“Avengers: X-Sanction #1” Review

Cable’s back after seemingly being killed protecting his adoptive daughter, Hope. Now he has returned with another “what the hell is Cable up to?” mission that puts him at odds with really the one team you don’t want to find yourself against. The Avengers.

In the first piece of the puzzle leading up to next summer’s big crossover event, Avengers vs. X-Men, it appears that Cable did indeed survive his brush with death, and his techno-virus is now running amok on his system. But that won’t stop a man like Cable from accomplishing his mission. With only hours to live, he sets up an ambush of Captain America and Falcon. A battle ensues between perhaps the two most battle-hardened soldiers of the Marvel Universe, both men out of their own times, though from opposite ends of the timeline.

Jeph Loeb does his usual above-average story-telling here, though there are no huge surprises. It’s cool to see Cable literally deteriorating as he fights Cap. You get a sense of something big down the pipe, as Cable is on a suicide mission to save Hope from the Avengers, whom he has learned are responsible for her death in the future. The question is why? Maybe it has something to do with a certain flaming cosmic entity that Marvel has revealed will be the catalyst for the brawl between the two most powerful teams in the world. I assume that the Avengers decide that the best way to save the world from the Phoenix is to kill it’s most obvious potential host, Hope. Cable won’t stand for that.

This issue is basically a fight between Cap and Cable. They exchange some dialogue about being time-lost soldiers and whatnot, and some blows. Cable, even in his weakened state, gives Cap a run for his money, and events climax as Cable grabs Cap’s shield and Cap gets a hold of Cable’s gun. I won’t spoil it, but the last page sets up the stage for Cable to take on the full might of the Avengers. And that seems to have been his plan all along.

Ed McGuiness, who I usually do not prefer as an artist, actually reeled in some of the ridiculously over-large muscular features. The art is well-done, except for the cover shot of Cap fighting Cable, in which it appears they can’t decide if they want to fight or make out.

A fast-paced, straight-forward, fun read. It really plants the seed for Marvel’s next mega-event, and I’m looking forward to seeing how many Avengers Cable can take down before he runs out of time.

Avengers: X-Sanction #1

3.5/5 Stars