The Greatest Gamble (comic story)

The Greatest Gamble was a backup comic strip published in DWM 56 on 13 August 1981 by Marvel Comics and written by John Peel.

THe comic strip marked the first appearance of the Celestial Toymaker since his debut in the 1966 Doctor Who serial The Celestial Toymaker as well as the debut of Gaylord Lefevre, who would later return in the 1996 BBC Past Doctor Adventures novel Divided Loyalties.

Plot
In the Old West, Gaylord Lefevre — a professional gambler — is travelling the Mississippi in a steamboat, plays a game of cards and shoots a man whom he suspects of cheating. He encourages the remaining opponents to not allow the "unpleasant episode" to ruin the evening and to continue playing, but a man in robes approaches Gaylord asking for a private game in his cabin, which Gaylord eagerly accepts.

However, Gaylord is not lead to a cabin, but, as the mysterious man confesses, to his Toyroom. They pass a group of frozen people, which the man merely claims are his toys, and enter into another room to sit down to play. Gaylord blindly enters the game of cards without caring what is at stake, although becomes uneasy as an audience appears around them, though his feelings are quickly overcome by the desire to best his opponent, to win. Before long, however, Gaylord's luck

Characters

 * Celestial Toymaker
 * Gaylord Lefevre
 * Roman soldier

North America

 * The Mississippi is the longest river in North America. In the Old West, travelling its length takes a long time, so people find ways to pass the time, such as romancing, fishing, talking, and gambling.

Gambling

 * Gaylord earns his living at the card table.
 * The Toymaker claims that he wants to try his fortune at a game of cards.
 * Gaylord and the Toymaker use gambling chips in their game.
 * Luck is fickle.

Original print details

 * Publication with page count and closing captions


 * 1) DWM 56 (4) End

Reprints

 * Coloured and reprinted by Marvel in DW84 20.

Continuity

 * Gaylord Lefevre appears again in 1996 novel Divided Loyalties.