Costumes: I love that Guy!

Pic by Pete

There are some X-Men characters that everyone seems to think are cool.  At least when I was a kid, it seemed very clear.  Wolverine: Cool,  Jubilee: Uncool, Gambit: Cool.
I was already a little old for Saturday morning cartoons when the classic 90's X-men cartoon showed up, but I was hooked just the same.  On the other side of the country, the same was true for my wife.  And just like me (and pretty much all of us) she loved Gambit.  Everyone loved Gambit.  Looking back now, it's clear that Gambit was kind of created to be the "cool" character, possibly by the same think tank that gave us MC Skat Cat.  (whom I may also have thought was cool at some point).  At least he was a combination of the things I thought were awesome.  Cards? check.  (they made up a whole power just so he could throw cards)  Cool trenchcoat? check.  Loves the ladies? check.  Great hair? check!  Sweet pink and black body armor?  check, baby!  (check baby, one, two, three, four...)
Gambit doesn't get the love and appreciation he did in the 90s, but it's all right.  When hot pink comes back, so will everyone's favorite Cajun. And until then, every time my wife or I pick up a playing card, we will continue to end up launching it at the other while growling in our best Cajun accent, "Gambi-i-i-i-i-t!"

Pic by Manny

I met this Gambit at an ATM outside the convention and could tell he put a lot of work into his costume; so I was already impressed.  (I was also impressed by his Paul Rudd style good looks.)  But what made him one of the coolest cosplayers at the convention was how nice the guy was.  He posed for pics with everyone, especially the kids, whom he always gave a playing card to that he had pre-autographed "Gambit."  So, he lived up to the cool after all these years.  Good to know.