CABLE & DEADPOOL #26 REVIEW

[Robin Lewis]

<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/4images/details.php?image_id=9521" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/covers/marvel/cabdp26t.jpg" hspace=10 align=left alt="Cable & Deadpool #26"></a>Reviewer: Robin Lewis, lucillerobin@aol.com
Story Title: Born Again With Eyes Closed (Part One of Two).

A prelude to a story in X-Men that's already almost half done. No, me neither.

Writer: Fabian Nicieza
Penciler: Lan Medina
Inker: Ed Tadeo
Colorist: Gotham
Letters: VC's Cory Petit
Production: Deborah Weinstein
Editor: Nicole Wiley Boose
Consulting Editors: Barber & Macchio
Editor In Chief: Joe Quesada
Published by: Marvel Comics (http://www.marvel.com)

And now, because you never once demanded it and were really happy to see the back of him after the less-than-inspiring storyline of 'The Twelve', Apocalypse has returned! And yes, I'm sure Marvel are aware that scheduling this prequel to the X-Men storyline two months after the X-Men plot kicks off makes absolutely zero sense, but they've done it anyway. Yes, I know. At least he actually has a reason to appear here: the whole point of Cable's travels into the past was to thwart the rise of Apocalypse (well, that's what they said after they'd decided Cable was a time traveller, anyway), so if he's coming back this would be the comic to do it in. Of course, there's no good reason I can think of for him to come back, as he was fairly comprehensively killed the last time, and his ultimate plot of manipulating the Twelve was utterly defeated. Still, it's far easier to bring back an old enemy than to create a new one, and so we've got 'Poccy back, complete with new horsemen and a liking for long speeches about 'The Strong'. Actually, Apocalypse is barely in this issue. Instead, we have Deadpool and Irene Merryweather trying to track down a suddenly missing Cable, which is a far more entertaining prospect.

We also get more of the Conan-era Cable that we saw in Rob Liefeld's mercifully short-lived X-Force. No, come back! It's not a Rob Liefeld story! There, there, don't worry. Yes, Cable's messing about with a sword and a ponytail, but it's not in pursuit of Skornn. It is, in fact, another of his never-ending confrontations with En-Sabah-Nur. The first one, in fact. At least the first for Apocalypse, that is. Cable notes that if Nur's annoyed now after being hounded across a couple of countries, imagine how peeved he's going to be a few thousand years later, when Nathan's still dogging his heals. Still, this would appear to put Cable in the frame for an active part in the creation of Apocalypse (though presumably he was trying to stop him from ever being created in the first place), which is a new twist.

Alongside this is the plot thread of Deadpool and Merryweather tracking Cable down to Apocalypse's new hideout inside the very silly-looking Sphinx. There's a fight with some 'living, breathing McFarlane toys' so Deadpool can beat someone up and tick the 'action scene' box, but, as ever, the real joy of Deadpool is in his unique mixture of stupidity and snappy quips. In Nicieza's hands he's rarely less than entertaining, but the book feels a little smothered by the tie-in to a storyline that seems like a step back in time for the book. Apocalypse ceased to be an interesting villain a long time ago, and surely there can be little new ground to be explored by seeing how he and Cable interact. We've had this story already, several times. Is there a pressing need to see it again? Apart from boosting sales, that is. And even with the prospect of a major villain returning, there's little prospect of anything important happening: the Apocalypse storyline is going to be resolved over in the X-Men plot, so what happens here is only ever going to be a sideshow. It's not a bad issue by any means, but it feels like one that doesn't quite gel. Apocalypse is coming back, therefore we have to do a tie-in in Cable & Deadpool, therefore we have this story. Well, ok, I guess. It's only two issues, after all. It's about as good as might be hoped for, with Apocalypse kept to one appearance on the recap page where he's fodder for Deadpool's mockery. Since Apocalypse is a totally humourless bad guy who wouldn't really fit in with the overall feel of the book this is almost certainly for the best. It's odd: the book starring his arch-enemy isn't really suitable for him any more.

