“Pick a card, any card.”
He’s been a member of the Thieves’ Guild, Mr. Sinister’s Marauders, and the X-Men. Now, XM Studios brings to life, in 1:4 scale, everyone’s favorite Cajun mutant: Gambit.
Sculpt & Design – 4.5 out of 5 Stars
+ Statue has changeable accessories that offer distinctly different looks
+ Dynamic pose and texturing on costume and muscles show his athletic nature
+ 90s portrait is brimming with personality that perfectly represents Gambit
– Modern portrait looks okay, but doesn’t show Gambit’s personality
The first time you lay eyes on this statue up close, you realize that it’s cooler than pictures can do justice. This is the absolute quintessential Gambit statue. The likeness of everyone’s favorite Cajun mutant is sculpted to absolute perfection. Prepare to be blown away by the exquisite detail of this piece.
Before we go too far, let’s talk about the extra accessories that come with the statue. Gambit comes with two very distinct portraits. The first of which is the classic Jim Lee-era portrait, and the second is the more modern long-haired version. Gambit also comes with two interchangeable right arms. The first is a static pose holding the jack of spades, while the other arm features a kinetic throwing motion of four cards which, when put together with the first, make a royal flush.
Starting down at the base, you’ll notice the classic X-Men statue signature sentinel wreckage. While this may be the most overused gimmick for these statues, it’s hard to argue with something that seems to work so well. For that reason, we’ll give it a pass. It’s hard to say just which part of the sentinel Gambit is standing on, but we do notice some thrusters, so perhaps it’s wreckage of the propulsion system. The detail of the wreckage is nicely done, as we have come to expect from XM Studios. There are exposed wires, scratch marks, and burns throughout the base, showcasing the mutant abilities which have been used to bring the goliath down.
Standing atop this mess of metal is Gambit himself, and he looks uncanny! Gambit is in a dynamic pose, leaping off of the sentinel’s remains with one foot already in the air. The detail on this 1990s-era Gambit has no rival. Everything looks great, including his armored boots, his leather coat, and his battle suit. The coat specifically is perfectly sculpted with a ton of extra detail like the red ‘X’ buttons, the popped collar, buckles, straps, zippers, stitching, and elbow pads. XM hit the bullseye with this one. Gambit’s muscle definition perfectly encapsulates the athletic nature of this infamous member of the X-Men.
As far as the changeable accessories go, the arm with the kinetic throwing cards looks really cool, but it does cover up some of the beautiful details of this statue. The arm holding the single jack of spades gives a much cleaner look. As it pertains to the portraits, there is also a clear winner. The Jim Lee-era portrait is absolutely stunning. Not only are the details on this portrait carved to perfection, but the smirk on his face is easily recognizable as the one and only Gambit. There’s a certain “devilish” look to the grin on his face here, with a touch of cockiness and mischief that only Gambit has. The second and more modern portrait looks just fine, but it lacks the personality of the classic version. This portrait represents a more stoic look for Gambit, making him look emotionless.
Paint – 4.75 out of 5 Stars
+ Shading in musculature adds to the athleticism expected from Gambit
+ Face complexion looks great, as well as five o’clock shadow
+ Coat is painted and shaded to perfection
To be completely honest, there is nothing to dislike about the paint on this immaculate statue. XM Studios hit it out of the park. The base looks good. The purple and blue paint on the sentinel wreckage look great, and the metal hue adds to that. One really cool part of the base is the teal coloring around the edge of the sentinel thrusters, which shows how the extreme heat of burnt jet fuel has discolored the cylinders.
Gambit’s overcoat is extremely detailed to give a true leathery look. The use of brown, black, and tan really serve this piece well. The red “X” buttons on his coat stand out. The shading used throughout his bodysuit and muscles does a good job of portraying the athletic prowess that Gambit is known for. The collar has a nice metallic blue finish to it, and the boots also have a similar metallic grey finish.
The light maroon color in his bodysuit also pops well against the darker blue in certain areas. Another great detail when looking closer is that of the trim around Gambit’s face hood. It’s shinier than the rest of the hood. Speaking of his face, the skin tone looks really fantastic, as does the five o’clock shadow. The subtle light red used for his lips is applied well. Lastly, those red pupils top off a great facial portrait. The modern portrait has the same detail, though the aforementioned stoic facial expression seems boring in comparison.
Value – 4.5 out of 5 Stars
+ Extra accessories and different portraits offer very distinctive looks
+ Great price considering the marvelous amount of detail and the accessories
+ Overall perfect portrayal of Gambit
XM Studio’s Gambit looks absolutely amazing. This is a great piece of art and is currently the best Gambit statue on the market. The price point of $1,150 SGD isn’t cheap, but it’s worth the price to own this one. XM Studios never disappoints with their unwavering attention to detail and willingness to go the extra mile. It’s not an overstatement to say that this Gambit statue will probably not be toppled anytime soon.
Extra Features
- Two (2) Portraits – Long haired portrait, classic short haired portrait
- Two (2) Right arms – One holding the Jack of Spades, one ‘throwing’ 4 cards
- Art print by Carlos Dattoli
Artists
- Studio Hive (Illustrator, Design and Concept Collaboration with XM Studios)
- Marthin Agusta Simny (Sculptor)
- XM Studios Design and Development Team
Marvel Premium Collectibles Series Statue Details
Materials
Cold-cast porcelain
Product Size
43 cm L X 30 cm B X 65 cm H
Box Size
82.5 cm L X 48.5 cm B X 32 cm H
Product Weight
6.45 Kg
Shipping Weight
11.5 kg