First appearance

Gambit's first appearance: The Uncanny X-Men #266

Gambit first appeared in The Uncanny X-Men #266, cover dated August 1990, published by Marvel and created by Chris Claremont, with art by Mike Collins and a design finalized by Jim Lee.

Why it matters

Remy LeBeau's first full appearance, rescuing a young Storm. Gambit became one of the defining X-Men of the 1990s, helped by the animated series, and this is one of the most collected keys of that decade.

Related key issues

• X-Men Annual #14 (1990), a brief cameo that reached shops a few weeks earlier. Collectors debate which counts as his first appearance; CGC labels it a cameo that predates #266.
• Gambit #1 (1993), his first solo limited series.

Before you buy or sell, check

• Marvel released a facsimile edition of #266. It carries modern markings and a modern price.
• Newsstand and direct editions exist; check the barcode box.

Then look up what copies in similar condition actually sold for. Prices for keys like this move with grade and with news about the character, so a recent sale tells you far more than a printed guide. Our guides on the grading scale and spotting reprints help you compare like with like.

More first appearances

• Wolverine: The Incredible Hulk #181 (November 1974)
• Deadpool: The New Mutants #98 (February 1991)
• Spider-Man: Amazing Fantasy #15 (August 1962)
• Venom: The Amazing Spider-Man #300 (May 1988)
• The Punisher: The Amazing Spider-Man #129 (February 1974)

Questions