Young Cable’s adventures continue in Cable #2, released by Marvel Comics on July 29. Writer Gerry Duggan, artist Phil Not, and letterer VC’s Joe Sabino continue unfurling the mystery of the sword Cable found on Monster Island as well as future Cable’s ongoing Hunt (X of Swords prelude?).
Writing
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A lot happens in this issue. It begins with a mutant baby kidnapping with possible ties to a cult, the Order of X, but quickly transitions to a battle with space knights who have arrived on Earth to reclaim the sword that Cable discovered. And then, of course, it ends with future Cable’s journey, which I don’t yet understand, but I’m sure Duggan will make clear in upcoming issues.
I don’t know what to think of this book yet. I’m withholding judgment until the first arc is completed, and I can see the bigger picture a bit better.
On a side note, it is always lovely to how all of the X-titles relate to each other. In the case of Fallen Angels, Cable, and Hellions, it’s pretty easy to get the sense of where the first title ends and the other two begin. In the case of Kate Pryde, her death, and her appearance in X-Men-Fantastic Four, I’m a bit more confused. In this issue, we see a bit of payoff from last week’s issue of Wolverine #3, where the Cuckoos tell Wolverine that they want him to hook them up with Cable, and lo and behold, in this issue, Cable is dating ALL of the Cuckoo sisters.
Art
I love Noto’s art in this issue. The character designs are well done, and I think the colors are gorgeous, looking almost like watercolors. The colors, while each is vibrant, are partially shaded, so while the color palette is diverse, they aren’t overly bright.
There are some cool panels in this issue, but I particularly appreciate two scenes involving Cable and Cyclops, both talking to the Philadelphia police on separate occasions about the missing persons case.
I appreciate the “like father, like son” vibe that these panels give off. I’m not going to post them here, but the following panels, showing the cops, even mimic each other.
Speaking of the cops, they tell Cyclops to get a Philly cheesesteak, go home, and let them do their jobs.
I love so much about this panel, mostly that he actually GOT the sub and that the smile on his face indicates the joy of being able to sit down and eat it (before getting interrupted by Emma, who chastises him for eating a sandwich while talking to her).
Lettering
Sabino’s lettering is serviceable in this issue. Usually, in an issue with diverse characters, I look to see how the letterer gives each voice its own distinct look so that the page doesn’t become a jumble of interchangeable dialogue. In this issue, you have conversations between humans and mutants, psychics, and space knights. I’m happy to say that Sabino gives each of these voices their own visual inflection, which is always a nice aesthetic touch for the reader.
Conclusion
Cable isn’t my favorite X-title, but it’s only been two issues. It’s seeding some mysteries and plot details (some of which appear to be leading up to X of Swords), so I’m curious to see how they’ll pay off, particularly the future Cable story. This book is beautifully drawn, such that I wish all the X-books could look this good (many of them do, but I’m just not a fan of more “cartoon-y” styles).
What did you think of Cable #2? What do you think future Cable is up to? Tell us in the comments below!