I'd probably buy Cable & Deadpool even if it consisted of just the recap page, but I can't say the return of Apocalypse into these pages thrills me overmuch. I was far more interested in seeing Cable's arc as a world saviour progress than I am in seeing how he beats up Apocalypse one more time, but as Deadpool notes in the recap, it probably won't hurt sales to tie in with a five-part X-Men storyline, and if he's coming back it wouldn't make sense for Cable to just ignore him. I'm not sure where the title is going after this prelude ends next issue, as we've already been told that Cable's moving into the X-Men book once the creative team's been re-jigged, presumably as team-leader. I can't see that leaving much time for his utopian experiment on Providence, and even less room for banter with Deadpool, though they could, I suppose, go for the 'Wolverine explanation', and just pretend that he's a very busy man and can appear in as many books as he likes, thank you very much. The problem is that Cable's role here and that of X-Men team leader would appear to be mutually exclusive. Whatever, we'll see how things play out when the solicitations come out, but I've got my fingers crossed that Cable & Deadpool continues to confound expectations and stay on the shelf. It's been one of the few X-Men satellite books to actually reach twenty-five issues (in fact, pretty much the only one in recent years), and it's managed to carve out its own little niche audience. It's also one of the few points of humour in an increasingly dour line of mutant titles, and if the occasional below-par tie-in to the main books is the price we pay for its continued existence, then what the hell.

ART:
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STORY:
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OVERALL:
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Buy this Issue Online from X-World and Save! (http://x-worldcomics.com/yourvirtualstore/shopexd.asp?id=18669)

[BadMotives]

ya... marvel screwed up the time of this story arcs release.

All I can say is I enjoyed reading this issue.

[charm]

Yep, all I can say is didn't enjoy this iss - nearly lost my breakfast with the thought of the Skornn.

Moving on, this seemed very stilted and I didn't like the art - is Cable de-ageing (again). Also, it'd be nice if Medina could keep tabs on the characters - Cable's eye should be glowing gold (if it's glowing at all) and his hair should be grey, not brown and the TO shouldn't have spread to his neck.

Why would anyone use a sword when they have a gun - yeah, and ' for honour etc' doesn't really ring true with Cable. First time I've seen him lose an appendage and screw it back on - why didn't he do that when the Silver Surfer blasted him ?

Hmmm, looking forward to the Domino Principle already.

Charm

[Paul Shinn]

Yep, I too can't see why this "Prelude" is being released 2 months into the Blood of Apocalypse arc over in X-men. I mean, it's not even as if it's due to delays - Cable & Deadpool is one of the few books which is never late, and even seemed to be on an almost bi-weekly schedule for a while.

And I was also worried about the future of this title with news of Cable appearing in X-men. Quesada was noticeably non-commital when asked about this over at Newsarama as part of his Joe Friday column... When this book was first announced you could have coloured me unimpressed, but after picking up the first trade it's quickly grown to be a consitently entertaining read, and one of my favourite books. If it's future is in doubt, I can only hope for a relaunched Deadpool solo title...

As for the issue... meh. Still good, but all the Cable/Poccy flashbacks were a bit dull. Intrigued by Cable's motives at the end though... and as ever, the recap page was worth the price of admission alone!

[M-Angel]

You know.
for me the recap page is worth the price of admission, but I must admit Medina's Artwork is a letdown

[Jason Grasso]

Great review. Though I don't get how Cable's now suddenly appearing in the far flung past. (I snoozed through most of the X-Force mini.) Where the heck did that come from? It's not in any of the chronicles of Poccy and Cable that I have read. And it's flat out awful. Futuristic technology being carted around by horses? Ooooookay.

[AdamWarlock]

Futuristic Tech has loooong been in Marvel's prehistory and ancient times... Considering the number of Aliens that visited and manipulated early humans... not to mention all the forays into the ancient past by Mr. Richards of the 31st century... and the follow ups to those forays by a good portion of the 20th century heroes...

As for future tech in Poccy's history? all over the place with Celestial Ship he used as home base. And why couldn't a time traveler like Cable go back to the ancient past? It's just a part of the story we haven't been privy to yet.

