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    Cable #3 Review

    Matthew PetersonBy Matthew PetersonJuly 31, 20171 Comment3 Mins Read

    Cable and Conquest are traveling through time, trying to assemble the legendary Time Sword.  Unfortunately, Cable is trailing far behind…  Your Major Spoilers review of Cable #3 awaits!

    CABLE #3

    Writer: James Robinson
    Penciler: Carlos Pacheco w/ Thony Silas
    Inker: Rafale Fonteriz w/ Thony Silas
    Colorist: HJesus Aburtoz with Federico Blee & Dono Sanchez-Amlara
    Letterer: VC’s Cory Petit
    Editor: Mark Paniccia
    Publisher: Marvel Comics
    Cover Price: $3.99

    Previously in Cable: “Pursuing a villain through the time stream, Cable followed the trail to the Old West and then to feudal Japan, both times coming face-to-face with a group of natives wielding decidedly futuristic weaponry.  determined to stop this disruption of time, Cable found the next jump point in hopes of closing the gap between him and his foe…”

    “TIME/LOCATION: YUCATAN COAST, 1121. MAYAN CIVILIZATION.”

    As the issue opens, Cable arrives in the year 1121, at a Mayan temple, where he meets Kagan, a temple priest.  After disposing of a few flying troublemakers (who may be wearing technology far beyond what we expect, but the story isn’t entirely clear about that fact), Kagan and Cable make their way into the temple.  Kagan knows all about Cable, his quest and his foe, Conquest, even showing the mutant the exact configuration of the legendary time-sword and it’s components.  (This is lampshaded as something that might be important later, with Cable mentioning that Kagan can help him out.)  Cable makes his way to the top of a ziggurat, then time slides away, landing in Moscow circa 1908…

    ….moments before getting laid out by Conquest.

    SOME CREATIVE LAYOUTS, NOT ALL SUCCESSFUL…

    There are some really creative visual moments in this issue, including Kagan’s holographic calendar, but there are a couple that fall entirely flat.  A full-page layout of Cable climbing up a ziggurat fails because it reads bottom-to-top, while several other moments are beautiful, but the blocking of action doesn’t really make sense.  (The final page attack by Conquest, f’rinstance, doesn’t track for me.)  Still, this issue features a well-drawn Cable, and one whose weapons all feel realistic in ways that they sometimes don’t.  The biggest issue, though, is in the pacing, with the bulk of the issue consisting of a stop-and-explain sequence from Kagan, followed by a battle sequence that feels a bit hurried and ending with a shocking cliffhanger that just doesn’t really work.  Cable’s mission seems very remote and hard to conceptualize and we don’t really get into his head enough to make things seem like an indy ploy or idiosyncratic plan, so feels like he spends the issue outmaneuvered and flailing.

    THE BOTTOM LINE: WELL-DRAWN BUT FEELS VERY REMOTE

    In short, as a middle chapter, this may work, but as a stand-alone comic book, the combined problems of script and storytelling make it unsatisfying.  Cable #3 has some pretty great character interactions between time-traveler and Mayan priest, but just feels somehow off, and too many sequences require rereading for visual clarity or plotting reasons, leading to 2.5 out of 5 stars overall.  I’d be interested to read this entire arc collected and see if this chapter works better in that form, though…

    [taq_review]

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    Cable Carlos Pacheco James Robinson marvel comics X-Men
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    Matthew Peterson
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    Once upon a time, there was a young nerd from the Midwest, who loved Matter-Eater Lad and the McKenzie Brothers... If pop culture were a maze, Matthew would be the Minotaur at its center. Were it a mall, he'd be the Food Court. Were it a parking lot, he’d be the distant Cart Corral where the weird kids gather to smoke, but that’s not important right now... Matthew enjoys body surfing (so long as the bodies are fresh), writing in the third person, and dark-eyed women. Amongst his weaponry are such diverse elements as: Fear! Surprise! Ruthless efficiency! An almost fanatical devotion to pop culture! And a nice red uniform.

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    1 Comment

    1. Rome on August 11, 2017 10:33 am

      Just not satisfying. Three issues in, it feels already too drawn out. Like a plot that could have been one issue long being tediously paced out over 6 issues. I love me some Cable, but this hardly has any characterization, intrigue, or hooks. The action is good enough, and the art is shiny and all, but some how just not coming together for me.

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