DC's Answer to Gambit Might Be the Most Underrated Superhero of All Time

Custom Image by Casandra Ronning Published Sep 11, 2026, 10:30 PM EDT Casandra Ronning is a staff writer for Screen Rant's anime section. Since mid-2024, she has dedicated herself to expanding her knowledge and experience in the entertainment industry. She is most proud of conducting an exclusive interview with popular voice actor Stephanie Nadolny. Sign in to your ScreenRant account Marvel and DC have taken inspiration from one another for decades, creating parallel characters that often grow and develop in ways that make them far more than mere counterparts to the originals. Then there are characters whose personalities and backgrounds spark inevitable comparisons between the two publishers that are impossible to ignore. According to Gail Simone, one underrated DC character is the undeniable equivalent to X-Men’s Gambit. Gambit, whose first cameo appearance was in Uncanny X-Men Annual #14 in 1990 before being fully introduced in Uncanny X-Men #266 from the same year, quickly became a fan favorite character with his iconic design, personality, and kinetic powers. He’s a difficult character to outshine, but one underrated DC superhero shares many of the same qualities without coming remotely close to feeling like a carbon copy, making Catman a character that deserves far more appreciation. Gambit’s DC Equivalent Is the Superhero You’d Least Expect Remy LeBeau, better known as Gambit, is a mutant capable of turning objects into explosive weapons, but he stands out for far more than just his powers. Between his gritty background and a reputation as a former thief, paired with his endless confidence, Gambit is easily one of the most unique and complex members of the X-Men. As someone far from being a conventional superhero, he often carries an underlying tension between the person he once was and the hero that he has become. Even after he earns the X-Men’s trust, he never loses the attitude, cunning, and flexible moral code of a professional thief, which allows him to stand out as a reformed antihero with a vulnerable side that he reveals to Rogue. In DC, this same archetype exists and can be seen in Catman, especially with his modern reinvention. While his earliest appearances had little in common with Gambit, thanks to Gail Simone, Catman has grown into one of DC’s most compelling antiheroes, and according to her, he is the DC equivalent to X-Men's Gambit. Before Simone got her hands on Catman, Thomas Blake spent years as a laughingstock, defined most by his ridiculous, cat-themed weapons and various Batman rip-offs before eventually hitting rock bottom in 2003 in the Green Arrow comics. However, rather than fading into obscurity or continuing his legacy as a D-list joke, Simone radically reimagined his character in Villains United and Secret Six, successfully turning him into a memorable antihero that is undeniably DC’s answer to Gambit. Catman Is Undeniably DC’s Best Answer to Gambit Following Catman’s reinvention, he and Gambit have several similarities that make them stand out as memorable characters. They both have criminal histories, including a string of thievery for both, before eventually becoming more heroic, all without losing the traits that made them stand out in the first place. Catman and Gambit share confidence, strong visual designs, devout loyalty to their found families, unforgettable growth, and morals that bend when needed. Marvel · Mutant Profile Which X-Men Character Are You? “Mutation: it is the key to our evolution.” 🐺 Wolverine The Loner 🧠 Professor X The Visionary 🧲 Magneto The Survivor ACTIVATE CEREBRO → 01 Humans discover your mutant abilities. What do you do? ADisappear. Go off the grid before anyone can come after me — I don’t owe them an explanation BReach out calmly and try to have a dialogue — fear comes from misunderstanding, and I can help bridge that gap CMake a show of strength — they need to understand that mutants will not be hunted or controlled, ever NEXT → 02 Anti-mutant protesters surround a school full of young mutants. What’s your first move? AGet between the kids and the mob. If anyone raises a hand, they answer to me BAddress the crowd telepathically or publicly — show them the children are just scared kids, not threats CEvacuate the children to safety, then make the protesters deeply regret their choices NEXT → 03 A team of mutants needs a leader for a dangerous mission. What role do you naturally fall into? AI work alone, but I’ll take point — someone’s gotta make sure nobody gets killed BI coordinate the team, play to each person’s strengths, and keep morale steady CI lead from the front — my vision, my plan, my responsibility if it fails NEXT → 04 A powerful mutant threatens innocent humans. How do you respond? APut them down fast — talk later. Innocent people don’t have time for a debate BTry to reach them mentally — understand why they’re doing this and find a peaceful resolution COffer them a place at my side — their power is wasted on chaos when it could serve a greater cause NEXT → 05 A human politician offers to champion mutant rights — but has a shady past. What do you do? AGive them a chance — people can change, and this alliance could mean real progress for coexistence BI don’t trust politicians. Watch them closely, and the second they betray us, I’ll be right there CUse them — let them think they’re in charge while I control the narrative from behind the scenes NEXT → 06 What’s your biggest flaw? AI