Gambling is a hobby that virtually everyone loves. It is just the risks that come along with this pastime that stops many from indulging in it. That said, it is undoubtedly a form of entertainment that generates thrills that few other activities can come close to reproducing. Hence, it has inspired plots and characters in various fiction genres, including comics.
That is right, games of chance have been a recurring motif in many graphic novels, such as those released by North America’s top two comic book publishing companies, Marvel and DC Comics. The activity’s representation in this medium can get traced back to the 1940s and early editions of DC’s Superman.
Roulette, in one of her first comic book appearances.
However, in modern times, when these two things find their way into the same sentence, undoubtedly, the first hero/villain that pops to mind for most hardcore Marvel fans is Roulette. In all honesty, that is likely so due to the name of this former student at the Massachusetts Academy. A blonde-haired girl who with her discs of psionic energy can alter probability. Her black ones create bad luck, and her red discs bestow prosperity.
Born Jennifer Stavros, Roulette was the quintessential mean girl before moving to the Xavier School for Mutants, her old rival school, where she tries to find her place. Roulette was essentially a self-centered teen that got humbled by the loss of members of her Hellfire Club and now looks to grow. Fans of the character are eager to see her role get expanded in the Marvel universe.
While they are waiting on that, let us check out five more gambling-themed superheroes and villains. If you are a layperson, you are sure to recognize some of these names and others you are probably oblivious about.
Gambit
Gambit is a mutant that first appeared in the Uncanny X-Men Annual #14 edition. He is the brainchild of writer Chirs Claremont and artists Jim Lee. Real name, Remy Etienne LeBeau, Gambit is often talked about as one of the sexiest comic book characters of all time. He is fiercely proud of his Lousiana heritage and talks with a Cajun accent.
Taylor Kitsch is the first actor to have played Gambit on the silver screen in the 2009 Gavin Hood-directed X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Channing Tatum initially got considered for the role, and for years, there were talks regarding Tatum playing the character in a solo film, but that never materialized.
Though the term gambit refers primarily to an opening move in chess, where a player makes a sacrifice, it can be any calculated move where anyone hopes to gain an advantage. In the Marvel comics, Gambit is a skilled card thrower, who can read his playing cards as if they were tarot ones, and in the 2009 movie, he sees himself as a skillful poker player.
The Joker
When it comes to comic book supervillains, the Joker reigns supreme. He is a character created by Bob Kane, Bill Finger, and Jerry Robinson in 1940, appearing in the first edition of Batman, and without question, he has stood the test of time. Not only that, but he may have only gotten more popular with age on account of multiple versions of this legendary character getting portrayed in movies, TV shows, and video games over the past few decades.
The Joker possesses no superhuman abilities, as he only has his chemical engineering prowess and intelligence to lean on when attempting to fend off Batman and take over Gotham City.
Despite his moniker, the Joker is not really a gambler. His calling card is a Joker, and he has put unfortunate souls in positions where they had to make risky calls with significant consequences. But, he has never expressed a particular preference for any gambling pick. Two-Face, another renowned Batman villain, loves to commit crimes based on a flip of a coin and is quite partial to sports betting. The comic book series clearly defines that he is the son of a gambling addict.
Black Jack, the mysterious doctor from the Japanese manga of the same name.
Black Jack
Stepping away from DC and Marvel comics, Black Jack is an episodic Manga released from 1973 to 1983. Most of the editions in this series (hundreds) are self-contained stories that revolve around the adventures of an unlicensed but genius doctor named Black Jack. It is the second-best-selling manga series in Japan’s history, boasting over 45 million copies that went out into circulation.
Most of the comics revolved around Black Jack involving himself in the lives of others, based on chance encounters, and performing a good deed for which he rarely gets recognition. The character’s defining physical feature is that one side of his hair is white, while the other is black. He also virtually always wears a Dracula-like cape.
Medical skills aside, Black Jack is a skilled fighter that throws scalpels like darts. Although, he is not violent by nature. His notoriety in Japan only gets rivaled by his creator’s (Osamu Tezuka) slightly more celebrated creation, Astro Boy.
Chance
Chance is another supervillain existing in the Marvel comic book universe. Real name, Nicholas Powell, Chance is a former professional gambler that set aside casino games, replacing them with a career as a mercenary for hire.
Chance finds everyday life super dull. Therefore, the single way he can get any appreciation out of living is by incurring sizeable risks. Continuously so.
That is due to the compulsive side of his character, which fuels him to seek ever-growing stakes.
He first appeared in the fifty-forth issue of Spiderman and is known for his suit of armor that lets him achieve peak human strength and stamina. Chance loves poker and is a highly trained hand-to-hand combatant.
Iron Man
Many movie industry insiders will say that one of the biggest bets in cinema history was Marvel betting on the first Iron Man movie to kick off its associated movie franchise. It was a wager that paid ten-fold.
Little known fact, Tony Star loves shooting dice.
Comic book behemoths Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, with help from Don Heck and Larry Lieber, came up with Anthony Edward Stark, the man behind the suit. This fast-talking, arrogant, and wealthy business magnate debuted in the Tales of Suspense series in 1963 and got his own title five years later.
Today, primarily owing to the Robert Doweny Jr. movies, Iron Man is a top three Marvel superhero, without argument. He is also somewhat of an avid gambler, with craps being his real money game of choice.
Online Casinos These Characters Would Love
Since Gambit and Chance are fans of the world’s most popular card game, Bovada seems like a site they would use. It is a reliable and trusted platform that offers a great variety of cash games and tournaments. Best of all, it is open to US players.
We mentioned Two-Face (Harvey Dent) and his passion for sports betting, so we are sure that he would enjoy BetOnline. It is a global brand with a terrific reputation that accepts a sizeable range of deposit options, including cryptocurrencies.
JackpotCity Casino is a quality platform whose review you can check out to see why it is a place that Roulette and Black Jack would adore. It is home to some of the best online slots from various top providers, and it also houses superb RNG versions of casino table classics.
All Slots Casino is one of the rare gambling sites on the World Wide Web that offers craps, so Tony Stark would 100% have it bookmarked on his smartphone.
