Gambit Premium Format Figure
Produced by by Sideshow Collectibles
Product Size: 20" H x 18" W x 18" D
Product Weight: Approx. 15 lbs.
Artists: Tim Hanson, Tony Cipriano, Steve Riojas, Anthony Mestas, Seth Rinaldi, Heath Hammond, Mark Brokaw, The Sideshow Collectibles Design and Development Team
Originally Released: August 2010
Edition Size: 750 (exclusive), 1,000 (regular)
Gambit Fun Facts:
First Appearance: Uncanny X-Men # 266 (1990)
Origin: Gambit # 1 (1999), X-Men # 8 (1992)
Real Name: Remy Etienne LeBeau
Alias: Death, Le Diable Blanc, formerly Robert Lord, Cajun
Place of Birth: New Orleans, Louisiana
Height: 6’1”, Weight: 179 lbs., Hair: Brown,
Eyes: Burning Red
Powers: Can transform the potential energy in an object into kinetic energy. When an object is charged and thrown, it releases explosive energy on impact. His abilities also grant him superhuman agility and dexterity, and he can shield his mind from telepaths. Gambit also possesses a subtle hypnotic charm. He is also awesome.
Wow…putting together the “fun facts” for this piece makes me feel old…Gambit has been around for 25 years?!?! I still view him as one of the newer X-Men! Still, in a relatively short period of time relative to the X-Men, Gambit has vaulted himself into the conversation as one of the best X-Men characters of all time. Just take a look at some of these rankings:
I consider that type of praise pretty impressive for a character that was created in the often maligned 90’s era of comic books.
In an even shorter period of time, this Gambit Premium Format statue has become widely acclaimed as one of the best collectibles around (although looking back on the Gambit forum threads, it was criticized early on…the more things change, the more they stay the same in this hobby, I guess). Let’s take a look at why this piece is so desirable today.
Sculpt: 9.5/10:
Tony Cipriano and company did a marvelous job on the musculature and anatomy on this piece. He’s extremely ripped (just look at that chest and abs) yet not overly bulky. The body proportions look very realistic, and the overall size is near spot on the 1:4 scale. Everything, from the head size to the costume detailing, just looks right on this piece.
The piece comes with two portraits. You of course get the Jim Lee styled portrait sporting a cigarette clenched between his teeth (something we’re not likely to see again on any licensed Marvel statue) and a grizzled, unshaven look. In addition, there is the clean shaven, longer haired more modern look. Both portraits look slightly rough when you get up close to look at them, but despite that, they are both excellent representations of the character.
The diameter of Gambit’s staff varies slightly along its length, giving it the appearance of perhaps being retractable. Regardless of the reasoning, it is a unique way to add some detail to what would’ve been an otherwise plain looking weapon.
Paint/Mixed Media: 9.5/10:
The paintwork on this statue is solid throughout. There are no significant blemishes, with clean lines at all colour transitions. The hair colour on both portraits does look a little flat, though. By far the best aspect of this paint application is the pearlescent finish on the chest plate...it really is mesmerizing! Depending on the angle you look at it and the angle of the light source, you may never catch a glimpse of the same colour twice...it is a very, very cool finish. Gambit's eyes are of course painted a deep red, giving him the burning eye look that he is known for in the comics…making him appear dark and mysterious...the ladies love that.
Where this piece really shines under this category, though, is mixed media. This statue was released back in the day when “Premium Format” pieces had to have some sort of mixed media component (nowadays, premium format refers to anything 1:4 scale, regardless of materials used). In my opinion, the mixed media component on some of the older premium format pieces looks forced, but that is entirely not the case with Gambit. His trademark trench coat is of course made of cloth, and it looks spectacular. There is a wire along the edges of the coat, as well as within the belt, that allows you to pose is however you wish. The material that was used feels high quality, and is very similar to what a full size jacket would be made from (the lining on the inside of the coat is a silky smooth material). The trench coat really helps this piece stand out in the crowd.
Design: 8.5/10:
A pretty pedestrian pose was used for the piece, but subtle adjustments give this statue enough attitude to make it suit the character. A slightly arched back, a wide leg stance, and the nonchalant flick of the wrist to launch his trademark playing cards make this piece all Gambit!
The base is the generic X base that is used for several of the X-Men premium format figures (but strangely not all of them), helping Gambit fit in with some of his teammates such as Rogue and Colossus.
The exclusive version of the statue comes with a switch-out left hand holding a “charged-up” handful of cards, giving them that ready to explode look. The alternative option is the single, uncharged playing card. The piece looks great no matter how you display it, but the exclusive energy hand looks fantastic and adds a lot to the overall look…definitely go for the exclusive is you have the chance.
The statue takes up a surprising amount of display space. The base itself is 12” in diameter, and the staff protrudes past the edge of the base as well…so, if you have an enclosed display cabinet, this could restrict which angles you can display him at. I don’t mention this as a knock on the piece, just a word of warning that the statue just isn’t very compact, I know I was surprised by it.
Production & Build Quality: 9.0/10:
For being a regular sized human with a flat, generic base, the statue feels surprisingly heavy. The statue sits sturdily in the base, and both feet sit flat on the base with no visible gaps.
Each portrait and each left hand is secured to the body with strong magnets. I will caution you, though: when inserting the left hands, make sure that you don’t catch any of the coat lining in between the two magnets, as it could lead to disaster. Make sure you get an unobstructed connection!
The staff just rests in place in the right hand. Be careful when moving the statue around, as the staff could come sliding out because there is nothing really holding it in place. Although it will rest in place nicely while on display, it’s too bad a magnet could not have been implemented to hold the staff more firmly onto the statue.
One small complaint is that the hair on both portraits has a sort of plasticky look and feel to it. A very minor quibble, but worth pointing out.
Overall: 9.1
The Gambit Premium Format Figure is truly a work of art. The statue is an excellent representation of the fan favourite character, has a fantastic blend of sculpt and mixed media, and has a very high quality look and feel. The paint is well applied to the piece, and I especially like the eye-catching finish on the chest plate.
I can’t help but look at this piece and feel a twinge of sadness, though, as it is sort of a reminder of two eras gone by. As mentioned, the cigarette on the Jim Lee portrait is an example of the “grittiness” of certain characters that Marvel is never likely to approve again…and the overall weighty feel and quality of the piece is something that is getting more and more rare these days from Sideshow.
That sadness only lasts a brief second, though, and is quickly replaced with wonderment. Gambit is a remarkable piece and worthy of its current A-list status amongst high end collectibles.