[heffy]

I think that Apocalpyse Vs. Dracula is more related to BLOOD OF APOCALPSE than this is. It actually talks about the blood! and about the ancestors of BIG A himself. like Gambit and the others drinking his blood. Crazy!!!

[Rednax310]

A prelude doesn't always have to be released before the start of the main story. Especially when the prelude is in one title and the main story another. Apocalypse just showed up in X-Men, no reason given. I'm assuming that we won't learn how he came back in X-Men, but will find out in Cable & Deadpool.

[Jason Grasso]

As for future tech in Poccy's history? all over the place with Celestial Ship he used as home base. And why couldn't a time traveler like Cable go back to the ancient past? It's just a part of the story we haven't been privy to yet.

The flashback in this issue claims to have happend thousands of years ago. It was my understanding that he Poccy didn't stumble upon the Celestial ship until a time more recent than that. And Ozy says that the technology the Traveller discovers is from the ancient past. Ancient to a time already thousands of years ago? C'mon.

Why couldn't a time traveler like Cable go back to the ancient past? Because it makes for really poor storytelling, it introduces countless paradoxes, it looks incredibly silly, and i think most importantly...it's made for a ridiculously convoluted history. It feels like whenever they want to make Cable seem even more important, they just say he was also around in another time. The guy already has a dizzying yet often-exciting history. Can't it be left at that. Move forward.

Kind of like how they could've just put Apocalypse to rest when Cable fulfilled his destiny and seemingly killed him years ago.

[Phil Hunn]

Kind of like how they could've just put Apocalypse to rest when Cable fulfilled his destiny and seemingly killed him years ago.

Kill Apocalypse? And actually leave him dead?

Yeah, right. Kill Apocalypse, and the already-thin level of top-tier X-Villains would be virtually reduced to just Mr Sinister, and nobody else - with Magneto depowered, Juggernaut a member of New Excalibur and Mystique & Sabretooth about to join the X-Men (although for how long is uncertain), you're not exactly bursting at the seams with established villains, are you?

And before you say "well, they should just create some new ones, then", the post-2000 crop of new bad guys hasn't exactly set the world on fire, has it? Every last generic one of Claremont's new bad guys has been instantly forgettable, Cassandra Nova had all the appeal of having a pencil jammed into your eye socket, the U-Men - a great concept with a great visual - were jobbed out so many times to so many people that they lost all credibility, Danger was little more than a dull copy of Evil-Cerebro from a few years back, and Ord of the Breakworld was just a big thug in alien armour. Who gave us back the useless Colossus - which is reason enough to hate the guy.

Give me Apocalypse instead of those chumps any freakin' day of the freakin' week.

[Ann Nichols]

I do love the recap page on this title! My favorite parts of it were Deadpool's next-to-last word balloon and Apocalypse's last word balloon. :LOL:

[AdamWarlock]

My understanding was he was given ship by his adoptive father during the time of Rama-Set (aka Nathaniel Richards aka Kang aka Immortus ect). And by my understanding of the story that this takes place after Richards left Egypt which was shortly before the dynastic period of Ancient Egypt. And for any time period for Cable to be in... During Apocalypses rise to power is definately one of them.
The Celestial ship has been there since the creation of the Eternals and Deviants... Skrull and Kree Technology since the construction on the Blue area of the moon and the manipulations of the Kree to create the inhumans...
so while convoluted.... none of this is really new or at least to me unexpected.

[Jason Grasso]

Kill Apocalypse? And actually leave him dead?

Yeah, right. Kill Apocalypse, and the already-thin level of top-tier X-Villains would be virtually reduced to just Mr Sinister, and nobody else - with Magneto depowered, Juggernaut a member of New Excalibur and Mystique & Sabretooth about to join the X-Men (although for how long is uncertain), you're not exactly bursting at the seams with established villains, are you?

And before you say "well, they should just create some new ones, then", the post-2000 crop of new bad guys hasn't exactly set the world on fire, has it? Every last generic one of Claremont's new bad guys has been instantly forgettable, Cassandra Nova had all the appeal of having a pencil jammed into your eye socket, the U-Men - a great concept with a great visual - were jobbed out so many times to so many people that they lost all credibility, Danger was little more than a dull copy of Evil-Cerebro from a few years back, and Ord of the Breakworld was just a big thug in alien armour. Who gave us back the useless Colossus - which is reason enough to hate the guy.

