Writer: Gerry Duggan

Art: Phil Noto, VC’s Joe Sabino, and Tom Muller

Price: $4.99

Release Date: March 11th, 2020

To be fair, EXTERMINATION saw the end to the Cable fans have grown to love. The Cable that was once a grizzled old veteran of the wars to save the future. But for now, he’s a young mutant living in paradise leading a life of adventure. But, is this really what fans want from Nathan Summers? There seems to be no experience, no leadership, and no resumé that makes him the X-FORCE leading, bad$&$ Cable that could stand toe to toe with Apocalypse! Fans want Cable back to the way he was, am I right? Well, readers, I think we may be in luck! Gerry Duggan, the writer of MARAUDERS, has been given the reins to this new hit series and this reviewer is excited to see what Duggan’s got in store for Nathan Summers, son of two of the most powerful mutants on Krakoa. Will Duggan resuscitate Cable and return him to his destiny of leading the youth of mutantkind in rebellion? Let’s jump into CABLE #1 by Gerry Duggan and find out!

Cable-fans; this issue is… different. It’s nothing like I was expecting at all. That said, I’m solely basing my expectations off of the character development found in EXTERMINATION, FALLEN ANGELS, and MARAUDERS. Plus, out of those titles, Duggan was merely the writer for MARAUDERS. Now, the sly, humorous style of Duggan definitely shines throughout the entire issue… especially the opening pages with his Octagon square off against Wolverine. Nevertheless, the story takes an odd and unique twist as Cable takes a small team on a rescue mission. And readers, I simply don’t know how I feel about this plot thread that Duggan reintroduces. It’s certainly early on, being only one issue in, but the story didn’t feel very… grizzled, rough, or Cable-like at all. Additionally, the Kid Cable vs. Wolverine fight at the beginning of the issue didn’t feel like Wolverine nor did the outcome sit well with this reviewer. However, I was exceedingly pleased to see Cable actually use his mutant powers!!! Fans, that was a huge plus to this issue. And while the jury is still out on Cable’s new sword, once the owners re-enter the story, maybe I’ll be more excited to see the direction Duggan has in mind. Either way, I applaud his narrative choice and I’m intrigued to see what he does with it.

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Now, just like Duggan’s story was a bit unique this week, Phil Noto’s art was equally distinctive and portrayed a style that appeared almost painted on a canvas at times. There were moments where the characters were exceptionally detailed, smooth, and polished. However, there were also instants where the illustrations were blurry, muddled, and coarse. Mainly, this uneven style presented itself in smaller panels that didn’t showcase the true potential that Noto has to offer. Furthermore, some of the color choices subdued the pages and made it difficult to read at many moments. In all actuality, I feel like the art style statically changed once Cable received his new sword. Everything before that moment was truly thorough, vibrant, and extremely stellar. However, after Cyclops enters the picture, Noto’s art seemed to take a turn and not sit well with this reviewer.

FINAL THOUGHTS

CABLE #1 was entertaining and filled with Duggan’s subtlety dry humor. Once again, Gerry Duggan creates a story that’s easy to interpret, manageable for a new reader to jump in and follow, and straightforward even though some of the character voices appeared off at times and old characters are reimagined. The plot was unexpected, a bit odd for Cable, yet intriguingly fun, especially once readers see who Cable’s new sword belongs too. Furthermore, the cliffhanger itself is enough to get fans excited for the brand new series and this reader is all in on the series moving forward. Readers of comics from the late ’70s and early ’80s will leave this issue delighted to see the different avenues of the comic landscape that Duggan brings back while simultaneously finding a way to return Cable to his roots in what seems to be a uniquely imaginative way. I highly recommend giving this opening issue a look and adding it to your pull list. Pick this story up, grab the trades below using any of my links to catch up, and let me know what you think! I have no doubt you’ll truly love it.

8.8/10