Gut-check for Completionists
What was this? Back in 1997, Marvel released issues that served as flashbacks and general gap fillers for readers. Sadly, that's all this seems to be: filler. I had seen many references to a time in which Cable and Moira MacTaggart had met years prior to Cable joining the New Mutants. This book was to answer the questions concerning this rumor. Sadly, this book covers the arrival of Cable - and that's it! Imagine a book about a person from one of the bush countries in Africa landing in America that chronicles a few odd looks. That is essentially what we have here. Cable arrives, a few people are uncomfortable, and Moira takes him home. Not too exciting, eh?
Sadly, the art can't make up for the sad-sack story you have to read. Everyone has a monster forehead. Little detail goes into a majority of the panels. Also, Cable doesn't look like a hardened war vet. He looks more like a frightened puppy. Sure, he comes from a vastly different future and can't speak English yet, but why doesn't he just storm away from the people gawking at him? He stands around like a dolt; a serious flaw that should be blamed on the artist.
There is, however, one redeeming quality. Apocalypse appears on the very last page. His awakening wasn't supposed to happen for a while. The reader learns that the reason Apocalypse has arisen at this point in time is due to Cable's arrival. That is a sweet tidbit. I just hate that I had to read many prior bland pages to read that.