Give me Apocalypse instead of those chumps any freakin' day of the freakin' week.

I absolutely agree with your assessment of the post-2000 villains but i think that's indicative of lazy writing. A great writer should be able to develop a good new villian or take a B- or C-level and bump him to supervillain. Clearly that hasn't been happening. Am I going to be faced with Apocalypse, Magneto, and the Hellfire Club as the only worthy villains? You mentioned Mr. Sinister...and yet they never use him. He's only ever used as a "in the shadows" guy. It's sad and it happens with almost all teams and titles. Writers have been forced to turn to dead sidekicks to use as new villains. Everytime Magneto, Green Goblin or Lex Luthor comes back...there's that much less dramatic tension when they're defeated.

[Milenrrz]

I heard Cable is going to be the new X-Men leader is this true??? :cross:

[Anthony Lucynski]

Apocalypse ceased to be an interesting villain a long time ago,

While I agree with that (Age of Apocalypse was the definative 'Pocy story), I am intrigued by his role as Mutant Messiah this time around. It added an extra layer to the tried and true survival of the fittest routine of his.

Yep, I too can't see why this "Prelude" is being released 2 months into the Blood of Apocalypse arc over in X-men.

ya... marvel screwed up the time of this story arcs release.

I'm sure Marvel are aware that scheduling this prequel to the X-Men storyline two months after the X-Men plot kicks off makes absolutely zero sense,

Yes, because we all know the definitive rules regarding prequels. They MUST occur before the original story!!! (looks in George Lucas's general Direction). Or years AFTER the original story (looks in the general direction of the Narnia Chronicles sitting on the bookshelf, and the VC Andrews collection) or somewhere DURING the story itself, in a sort of chronological order!!

Woops. Looks like we don't know the rules after all! Psst: It might be because there isn't a rule that says you can't have it at a certain time.

And thank god for that, because otherwise Fables would be downright unreadable!

I want everybody who commented above to write letters (on paper, with pen) to every author and or publishing company or Hollywood type that ever used a prequel during or after the original story a harsh "shame on you letter".

It may take a while, and I don't care how bloody your fingertips become in the process.

You can start with Fabian and Marvel in general. HOP TO IT!!!

At any rate, I was looking forward to this issue after reading the first two crappy parts of the main story over in X-Men. I wanted to know the why's and how's of "Pocy's return, and this story looks to do that for me nicely.

And the fact that it happens in Cable/Deadpool just plain makes sense considering Nate's ties to Apocolypse. And the fact that Nate himself has had a God complex latley, and Messiah-leaning tendencies..I got chills at the end when he explained to Irene and Wade that didn't want to stop Pocy from coming back!

Sweet.

Hands down better than any issue of X-men so far.

Art was so-so, but it was good to see Nate use both a Sword and Gun.

Why would you use a Sword when you have a gun?

Gee. I dunno. Because it takes more skill? Any fool can shoot a gun.

I can't believe i've actually seen that question posed by so called Cable fans. After Weinberg took the character futher from the Guns and Explosives roots, Cable fans were frothing at the mouths at the approach. It gave Nate dimension.

Now those same fans are screaming that the sword doesn't make sense, and that he should just use a gun?

Talk about wanting to have your cake and eat it to!

Sheesh.

Gotta love the comic book community.

Anthony L

[charm]

Ah, about the gun....

Cable is a born and bred soldier of the 'whatever it takes' variety. Hence, I believe he would take the most direct route to achieve the desired outcome and not nancy around. I would classify using a sword, when you had a gun as nancying around. Yeah, it might take more skill to use a sword but it doesn't ring true to the character, in my eyes, that he would use a sword in that circumstance.

As for Cable's gun-totin' past....bring on the swords!

I didn't like the inconsistencies of this issue & I was extremely concerned with the opening in case the Skornn was revisited.


