The Good
Writer James Asmus really impressed me with the last issue. Remy's conclusion with Joelle and Tombstone was legitimately thrilling and cheer-inducing. But now Remy is left trying to repair his friend Fence, and even though the issue moves ahead at a million miles per hour, you can't help but feel like it's a filler issue.
Remy's mission is simple: break into one of Tony Stark's apartments (yes, seriously) and snag some tech to repair his buddy. With some extra technology from Fence, it's an amusing little heist which promptly turns into a game of cat and mouse when James Rhodey enters the fray to investigate the break in. We all know Remy should promptly have his butt handed to him against someone like War Machine, so it's refreshing to see Asmus introduced a nice little variable to spice up the entire encounter. It's a bit odd seeing Remy in that position but regardless, it was certainly a fun ride.
I found myself really enjoying the art by Amilcar Pinna and Rachelle Rosenberg. The team made Manhattan feel alive as the adventure moved from the clean and bright rooftops of Soho to the crowded streets below and then finally across the populated Brookyln Bridge. Whether it was Tony's vacant penthouse (was that an Engineer's helmet from Prometheus next to the Hulk statue?!) or commuters' being startled by the heroes soaring past them, the entire experience was definitely lively and detailed. And, as always, there's at least one panel of a gorgeous pink and purple explosion. It wouldn't be a Gambit comic without one, right?
The Bad
I can't help but wonder... why not just ask Rogue for help on this one because of her connections? I get Remy's somewhat arrogant, but doesn't asking his technology-heavy friends for help (to save his friend's life, no less) make more sense than trying to break into a location with defense measures well beyond his understanding? I get Fence is playing him this entire time, but when your friend's life is seemingly in the balance, I don't understand why he wouldn't view that as an option. Sure, it would be less exciting and all that jazz, but it would save a whole lot of time, especially if he had a brilliant friend like Beast helping him. Lastly, how could Gambit charge through the armored glove during the electric wire incident with Rhodey?
While I did enjoy the art a whole lot, I wasn't the biggest fan of how Remy's face was handled. In one scene it looked like he was squinting to the point of it being painful and other times his facial structure appeared very, very thin.
Minor gripe: Rhodey says he'll shoot Gambit into the Hudson, but they're by the Brooklyn Bridge and that's over the East River.
The Verdict
I'm sure some of you won't mind that this issue is basically a standalone romp. A break from the overly dramatic and epic course of events can be a nice little vacation every now and then, but with the series' end apparently in sight, I'm really hoping this cliffhanger brings back the level of quality we were treated to in the last few issues. At any rate, it's sad to know this series has an approaching expiration date, but hopefully Asmus will have Remy leave us with one helluva bang!