The world of the X-Men in the Marvel Comics universe has taken some wild turns in recent months since the debut of Jonathan Hickman’s “House of X” series. Now, another new wrinkle is being thrown into the story, thanks to a certain time-traveling mercenary with family ties to the team.
“Cable #1” introduces us to a young Cable who is currently going through the resurrection protocols of the mutant island home of Krakoa. As if the mutants didn't already have enough going on, Cable is about to make a discovery that will complicate things even further.
Hickman’s new direction for the X-Men has been a big hit for Marvel Comics overall, while other writers have taken individual characters or even small teams of mutants in different directions within the overarching story. Now, it’s Gerry Duggan’s turn to do that with Cable and the direction in which he is going is… strange.
Sure, Cable has always been a bit of a strange character, as one would expect from a character whose whole identity is based in time travel. This is a new level of strange though, as he takes on a giant dog monster and discovers a sword that gives him visions of space robots.
The character himself in this new series is also going to take some getting used to. If you’ve been a fan of Cable in the past (erm, future?), you’re likely partial to the bitter, surly old man. This youthful Cable is a far cry from the classic character, albeit with the same dirty mouth.
Still, despite the fact that this is so very different from the Cable we know and love, there is plenty to love about this first issue. It’s loaded with likeable characters, from classic members of the X-Men to new young mutants who are finding their home on Krakoa. It also has plenty of action, including a friendly bout between Cable and Wolverine and the aforementioned scuffle with a giant dog monster.
It’s also a decent start to a new story. Let’s face it, Marvel Comics have been going for more than 80 years, there are only so many ways you can bring back an old villain or set up some kind of new threat. If nothing else, this story feels fresh as Cable appears to have awaken some kind of robots from a distant galaxy that are coming to reclaim their sword. It probably won’t be adapted into the Marvel Cinematic Universe anytime soon, but it’s certainly different from anything else that’s going on in Marvel Comics.
Overall, “Cable #1” isn’t my favorite piece of this newly revamped X-Men story, but it does have some things that work. Readers will likely eventually fall in love with this new Cable, even if they are familiar with the old one. And don’t worry, the old Cable isn’t totally gone. Remember, time travel. It will also be interesting to see how this new robotic threat from outer space affect the mutants, who are already so busy with various other problems.
“Cable #1” is available now.