Charm

[Robin Lewis]

In regards to the scheduling: calling something a prelude/prologue and then setting it off after the main event has already begun seems pointless, terrible Star Wars movies and VC Andrews books not withstanding. If it's really a lead-in to the events in X-Men then they really should have stuck it out before. If it's a linked but totally seperate story they shouldn't bill it as a prologue/prelude. Let them call it a crossover or whatever. I'm not demanding totally linear stories all the time, but if you're calling something a prologue and I'm already two months into the main story I'm going to ask why.

[FabianNicieza]

I'm not demanding totally linear stories all the time, but if you're calling something a prologue and I'm already two months into the main story I'm going to ask why.


Pretty simple, I thought. Because it tells the story of what happened before the main story began. So, it's a prequel to the main story.

As for WHY tell the prequel at all? Because the main story didn't want to get heavily involved in how Apocy came back and in that, I saw an opportunity to not only help flesh out the main story puzzle pieces a bit, but more importantly, to tell a story that would build on Cable quite a bit, as you'll see by next issue's revelations.

And, because quite bluntly, everytime we do one of these things, our sales go up anywhere from 5 to 10 thousand for an issue or two, and that helps our overall average numbers when it comes time for our six issue renewal notices. I like being renewed for six more issues, because it means I get to write the book for six more issues. And since we're looking at #36 and hopefully beyond in a day and age where very VERY few books last this long, we must be doing SOMETHING right?

So... they all sound like good reasons to me...

-- Fabian

[Robin Lewis]

The title's safe up till issue #36? :)

[AdamWarlock]

The title's safe up till issue #36? :)
best news i've heard if this is the case...

[bukinara13]

you keep 'em coming, Fabian, and I'll keep buying them...
as soon as i saw we had an Apocalypse Xover coming, i just about wet myself with glee, not just because i wanted to see what the team would do with it, but mostly because i knew it meant sales. i've seen too many good books crash and burn... (they probably all could've gotten another year if wolverine dropped in... sigh)
on a related note, i did wet myself (just a little) when i found out that Ultimate DP would be in USM#91, not necessarily because i follow that book (but i will at least buy the arc), but because it probably means we get a sales boost from the exposure...
the reality is, these things are what keep books going sometimes, like it or not. like a wise man once said, "hate the game, not the playa."

[Anthony Lucynski]

In regards to the scheduling: calling something a prelude/prologue and then setting it off after the main event has already begun seems pointless, terrible Star Wars movies and VC Andrews books not withstanding.

Taste is subjective as far as the later part of your post, and i'm sorry, I just don't see what the big deal is. If anything, this story was NEEDED in addition to the X-Men crap because if you just pick up the main story, you're left with all sorts of questions. It looks like this two parter may solve those questions.

It's really not a big deal, and authors of all mediums use this approach on a daily basis.

I just don't see the big deal, really. A rose by any other name and all that jazz.

Anthony L

[barthufo]

I think it was revealed, if memory serves me right, that C&DP was greenlit up until #36 last year at WW Chicago. So with this Apocalypse prequel, plus the Civil War tie-in, and another x-event that Mike Marts has teased at, I really hope that C&DP gets greenlit for another 12.

Does anybody have a link of month-by-month sales of C&DP? I'm curious as to how it's done the last year.

[Anthony Lucynski]

CABLE DEADPOOL #12 25,349

CABLE DEADPOOL #13 25,551

CABLE DEADPOOL #14 24,994

CABLE DEADPOOL #15 24,837

CABLE DEADPOOL #16 24,612

CABLE DEADPOOL #17 34,393

CABLE DEADPOOL #18 25,304

CABLE DEADPOOL #19 25,298

CABLE DEADPOOL #20 24,982

CABLE DEADPOOL #21 25,030

CABLE DEADPOOL #23 23,296

CABLE DEADPOOL #24 23,542


See the jump in sales over the last twelve months? That would be House of M.

Fabian's right when he says that crossovers bring in an extra few thousand orders.

And as much as I love this book, it really is starting to get low in the numbers. We're talking barley cracking the top 100 on a regular basis.

The good news is that the title did ship twice in one month at one point within the last twelve issues, and the retailers kept the actual orders close to the same. So we're not seeing a fluctuation as far as the core readers go..which is both good and bad.

