| Cable | |
Cover of Cable (vol. 2) #1 (March 2008). Art by Ariel Olivetti. |
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| Publication information | |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | New Mutants #86 (March 1990) |
| Created by | Louise Simonson Rob Liefeld |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Nathan Christopher Charles Summers |
| Species | Human Mutant |
| Team affiliations | X-Men X-Force Askani Six Pack New Mutants The Underground Secret Avengers |
| Notable aliases | Nathan Winters/Dayspring, Askani'son, Soldier X, Chosen One, Campbell, Traveller |
| Abilities | Psychic powers Technopathy Enhanced physical attributes Expert marksman and hand-to-hand fighter |
Cable is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in The New Mutants #87 (March 1990), and was created by writer Louise Simonson and artist/co-writer Rob Liefeld.
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Though the artist Rob Liefeld is responsible for his visual design, name, and much of his personality, it is claimed that Cable also got some inspiration from editor Bob Harras. Liefeld explains the creation of the character:
"I was given a directive to create a new leader for the New Mutants. There was no name, no description besides a 'man of action' the opposite of Xavier. I created the look, the name, much of the history of the character. After I named him Cable, Bob suggested Quinn and Louise had Commander X."[1]
The character's first appearance was a cameo in The New Mutants #86 (Feb. 1990) followed by a full appearance in The New Mutants #87 (March 1990). Initially, Cable was portrayed as a wholly new character, however, later writers changed his background, stating that Cable is Nathan Summers, the son of Cyclops and Madelyne Pryor, first seen in Uncanny X-Men #201 (Jan 1986).
Cable is first seen in conflict with Stryfe's Mutant Liberation Front,[2] the United States government, and Freedom Force.[3] The New Mutants intervened and he asked for their help against the Mutant Liberation Front.[4] Cable saw them as potential soldiers in his war against Stryfe. He became their new teacher and leader, and outfitted them.[5] He came into conflict with Wolverine,[6] noting that the two had an old feud between them. Cable and the New Mutants teamed up with Wolverine and Sunfire against the MLF.[7] Cable also led the New Mutants against the Genoshans.[8] The cancellation of The New Mutants saw many of the characters and Cable appear in the new series X-force. [9]The series provided further detail for the character's back story revealing that he was from the future and that he had travelled to the past with aim of stopping Stryfe's plans as well as preventing Apocalypse's rise to power. Cable travelled between the 1990s and his future with his ship Greymalkin, which contained a sentient computer program called Professor, the future version of the program built into X-Factor's Ship.
In 1992, the character had a two issue miniseries, titled Cable: Blood and Metal, written by Fabian Nicieza, pencilled by John Romita, Jr., and inked by Dan Green, was published in October 1992 and November 1992. The series explored Cable and the villain Stryfe's ongoing battle with one another, and its effect on the people that surround Cable.
Shortly after Blood and Metal, Cable was given his own ongoing title; issue #6 (vol. 2) December 1993, confirmed the character to be Nathan Christopher Summers, the son of the X-Man Cyclops and Madelyne Pryor who had been taken to the future in X-Factor #68 (vol. 1) July 1991, introduced by writer Chris Claremont and appeared in Uncanny X-Men #201 January 1986. The series ran from May 1993 until August 2003, including the revamping of the book to Soldier X, and the book would at first have trouble finding a stable creative team. A writer/penciller team would complete no more than three issues in a row until Jeph Loeb and Ian Churchill would begin work on issue #20 and finish on #35. Loeb and Churchill would provide for the first stability the title would have, working together on fifteen of the twenty issues from #20-#39. During their run, they would explore characters in Cable’s past, his feeling of responsibility toward Nathan Grey, Cable's relationship with Domino and Blaquesmith, and further adventures with Kane, the Sugar Man, and the Microverse.
