Uncanny X-Men volume 1 number 266 late August 1990. ISSN number 0-2 or is that a cue? 7-4-5372 published by Marvel Comics. James E. Galton president. Stan Lee publisher. Michael Hudson. Group vice president. Publishing office of the publication. That is 387 Park Avenue South, New York, New York. 10016 second-class posters paid at New York. New York and at additional mailing offices. Published monthly, except bi-monthly, July, August and September. Copyright 1990 by Marvel Entertainment Group Incorporated. All rights reserved. What else does that say? All rights reserved. Price $1 per copy in the U.S. and $1.25 in Canada. Subscription rate for 12 issues. U.S. $12, Canada $17 and foreign $24 U.S. I'm assuming this is all U.S. Printed in the USA. No similarity between any of the names, characters, persons and or institutions in this magazine with those of any living or dead person or institution is intended. And any such similarity, which may exist is purely coincidental. The pre-autical may not be sold except by authorized dealers and is sold subject to the conditions that something shall not be sold, that it shall not be sold or distributed with any part of the cover or markings removed, nor in a mutilated condition. The uncanny X-Men, including all prominent characters featured in this issue and the distinctive likeness thereof, are trademark of Marvel Entertainment Group Incorporated. Postmaster Send Address Changes to the Uncanny X-Men, CO Marvel Comics, Subscription Department, 387 Park Avenue South, New York, New York, 10016, is that what it was? The postal code? 10016, yeah, it's up top there as well. Cool. Randall, how are you doing? Just late enough to not see the... Oh, Randall, you want to see the cover? Here's the cover. I'm just checking the chat game. This is a beautiful, beautiful comic. This would be minimum 9.4 if you're a hard-ass marker, 9.6 for most people, right? And if you're being generous, maybe you're at a 9.8? Check this out. Awesome. Let's look at who the people are. Chris Claremont, writer. Mike Collins, penciler. Joseph Rubenstein, inker. Broso and Orozowski, letterers. Brad, Venkata, colorist. Bob Harris, editor. Tom DeFalco, editor-in-chief. Tom DeFalco did a fantastic job being editor-in-chief, as far as I know, anyway. Okay. Stan Lee presents... Now, Stan Lee didn't have anything to do with creating Gambit, but Sly and Lee presents Gambit out of the frying pan. Let's read some of this and see what's going on with this issue and the injustice. That's a beautiful cover. Seriously, it's a phenomenal cover. Right? Beautiful. That should be Storm there as well. Starring Storm, leader of the uncanny X-Men, now mysteriously trapped in the body of a child. Oh, you want us... Someone wants to check out this. We should check this out too. What is this one? Fleer football's rookie sensation. Rookie of the Year, 1990. I'm not a sports car collector, so I don't know who these are. This is like... The cover is... Because it's got a thing. Don Malowski, Barry Something, Truman Thomas, Bernie Kosar... I don't know. I know cards are back as being major collectibles too. Football. Barry Sanders, someone's saying. Don Marino, my pleasure, hell's luck. I wanted to see the cards, so check this out. Let's see what this is about. So Gambit, out of the frying pan. Starring Storm, leader of the uncanny X-Men, now now mysteriously trapped in a body of a child. A Mississippi Riverfront mansion on the outskirts of Cairo, Illinois. Wow. Who are these guys? So that's Storm right there trapped in a child's body. And who's that? Is that Gambit? No. Who are these guys? Beautiful artwork. Let's see what the dialogue is. Do you like my pets, Aurora? Or would you prefer to be called Storm? I'm sure who's talking right now. Of Christendom Hounds. It's an amazing... Isn't it amazing how much even the most ordinary and bad battle of people can change? When I summon forth the shadow in their souls, I wonder what form yours will take my young windrider when I do the same to you. By all means, resist. Aurora is a serious fighter. So here's the full page. Beautiful. I enjoy a good show. It will change nothing or seriously resist it. Flesh and spirit now and forever in this world and any other. You belong to me, he says. Is that it? All done so soon? I'm disappointed, child, expected better. Oh well, such is life. Bring her to me. Let's get this over with once and for all. That person on the ground wasn't Gambit. What else looks like? Now that's more like