push people away — I’d rather be alone than risk losing someone I care about BI’m too idealistic — I keep believing in people even when the evidence says I shouldn’t CMy anger — once I commit to a path, I’ll burn everything down before I admit I was wrong NEXT → 07 Sentinels are hunting mutants in your city. What’s your move? AHunt the hunters — tear them apart before they find anyone else BCoordinate an underground network to hide and protect every mutant in the area CSeize control of the Sentinels — turn the weapons of oppression into instruments of liberation NEXT → 08 What do you believe about coexistence between humans and mutants? ACoexistence is a fantasy. Humans will always fear what they can’t control — mutants must secure their own future BI don’t care about the big picture — I protect the people I care about, and everyone else can sort themselves out CIt’s possible and worth fighting for — the dream of a world where humans and mutants live in peace is everything REVEAL MY MUTANT IDENTITY → Cerebro Scan Complete Your X-Men Identity 🐺 Wolverine (Logan) “I’m the best there is at what I do. But what I do best isn’t very nice.” You’re the fierce loner who acts first and philosophises later — but beneath that adamantium-plated exterior beats a heart that cares far more than you’d ever admit. You’ve been burned enough times to distrust the world, so you keep people at arm’s length, yet you’d throw yourself into any fight to protect the ones who slip past your defences. You don’t need a cause or a manifesto — you just need someone worth fighting for. Like Logan, your greatest strength isn’t your claws or your healing factor; it’s the stubborn refusal to let the people you love face danger alone.Fierce Protective Resilient Untamed 🧠 Professor X (Charles Xavier) “Just because someone stumbles and loses their path, doesn’t mean they’re lost forever.” You’re the visionary who sees the best in everyone — even when the world gives you every reason not to. Your greatest power isn’t telepathy; it’s an unshakeable belief that understanding and compassion can bridge any divide. You lead not through force but through hope, building bridges where others build walls. Some call you naive, but you know that real strength lies in extending a hand to your enemy. Like Charles Xavier, you carry the weight of a dream that most consider impossible, and you refuse to let it die.Visionary Empathetic Diplomatic Hopeful 🧲 Magneto (Erik Lehnsherr) “Peace was never an option.” You’re the survivor who learned the hardest lesson life has to offer: the world will not protect you, so you must protect yourself. Your conviction is unbreakable and your patience is terrifying — you’ll wait years to set the right plan in motion. You don’t hate humanity; you simply refuse to let your people be victims ever again. Every action you take, no matter how ruthless, is driven by a profound love for those who share your struggle. Like Erik Lehnsherr, you are both revolutionary and tragic — a leader forged in pain who will bend the world before it bends you.Resolute Strategic Ruthless Unyielding ↻ PLAY AGAIN Given the two’s personalities and the seemingly effortless swagger they exude, it’s hard not to see the similarities once pointed out. Since Catman’s growth fundamentally changed how he was perceived both by readers and in-universe characters, he is now undeniably worthy of being called Gambit’s counterpart. His time with the Secret Six established him as a leader, all while demonstrating that he’s capable of walking the line between ruthlessness and compassion. His history as a failed villain only adds to his complexity and the significance of his transformation. Similarly, his relationship with the Secret Six both humanizes him and grants him a purpose, pulling him out of isolation while giving him a reason to care about the world, following a similar path to Marvel’s Gambit. All in all, Catman’s growth into an unpredictable yet charismatic antihero with a complex history makes him just as memorable as X-Men’s Gambit. Movie(s) X-Men (2000), X2, X-Men: The Last Stand (2006), X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009), X-Men: First Class (2011), The Wolverine (2013), X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014), Deadpool (2016), X-Men: Apocalypse (2016), Logan (2017), Deadpool 2 (2018), Dark Phoenix (2019), The New Mutants, Deadpool & Wolverine (2024) TV Show(s) X-Men: Pryde of the X-Men, X-Men (1992), X-Men: Evolution (2000), Wolverine and the X-Men (2008), Marvel Anime: Wolverine, Marvel Anime: X-Men, Legion (2017), The Gifted (2017), X-Men '97 (2024) Video Game(s) X-Men: Children of the Atom (1994), Marvel Super Heroes (1995), X-Men vs. Street Fighter (1996), Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter (1997), Marvel vs. Capcom (1998), X-Men: Mutant Academy (2000), Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes (2000), X-Men: Mutant Academy 2 (2001), X-Men: Next Dimension (2002), Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds (2011), Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 (2011), X-Men Legends (2005), X-Men Legends 2: Rise of Apocalypse (2005), X2: Wolverine's Revenge (2003), X-Men (1993), X-Men 2: Clone Wars (1995), X-Men: Mutant Apocalypse (1994) First Film X-Men (2000) Character(s) Professor X, Cyclops, Iceman, Beast, Angel, Phoenix, Wolverine, Gambit, Rogue, Storm, Jubilee, Morph, Nightcrawler, Havok, Banshee, Colossus, Magneto, Psylocke, Juggernaut, Cable, X-23 Comic Release Date 213035,212968