We've been hearing about the Avengers and the X-Men fighting each other. Before that happens, Cable is going after the Avengers himself.
The Good
Cable is back. This could be good or bad news for comic readers. He made the ultimate sacrifice to save his 'daughter' Hope. I'm not sure if anyone really loves comic book deaths but they're made even worse when the character returns from the dead too quickly. From the preview images, we know this is Cable. We know it's an older Cable. I won't go into details of how Cable arrived or when he's possibly from but I will say I was okay with the explanation. I touched on this subject before and have no problem with his return.
Why is Cable and the Avengers fighting? It's all explained. It makes sense. What readers will be looking for is a big superhero on superhero fighting action. That's what we get. Or at least we get the beginning of that since this is a four-issue miniseries.
Jeph Loeb's writing of Cable fits, as does his portrayal of the Avengers in this issue. The important thing for readers to accept the return of Cable is the way he's written. Cable is a hero and has worked with many of these heroes before. We need to believe in why things play out the way they do. Ed McGuinness has drawn plenty of big action books before and you can see that is what he intends to deliver here.
The Bad
Was I looking forward to this too much or was it a fast read? The reason for Cable's attack does make sense but then again, would Cable really do these things? It is the first issue of the miniseries and it could be too early to tell. You can't help trying to shake the feeling that the series will be resolved as most superhero versus superhero battles do. Will the Avengers and Cable get along by issue #4? It's possible they won't considering one element mentioned in this issue and the fact that 'Avengers Vs X-Men' is coming next year.
I do really like McGuinness' art. He did a great job on everyone except Captain America look a little too bulky at times. He is a defined guy but he shouldn't be close to Cable's size.
It could just be because this is the first issue but it wasn't fully clear how much time passed in between a couple incidents. How much time did Cable spend preparing for his plan of attack? Actually, there is a period of time mentioned but I wonder if that's enough time for all the details. Perhaps Cable is simply that good at throwing together a plan.
The Verdict
Just in time for the holidays, Cable makes his return after about a year and a half. Setting the stage for a bigger event, Cable has targeted the Avengers and isn't holding back. The biggest risk with this series is explaining how Cable could return after being dead and Jeph Loeb does a good job. It's not as simple or straight forward as some might think and his reasons for going after the Avengers makes sense. Ed McGuinness is a great choice for a series that's bound to contain some crazy action. With the exception of Captain America at times, everything looks great. Each page almost has a vibrant feel when McGuinness' pencils are combined with Dexer Vines' inks and Morry Hollowell's colors. It's a great-looking book with the promise of some major butt-kicking in the issues to come. If there were any doubts over Loeb and McGuinness bringing back Cable, everyone can rest at ease now. It felt a little short but it could just be that my appetite has been whetted and now I need more.