it. Like the Aurora I remember. Finally using your mutant powers, eh girl? For what it's worth or thinks. This was no more than a flash of light. It will not do these human beasts even a little harm or things. But it will buy me a moment to try to break free of the Shadow King's grip. So this is the Shadow King. Very cool. Shadow King, this guy right there. He's one of the very powerful evil mutants in the X-Men universe. Marvel universe. Aurora goes through the door. A bathroom. Blessed mother. I have seen smaller houses. Where are the windows? She thinks. I have to get out. Who am I fooling as if the evil one will let me? All he has to do is reach out with his thoughts and seize my mind as he did those others. Speaking of whom, here they come, towel in the fountain. Then across the face of the first through the door, whack. They do not think well these hounds. Make them angry. Push and poke and prod them into a frenzy. Just through the towel in the guy's face. That makes them predictable. Better the rage they feel. That ever increasing pace of our battle should make it harder for the evil one to mentally tell what is happening. Problem is, one mistake on my part. Water jet is not very forceful. Can I add a gust of wind to send this hound on its way? Yes. She thinks. Must be careful of their spikes. This hound seems to be a female. Up close, they could do serious injury. She thinks. The one that ran the shower. I thought he was unconscious. Get him off me. Ouch. A spike into my palm. Cannot worry about that. Hurts. Later, the shadow king is in the doorway. Oh nice. She threw him right at the shadow king. Perfect. Boom. Tato games. Even my little wind should prove sufficient to billow the drapes and betcloth behind me, entangling any who try to follow. Enough, shadow king says. Isn't fun anymore, kiddo. Games over. You lose. Oh, there's a shadow king's arm. Kick blast. Look at that. Grabs her. Shadow king. So powerful. So powerful. I wanted to take my time with this. I've waited it a human generation for the pleasure, but you're one tough little sweetheart. Better, I think, to err on the side of discretion. You're no match for me, girl. All you're doing is causing yourself needless agony. Give it up, he says. Taking over Aurora's mind. Never, she says. Lightning. Very nice, Aurora. We'll skip the advertisements, gang. Let's stick to the story. Oh, look at this page. Beautiful. Look at the detail here. Busy page. Let's check out what's going on. Backlash. Losing my balance. Derailing my winds. Can't focus. Thoughts. Poosh flies over the railing. The balcony. Where are they? To summon them. Why won't they save me? She's thinking. Looks like there's a pond right below her. Lucky Aurora. Is he dead? Please, oh please. I hit him with all I had. Let it be so, she thinks. Skip fantasy. A dream. Stories are. The Shadow King can never die. Someone coming. Skip scuff. Skip scuff. Is it him? Who's coming? Who's coming? Ben. That's Gambit right there. Possibly. Let's check it out. Rise and shine. Oh, my most dreaded lord and master. There are fit occasions for the exercise of your biting wit. Dr. Shin. This isn't one of them. I am but as you made me, she says. Same as you did these hounds. Save where you pulled the beast from their souls. You trapped the wicked in mind. Can't hurt me any more than that. Besides, tempting fate with you is fun, she says. Teach me. I suppose to follow in barren Frankenstein's footsteps. Storm hit me hard, he says. You need a hospital. She replies hardly. He's fixing himself. Look at that. A shame my mutant powers can't restore my clothes as easily as my flesh. Still, in Millionaire's household, I'm sure I'll find something suitable to replace that. Since the millionaire is now one of your hounds, she says. He's sure not to mind. He's sure not to mind. Leon, this frog or this fog. Storm's doing. I suppose to cover her tracks. Oh, so there's a fog being rolled in by storm. Cool. Interesting. My telepathy seems unable to lock onto her psyche. Some form of mental interference won't save her, though, from my hounds. One way or another, regardless of what it takes or how long Aurora will be mine, he says. Elsewhere and far too close for comfort, orphan maker, what is the matter with you? Have you gone deaf? If you've turned off all your oral receptors, Peter, I'll be so cross. All these arms sounding and you didn't hear a thing. Out of the monitor chair, this instant, I'm sorry, nanny, he says. Be quiet. I haven't time for your sorries