CABLE #97
"The Path of Most Resistance"
Recommended (8/10)
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Marvel Comics
Writer: David Tischman
Artist: Igor Kordey
Colors: Chris Sotomayor
Letters: Comicraft
Editors: Matt Hicks & Mark Powers
Price: $2.25 US/$3.50 CAN |
More than a year ago, when Warren Ellis and Steven Grant took over X-Man under Marvel's "Counter-X" bannerl, I figured it was unlikely they'd be able to win me over, as I cared nothing for a convoluted character like Nate Grey. I was wrong, and as Grant's run on the title continued, the quality grew. Now Cable is getting a facelift as well, and foolishly, I once again thought that David Tischman wouldn't be able to impress me with a title character I've never cared for.
Never mind me. Go out, read Cable #97 and learn how wrong I was.
The world is a dangerous place. In locales all over the globe, there are people willing to do terrible things for the causes in which they fervently believe. One of those places is Lima, Peru, and some of those people are mutants, members of the Shining Path, a group that seeks to overthrow a corrupt government. Cable is a mutant too, but he's not out to change political landscapes or recruit his kind for the side of the angels. Cable's mission is simple: put a stop to the deadly activities of mutant extremists by any means necessary.
Kordey's been wowing Dark Horse Comics readers for a while now, and it's easy to see why in this book. His work here reminds me of a cross between the styles of Richard (Startling Stories: Banner) Corben and Eduardo (100 Bullets) Risso. His detailed art reinforces the dark reality of Tischman's plot and characters. I'm also impressed with Cable's more plausible outfit in this story, as well as with Sotomayor's muted colors, which bolster the maturity and gravity of the story.
There were a couple of aspects to Tischman's story that didn't quite click for me. I hate that he falls back on the cliche of identifying the hero by having a shapely woman throw herself at him (former regular writer Robert Weinberg did the same thing in the previous issue). Furthermore, given the political gold mine that he's established here, the plot for the first issue is surprisingly action-oriented. However, he's probably trying to hang onto previous Cable readers while trying to appeal to a new audience. I think he succeeds, and my comments above are minor points at best.
With this project, Tischman proves he's more than just Howard Chaykin's writing assistant. Those hooked on Grant Morrison's New X-Men will find this new direction for Cable right up their alley, as will fans of Chaykin and Tischman's American Century.
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