What Are We Doing Here?: Reviewing ‘Cable’ #3

The X-Men and nostalgia are currently engaged in an all-consuming and growing love affair, after taking a semi-break for a few years. From the literal nostalgic revival on TV screens to the upcoming status quo reset, it’s all about returning to the past in some fashion.

As the current new Krakoa era comes to an end, books like Cable are already making the leap backward. Issue three of the series comes from Fabian Nicieza, Scott Eaton, Lan Medina, Cam Smith, Victor Nava, Java Tartaglia, and Joe Sabino.

This will be one of those reviews where I don’t spend a lot of words. This issue used enough for the both of us.

Look, Nicieza has created a lot of memorable and good stuff in his many years writing for the X-Line through various eras. This is not one of those things.

Everything about this miniseries is a walk down memory lane of “Hey remember this? I created that or worked with that and want to do it again!” to the max. Half of the things happening on the page have to be explained through extremely verbose captions. Otherwise it would not be clear at all what the heck is happening. Comics are a visual medium. If the things being depicted can’t showcase in the visual side, there is a bit of a problem.

Eaton and Medina, with Smith and Nava inking, are fine. Their styles are very superhero comic friendly. That sort of house style situation, where things are detailed and fine and pretty much as expected. Each of their styles are pretty much in the same lane with just some slight differences, that are more noticeable in some spots than others.

Tartaglia’s colors are slick and vibrant, with plenty of heavier beats mixed in for a few of the spaces. Again, it’s very hero coded colors, with things being all shiny and colorful. Which feels slightly odd with this story, but also tracks somehow.

Sabino sure has a lot to put on the page. It’s laid out well, which helps since there are just so many words. No real room to do anything fun, it’s just all standard bubbles and captions. Pretty standard with no fun, that seems fitting for this version of Cable.

Cable #3 is now available from Marvel Comics.