right now, you wretched boy. Our scanners detect that storm once more. She must be actively using her elemental abilities. Why didn't you lock in the locator to pinpoint her position? Must I do everything the robot says? Who is this? I thought you were responsible, Peter, that I could trust you with really important tasks. It's her fault, he says. Ever since you found storm, things started going bad. He's on his knees. I say you can. Too late, the pattern is gone. The robot guy says. I guess his name is Mother, or her name is Mother. But that other alongside hers, merciful heavens know. It can't be. A mutant signature I haven't seen for years and prayed never to see again. I thought, hoped, prayed he was dead. More fool I. How can the devil incarnate die? Poor, dear, sweet, innocent Aurora. In the clutches of that monster. Peter, have you any notion of what your jealousy, your negligence has done? No, and I don't care neither. I hope it's really awful because it's what she deserves for ruining our lives, he says. I guess orphan maker, right? Let's see what the story is here. Don't say that, even if you mean it. The Shadow King is the most awful and absolute evil. If he gets his hands on storm, or you for that matter, he'll twist her up inside and out, transform her into a reflection of himself, and then turn her loose to do his bidding. Nanny, help, she's attacking me. Just a projection. If you're lucky, Peter, the Shadow King's hounds will kill you when they catch you. She's got claws. Get her me. Otherwise, you may end up running by their side as part of his unholy pact. Stop being such a silly. I can't have his point. It's only a holographic projection, not even the slightest bit real. It can't do you any harm. But storm can. That's the future, my bold, brave boy. For her and many, many others, back at the mansion, he has not said a word since pulling me from the pool and with him down to this vault. Who is he? Easier by far to tell what he does here. Same as me, I bet, a thief. The owner of this house had those paintings stolen. To add to his private collection, I meant to take them back and return them where they rightfully belong. All along, though, it was a trap set by the Shadow King for me. This other thief is totally absolved in his work. Absorbed in his work. He has forgotten about me, just stealing the paintings. By the time he notices I want to be attenders. Sherry? Sherry? Watch the door. Sherry. That's what he says. Alone. Hound. Ah. Wah. Wap. Knocks the roar over. Gambit Nia. There's one the hounds behind the door. Do us both a favor. Hey, pup pup. Stay away from the girl. Well, other ideas, eh? Going to carry the kid, kiddling back to your boss, claim a pat on lettet and an extra ration of yummies. Figured as much. Gambit says, oh, he's pissed. There goes Gambit. Can't let you do that. And faster than the eye can follow. Gambit's kinetic energies kick in, right? And throwing spike flips up out of his sleeve into his hand. Same motion carries his arm back, then forward. Ordinary piece of metal when it leaves his hand. Something far more when it strikes the wall with the force of a cannon shell. Boom. Scratch explosion. Aurora falls into his arms. Haven't seen, hasn't been your night, eh, Sherry? Or maybe it is. It has, considering how often I'm here to rescue you. I'm called Storm, Aurora says. Don need you. Do fine enough on my own. Don't need you. Do fine enough on my own, Aurora says. Yeah, right. Tell me another. I'm Gambit, Stormy. And I don't believe in, believe a word. Some great choice you leave me. A fortune in classical art. Painstingly, or you, Gambit says. Painsting, paintings will keep. Us thieves, we have to stick together, Gambit says. So he's scooting out of there. Sides, I'm intrigued. If you're who I think you are, I'd like to find out. Gambit says. Look at this. How you got so good, so young. Appearances are deceiving. In Aurora's case, she is not altogether what she seems. But that, my friend, is none of your fair. All that is about the cough gang. Oh, what is this? Ah, we've read one of these before. Turbo graphics. We'll skip it. Let's continue with the story. Right you are, Sherry. Drops, Aurora. Just the wandering, working stuff is all. Same as any other. Plying my trade. Hustling up the big score. Don't need to be told. Just stepped way out of my league. No problem, no offense. Practical man knows his limitations, Gambit says. Mines' own business realizes when the time comes to cut his losses. Want the