The 1994 mini-series The Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix provided further information on the character's back story. In the future, Mother Askani, a time-displaced Rachel Summers, had Nathan cloned in case he succumbed to the T-O virus. Minions of Apocalypse attacked the temple and kidnapped the clone, whom Apocalypse assumed was Nathan. Apocalypse mistakenly believed that Nathan's telekinetic powers had successfully eliminated the T-O virus, which had been Apocalypse’s intention when infecting the infant in the first place. Apocalypse then raised the clone as his heir, naming him Stryfe. Using her chronoskimming power for the last time, Rachel pulled the minds of Scott and Jean into the future where, as “Slym” and "Redd", they raised Cable for twelve years. During their time together, the "family" prevented Apocalypse from transferring his essence into a new body, ending his reign of terror.[10]
After his solo series ended, he was paired with the mercenary Deadpool in a new ongoing series. The series largely dealt with Cable's efforts to change the world for the better, including turning his old spaceship Greymalkin into the floating utopian island of Providence. In preparation for Messiah Complex, Cable seemingly died when Gambit and Sunfire detonated Providence, causing the series to focus mostly on Deadpool for the next six or so issues. This series was cancelled at the fiftieth issue and was quickly replaced with another Cable solo comic. Around the same time period, Cable becomes a member of a team of X-Men that consists of Rogue, Iceman, Cannonball, Sabretooth, Mystique, Lady Mastermind, and Omega Sentinel and it appears that he is killed during one of their missions.
It is revealed that Cable survived, and has the mutant baby girl that the X-Men, Marauders, and Purifiers have been seeking during the Mutant Messiah storyline[11] In 2008, Marvel Comics released Cable (vol.3), a new on-going series by Duane Swierczynski and artist Ariel Olivetti.[12] This new series following directly from the events of Messiah Complex Reminiscent of Lone Wolf and Cub, the series follows Cable, and the messianic child's time traveling adventures. The dangers of the future and pursuit by Bishop are balanced with the humor of "Cable the soldier" becoming "Cable the Nanny." [13]
Cable was born with telepathic and telekinetic abilities, however, the power levels of these powers have varied dramatically throughout his appearances. Originally both were limited by his need to restrain his techno-organic infection and his powers were negligible compared to his more traditional fighting skills. However, following the subdual of the infection they gradually increased to the point where at their height he was able to simultaniously levitate the floating city of Providence and combat the Silver Surfer.[14]. Following that story, his powers were burnt out and he replaced both with technological substitutes. Later he states that both his telepathy and telekinesis have faded to nothing.[15]
His techno-organic body parts possess enhanced strength and durability, and his techno-organic eye gives him enhanced eyesight, allowing him to see further than a normal human and in the infrared spectrum. He is also able to interface his techno-organic body parts with machinery, using them to hack into computers and open electronic locks.
Cable is trained in the use of many futuristic and conventional firearms, unarmed combat, and guerrilla tactics. He has extensive training in military combat techniques and the martial arts, and is an expert combat strategist. When his powers were temporarily reduced, he used a weapon from his own timeline, known as a "Psimitar" which has the ability to focus and increase his telepathic and telekinetic powers.
In addition to his mainstream incarnation, Cable has had been depicted in other fictional universes.
The Techno-Organic virus has overtaken Cable's body, and has become a blob of organic metal.
Cable is a future version of Wolverine who goes back to the past to prevent Apocalypse from taking over the world. See (Ultimate Wolverine).
He was not infected but eaten.
There was an issue of What If... that asks "What If Cable Destroyed the X-Men?"
In the fantasy world depicted in the graphic novel Wolverine: Rahne of Terra, Cable's counterpart is a wizard called the Mage, who carried the Warlock Staff and a crossbow.
Main Series (in chronological order):
Reprints & Specials:
Ultimate Marvel:
The stories have been collected in a number of trade paperbacks:
Cable #34 and #35 were part of the Onslaught storyline which was a top vote getter for the Comic Buyer’s Guide Fan Award for Favorite Comic-Book Story for 1997.
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