CABLE #96
"I Was Born About Ten Thousand Years Ago"
Neutral (4/10)
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Marvel Comics
Writer: Robert Weinberg
Pencils: Michael Ryan
Inks: "Pertzborn" & Harry Candelario
Colors: Avalon Studios
Letters: Comicraft
Editor: Mark Powers
Price: $2.25 US/$3.50 CAN |
It's nice to see Robert Weinberg wrap up his run on Cable quietly with a stand-alone story, as opposed loudly with a climactic story arc ending. Still, the plot is rather cliched and obvious, and Michael Ryan's art still doesn't strike a chord with me. To be fair, though, they're handling a character in which I've never had any interest.
Cable pulls up to a diner in the middle of nowhere and ends up befriending the proprietor, who happens to sense the special nature of the mutant cyborg. The owner, Cole, just happens to be an immortal, and he's got a problem that requires the assistance of a powerful ally. Cole needs to retrieve a treasure from a pair of equally immortal enemies, and Cable agrees to help.
There's one big problem with this story: the creators ask us to swallow the notion that only Cable notices there's something peculiar and special about Cole, even though he looks like a Neanderthal. None of the other characters see he's all skull and muscle. Suspension of disbelief can only be stretched so far.
On the plus side, Weinberg makes Cole instantly likeable. Despite his bizarre appearance, a shining and fun personality makes it through to the reader with no problem. Cable's easy-going attitude in this issue is a welcome change of pace as well. Usually, he's all business, stereotypically gritting his teeth and dwelling on some past trauma. Here, he seems far more human, his feet planted firmly on the ground.
In the end, though, those personalities are the only real strength of the book, and that's not enough to carry it alone. I've said it before, and I'll likely say it again... there's nothing wrong with the art, but Ryan's stuff doesn't really strike me so far as much more than simply capable, standard super-hero fare. His own unique style is emerging quickly, though, and I expect that development will continue.
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