girl? Yours. With my compliments. Take the art too, Gambit says. He talks and talks, and they listen almost as though they cannot help themselves. As he binds them with his web of words. Even the hounds are charmed. Wait, one hound below, two more here. Where is the last of the pack? Oh, there's one right there. And their master. Very snappy pattern, my young friend. I dare say, given a decent opportunity, Shadow King's a zap, Gambit's mind. You might seduce even me, Shadow King says. Once you've undergone a proper albeit painful reorientation, that's a talent I can put to some considerable use. Shadow King says. Nailed, Gambit. Gambit's on the ground. Leave him alone. Another lightning bolt? No. Nothing happened. Stupid, stupid power. Always quitting on me when I need it most. Oh, pity for you. Blessing for me, Shadow King says. One I do not intend to let pass by. Some sort of mental zap frying the sherry's brain. Gambit's picking up something from the table, right? Same as he tried with mine. He zaps Aurora. He's in for a rude awakening. There goes Gambit. Look at that. Putting all that energy inside that plate, I think. Let's see, let's see. Her diversion saved me. Look at that. Only fitting, I return the favor. So, the lad's more than just another pretty face. His abilities have an active, aggressive dimension as well. You shouldn't have missed, boy. With me and mine, there's no second shot. The second floor is collapsing. Look at that. Or where we're standing. Poor darling. All this excitement seems to have taken its toll. Gambit's on the ground. Exhausted. Oh, look at that. Too weak to stand. Much less fight. Such a shame. So many pretty words you spoke, she says. But far worse, the hints dropped. Promises made without words. That wasn't nice. I enjoyed temptation. Now more than ever, I dreamd, but I wouldn't be truffled with. But I won't be truffled with the hearth suit. Billowing into the room. Storms doing. Has to be. Lost her in the shuffle. Where is she gone? Find her fools before. Barely able to breathe, she says. Ah, the soot's coming in from the chimney. Right? So she's sucking the air in. Stay close, my Gambit. She'll try to get him. Cough. Is that Storm's arm reaching in? To grab Gambit? Fuck's being sold. Take a look. This is getting to be a habit. I've lost track, Sherry. Who rescues who next? Gambit says. Do not make fun. We are far, far from safe or free, she says. My wind powers will not hold that soot cloud for very long. Time enough to reach my car, maybe. Only if it is, it is parked right outside the front door, Aurora says. Off the state. Not a hope then, she says. The grounds are too vast. I have enough. I have an alternative, Aurora says, but we need to reach the roof. The last hound and the evil one himself barred away. Not for long, Gambit says. Brings out one of the spikes. Sayonara suckers. Happy landing. Hopefully in haits. That crumbling. No sign of him. I think we got lucky, Stormy. Do not call me that, please, Aurora says. And do you wish to hang about to make certain? She asks. Better idea. You know, Sherry, you don't talk like any kid I ever heard. I talk, I talk, Aurora says. What are you waiting for? Relax. There's time. Trust me, Gambit says. Are you mad? Same as you, Sherry, or Gambit replies. Gives folks like you, like us, our major edge. 9-1-1, he dials. What? Hello, police? Remember that big Boston museum heist? I know where you can find the loot, Gambit says. If we can't steal the stuff, the least we can do is make sure the slob who stole them in the first place never gets a chance to enjoy them. So where do you go from here? Gambit asks. Hold on to me for dear life, Aurora says. Good thing you're so young. I might start to get ideas. Oh, Gambit. Parachute, cute. Not likely to be much help down here, Gambit says. Just goes to show you do not know everything. Whoa. Very nice, Stormy. The way you get the wind to do whatever you want. Very nice indeed. How come it doesn't always work, okay? Because some people won't shut up, Aurora replies. And let me focus the focus, the concentration I need to prevent that from happening, flying away. A while later, some distance away, saw cop cars coming as we lifted off. Look at that. This is not like a plane graveyard. Saw cops coming as we lifted off. Winds dying. We're floating down just like a chute supposed to. So I figure it's okay to chat, yes? TV trucks too, Sherry. Should be quite a media circus. Shame to miss it, Gambit says. Keep the bad guys, bad bad guys off our