Retailers can adjust their orders months in advance, so you're looking at a rough base of about 23, 24 thousand readers (assuming that each issue sells, and that's a huge assumption. You gotta factor that a lot of shops buy for their pull customers AND to have a few copies reader in their back issue selection)

Now, that looks really bad..and it is for a mainstream Marvel kinda sorta X-related book.

BUT, let's compare it to, say, two of Vertigo's most popular titles: Y The Last Man and Fables.

They sell roughly in the same range as Cable and Deadpool. Say, between 23-25 K per month.

That's not a super good number for DC comics either. BUT, Y and Fables don't justify their existance on a monthly basis. No, they bring in the bread through the TPB market. That's what saved (and continues to save) both titles from cancellation (it's a familiar story with Vertigo. Preacher was the same way)

Now, that's just on initial orders, and not re-orders, BUT...on initial orders alone....Cable & Deadpool's TPB's sell BETTER than Y: The Last Man OR Fables as they are released.

So on the surface, you could say that Marvel has the same type of situation..a monthly that doesn't exactly wow on a monthlys sales chart, but is critically acclaimed fan favorite and the Trades do well enought to float it along.

But, that's initially. I don't know if the Cable & Deadpool TPB's continue to do well on re-orders like Y and Fables do.

Anthony L

[barthufo]

Thanks for all the info Anthony L. :cheers:

At WWLA it was revealed that C&DP is safe right now even with Cable joining the X-Men. But that might just mean that it's safe up until issue #36. Who knows. Hopefully Fabian will get greenlit for another 6-12 issues, especially with Civil War and another x-event on the horizon, the orders for C&DP should be going up.

Hopefully.

[Anthony Lucynski]

Referencing C&D in the pages of X-Men might convert a lot of readers. Having DP swing by a little bit with his affiliation to Cable could lead interest in their Monthly in addition to X-Men. It worked for Wolverine.

And lets face it, that's the only mutant it ever worked with on a longterm basis.

Could be interesting, especially if readers dig Cable in X-Men....

Anthony L

[barthufo]

I just hope Mike Carey's version of Cable will match up to Fabian Nicieza's Cable. I heard that the Cable that Carey will be using will be more gun-toting, and while I do believe that Cable uses the right tool for the right job, I really hope he isn't guns a blazin throughout the X-Men series. That might set some people away from C&DP when Fabian is doing something completely different with Nate's powers and weapons.

But I hope you're right and people get turned on to C&DP via X-Men.

[Anthony Lucynski]

Mike Carey is a competant writer. Really more under the radar than he should be. I'm halway tempted to pick his X-Men up despite me not really having an interest in X-Men anymore just to see what he'll do.

I think Cable's in fine hands, as Carey has very character driven writing style.

But then again, i'm only going off his past Vertigo work.

May be different with the spandex mutant crowd :shrugs:

Anthony L

[James Groves]

Carey is more than just competent. I mean, Neil Gaiman rates him in his top 6 writers in the business at the mo. And his Lucifer and Hellblazer runs are excellent.

[barthufo]

I'm in no way putting Carey down, I will admit that I haven't read any of his vertigo work, and his Marvel runs have been either hit or miss with me, but I am looking forward to his X-Men run.

I am impressed with the respect he's shown for Fabian's Cable & Deadpool series, but I'm curious if that respect will be prominent when he uses Cable in X-Men. I guess my worries lie in that Cable may be portrayed back into his stereotypical 90's role, when I feel that Fabian, along with writers such as Joe Casey and Bob Weinberg, have progressed him so much further.

But again, I am thoroughly looking forward to X-Men and I hope Carey and Bachalo can return the book to the top, where a book of its caliber should stand.

[Milenrrz]

When will Cable start appearing in X-Men?

[barthufo]

When will Cable start appearing in X-Men?
July. Issue #188 I think.

Well that's when Mike Carey starts his run, so Cable should be in there either in July or August. I don't know if Cable will be in that first issue, but he should be involved in the first story arc from Carey.

