Gambit (3rd series) #13

Issue Date: 
February 2000
Story Title: 
The Sunset Dawn - Book 2: The Black Womb
Staff: 

Fabian Nicieza (writer), Anthony Williams (penciler), Andy Lanning (inker), Tom Smith (colorist), Richard Starkings & Comicraft‘s Troy Peteri (letters), Mike Marts (editor), Bob Harras (editor-in-chief)

Brief Description: 

In the past, Gambit, Courier and Jean-Luc head to New York, where Sinister works under the cover of an obstetrician. Courier shapeshifts into a woman and makes an appointment, but Sinister discovers that “she“ is a mutant with morphing abilities and captures her. Remy and Jean-Luc run into the Thieves Guild while checking out Amanda Müeller. Jean-Luc betrays Gambit and leaves with the Guild, who are later attacked in the tunnels below New York. Gambit too enters the tunnels and finds himself in Sinister’s lab; he is offered a deal for the life of Courier. In the present, Fontanelle invades the dreams of Bella Donna and finds that the Guilds knew that Gambit one day would play an important role.

Full Summary: 

(Year 1891)

Remy has blackmailed Worth (with knowledge of the stolen Duchess of Devonshire painting) to get his yacht and sail to New York with Courier and Jean Luc.
The Thieves' Guild have rented a room on the Lower East Side; Belize gets a slap from his father for questioning the ancient rituals. He has learned that Essex is operating under the alias of Dr. Milbury, obstetrician.
Remy already knows that, and he convinces Courier to morph into a female form and make an appointment with him. Reviewing Courier’s blood sample, Sinister discovers his patient is a mutant and, wanting to study further, injects “her“ with narcotics. Passing out, Courier melts; he touches Sinister’s face, revealing he uses make-up to cover his pale face, and evidently could not yet shapeshift.
(present)

Fontanelle investigates Bella Donna's dreams and learns that she hates and loves Remy. At age 13, she eavesdropped on her father and Gris Gris and heard about Remy’s importance for the future of the Guilds.
(Year 1891)

Remy has asked the local thieves and learns that Müeller, an accused child-killer, knows about Milbury. He dappers himself up and goes to seduce her, in her 5th Avenue mansion. In the entry hall, he is attacked by the Guild. Jacques demands his son back, and Jean Luc, with regrets, smashes Remy on the head with a flower pot.
Remy wakes at Müeller's feet; she had many miscarriages, was tried and acquitted of causing them, but her husband ran off with their last child. She tells Remy where to find her doctor, Milbury.
The Guild has gone there first, down secret subway tunnels, which is currently under construction. They find a repository of deformed skeletons and are mobbed by early Morlocks.
Remy follows, to Sinister's low-tech lab. Sinister has Courier as a liquid in a jar and offers to make a deal with Remy.

Characters Involved: 

Gambit

Courier

Fontanelle
In the past (1891) :

Mr. Sinister

Amanda Müeller
Thieves’s Guild :

Jaques LeBeau, father of Jean-Luc

Jean-Luc LeBeau

Rouler / Marceaux), father of Belize
Belize Marceaux
In dream sequence :

Bella Donna, as a child

Marius Boudreaux, her father

Gris Gris

Story Notes: 

Sinister learns how to shapeshift from studying Courier’s genetic make-up in 1891. But then why was he still interested in Courier in the present (Gambit #9)? A possible answer could be that he does not recognize him, cause in the past he only saw the female form of Gavin.
Amanda Müeller’s husband is named Daniel. He is only seen on a wedding picture. Could he be Daniel Summer from the Further Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix LS ? Age, hair color and the connection to Sinister seem to point that way.

Issue Information: 
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