trail for the immediate. Nice neighborhood. This where you call home, Stormy? I told you. Name fits, Gambit says. Hands loose, kiddling, I get ya. Grab Storm. I need no help, especially from the likes of you, Aurora says. She grabbed his little spike. Only try to be a gentleman, Gambit says. I could see the strain you were under. Thought I'd give you a gentler landing is all. Say, Sherry, after all we've been through, least I've earned the benefit of the doubts, Gambit says. Why else do you think I took you off that roof? I had plenty of time to leave without you, Aurora says. From here, Gambit, we start fresh. Suits me, he says. Trouble is, I get the feeling it won't be quite so easy to walk away clean from this caper as you make out. No, it will not. The evil one neither forgets nor forgives, she says. Evil one, that sounds a bit ripe. He have a name, Gambit asks. As many as he has faces, most often calling himself the Shadow King. To me though, evil one is what fits him best. He makes slaves of people, enchanting their minds and souls. Dr. Shin is such a one. She was a kind, decent woman before. That's the lady, Dr. Shin. He has a special hatred for me, Aurora says. Now he has a sense of where I am. He will move heaven and earth to track me down. Can he, Gambit asks? The hounds have tasted my blood and the Shadow King my thoughts. I take it, that's a yes, Gambit asks. And if they catch you, what'll they do then? Whatever he pleases, Aurora says. To me, to all who stand by my side. She says, where are we going now? Washington DC, a slightly speedy, a seedy townhouse on some federal land hard by Rock Creek Park. What does that say? Dr. Valens Copia, presidential national security advisor for superhuman affairs. Cool? Irene. It was mystic. Mystique, this is mystique. Very cool, very cool. Enter mystique to be opened, my death, to be opened in the event of my death. That's what the note says. Right on time Val, precisely as expected, gasp. Who's waiting? Who's waiting? I'm sorry mystique, I have to do this. I understand the Shadow King wants me dead. And when he commands, his slaves must obey. How do you know? What did you mean? Shape changer, precisely as expected. One of the curses of being a precog. And make no mistake, Destiny, as Destiny was one of the best. Has to be the awareness of your own mortality, of sensing in all the possibility, possible alternatives, all the moments and manners of your own death. Yet, Destiny did nothing to prevent it. She willingly chose and embraced her fate. I suppose I can do no less. Because that knowledge was no bar to her, while still alive, foreseeing what lay ahead for those she loved. Including the moment Val Cooper, when you come to kill me. Blast coming next, next, nanny into the fire. So nanny is the robot that we saw in the other page, the two-pager. Cool, cool, cool. Advance, D&D, nice story. Cool to see early Gambit, right? The first serious full appearance of Gambit. And the character hasn't changed much. It's very much true, the present character of Gambit, very much true to the original character. Arachnophobia, this is a fun movie. Opens July 20th at theaters everywhere. I read these a long time ago. I can't remember what the story goes to. Very much stay true. I'm curious to see what the prices on these things were. Check this out. Oh my god, look at the price tag on here. Look at this. Look at that. Akira, number one to three, first prince, five dollars. Oh wow, if you could only go back and buy those comic books. Great story. Yeah, great story. Avengers, Batman 433, Daredevil, Excalibur number 1, 750. Man, I wish I could go back and buy those Akira's. One to three, first prince. Oh, what? Moon Knights, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, number one, fifth prince, tick, one to three, third prince, X Factor, X-Men, Punisher, X-Men, Robocop, what's up top? Posters, games, t-shirts, lots more Batman's here too. Look at that. Arkham Asylum, trade paperbacks. Very cool, very cool. Awesome. Fun read gang, fun read. And I don't think we did any damage to the book while doing a read. So I would say stays at a 9.4, 9.6. Let's bring back the Mylar. I hope you enjoyed the reading. It was pretty good. And Chris Claremont is always worth reading, always worth reading. And the trick with reading Chris Claremont is you need to read a few issues together, back to back. That way you get a feel for the story and the characters and how the dialogue flows, right? Fantastic read, fantastic read.