[Anthony Lucynski]

Carey is more than just competent. I mean, Neil Gaiman rates him in his top 6 writers in the business at the mo. And his Lucifer and Hellblazer runs are excellent.

I didn't mean it as a slight. When I say competent, it's the polar opposite of "hack" in my lingo :)

I read alot of Carey's stuff. And if you like Neil, and like the fact that he like's Mike, then I suggest reading Neverwhere.

I'd like to see Fabian on X-Men again at some point. I liked his run. And it would make sense if Cable's on the team and the writer of Cable's duo book (see what I did there, played on the "solo" series..ah hell, leave me alone..) on chores as well would make a better sense of flow.

Doesn't mean I don't think you can have seperate writers for the team books and related titles, but that way you wouldn't step on anybody's toes and have to check to make sure what they are doing isn't going to interfere with your plans, etc...

Anthony L

[James Groves]

I didn't mean it as a slight. When I say competent, it's the polar opposite of "hack" in my lingo :)

I read alot of Carey's stuff. And if you like Neil, and like the fact that he like's Mike, then I suggest reading Neverwhere.

Fair enough. ;)

I haven't read Neverwhere, but plan to pick the TPB up when it comes out.

I can understand some fans reading the x-books thinking "This Milligan guy and this Brubaker guy are supposed to be high-quality writers, yet their runs haven't ben too great". I agree: Brubaker and Milligan left me unimpressed with their runs on their respective books, too. I do think Carey is a class above those two, though. Just depends on how he approaches the X-Men.

[barthufo]

I picked up the first issue of Neverwhere, I personally didn't like it too much though. Like I said, Carey is either hit or miss with me.

I agree though, I think it just depends on what approach the writer takes towards that particular book. I was extremely stoked when I heard that Peter Milligan was taking over X-Men, and while I do remain a fan of Milligan, his take on the X-Men just isn't my taste.

Curious though, which Brubaker run are you refering to?

[fishtaco]

Pretty simple, I thought. Because it tells the story of what happened before the main story began. So, it's a prequel to the main story.

As for WHY tell the prequel at all? Because the main story didn't want to get heavily involved in how Apocy came back and in that, I saw an opportunity to not only help flesh out the main story puzzle pieces a bit, but more importantly, to tell a story that would build on Cable quite a bit, as you'll see by next issue's revelations.

And, because quite bluntly, everytime we do one of these things, our sales go up anywhere from 5 to 10 thousand for an issue or two, and that helps our overall average numbers when it comes time for our six issue renewal notices. I like being renewed for six more issues, because it means I get to write the book for six more issues. And since we're looking at #36 and hopefully beyond in a day and age where very VERY few books last this long, we must be doing SOMETHING right?

So... they all sound like good reasons to me...

-- FabianYou rock!

Great issue. 10/10.

[Ovid]

If the title's greenlit in batches of 6 and presumably the decision's taken either before or in the very early stages of the last approved batch, then, yes, it's been greenlit to #36. Given that the decision to take part in this crossover would have been made a while ago, then the orders had to come in from retailers, Mr Nicieza seems to have timed it rather cleverly so that the jump in sales came shortly before the decision to renew to #36. I think. :?

As for Carey, I don't think anyone should worry about him returning Cable to his 90's state. Carey wrote a great arc for Vampirella: Revelations recently, and that's another character who's easy to reduce to one, *ahem*, 'note'. :)

[ramiss]

But you all are also forgetting LUCIFER , which I think is the longest running and best Carey work yet. Sadly with Carey on X-Men and UFF LUCIFER will be ending ...(sob)

But if he brings half the atmosphere and politics of LUCIFER the I am already sold. :LOL:

[william3onfire]

Well I thought it was pretty clear that the issue starts with a flashback to when Cable¨seemingly "kills" Apocalypse in the past, I don´t know why some people are confused by it.

I thought the first part of the arc was very good, loved the the line "such simple words to spout when you always knew you would prove fittest, but that day..."

And I don´t see what the BIg problem is of having a Prequel in the middel of the X-Men arc. Since in the X-Men arc nothing has really happened, it seems it has all been the recruting of his Horsemen, and that he somehow feels vulnerable....