Cable and X-Force #13 Review

Fill-in creators are rarely a welcome sight on any series, particularly when that series has double-shipped so much in its brief lifespan. And when you get to the point where Salvador Larroca of all artists needs assistance, you know the book is shipping too often. The good news with this current arc of Cable and X-Force is that the writing isn't noticeably impacted by the fact that Cullen Bunn is now co-writing. Through his scripts, Bunn is able to replicate Dennis Hopeless' voice and keep the series humming along.

Both writers earn the distinction of producing a comic featuring Stryfe (or a female version of him), that doesn't devolve into '90s-flavored, convoluted nonsense. The revelation last issue that this Stryfe is an older version of Hope was predictable enough, but it serves the purpose of tying her more directly to the series' overarching conflict and making her stand out less. The only problem regarding Stryfe Hope's role is that neither Larroca nor guest artist Gerardo Sandoval are very adept at differentiating the two Hopes when the panels are zoomed in on their faces. On that note, Sandoval's art isn't a bad fit for the series, as his style is a bombastic, manga-influenced type very much in the vein of legendary X-Men artist Joe Madureira. The problem is that this style couldn't be more different from Larroca's, leading to a sharp visual divide midway through the issue.

But aside from that, this proves to be another enjoyable chapter in the Cable and X-Force saga. Bunn delivers some fun banter between Forge and Doctor Nemesis, as well as some deeper interaction between Havok and his nephew Cable. Many questions are answered regarding the overall direction of the series and the source of Cable's precognitive visions. That said, maybe we don't need two issues of this series every single month, Marvel.

Jesse is a writer for various IGN channels. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter, or Kicksplode on MyIGN.

Source : ign[dot]com