X-Men Monday #232 – Fabian Nicieza Talks ‘Cable’

[JB]

https://aiptcomics.com/2023/12/18/x-...nicieza-cable/

AIPT: For Cable fans new and old, what’s your elevator pitch for this mini-series?

Fabian: What would you do if you had to ignore saving mutantkind now because you had to save mutants, humans, Inhumans — the entire species — from a greater threat decades in the future?

And what if you had to do that while dragging a teenage version of yourself along for the ride?

AIPT: Well, let’s talk about the dynamic between the two Nathans. X-Fan Ethan Small wanted to know what you think the similarities and differences between “Kid” and “Adult” Cable are. Ethan was also wondering if young Nate has changed or grown up at all since we last saw him in Gerry Duggan’s Cable series.

Fabian: I had no real knowledge of Young Nate when I was offered the book, Ethan. I knew there was a Young Nate, which didn’t thrill me much, and I knew Gerry and Phil Noto had done a series with him, but I hadn’t read it until I was prepping for this limited series.

From the very first issue though, Gerry and Phil hooked me on the younger version. I found him annoyingly adorable, completely relatable, and beneath the insecurity and the bluster, Young Nate had the necessary underlying DNA that ALL things Cable should have: a foundation of sadness and failure.

I know, it doesn’t sound great, but they are the key ingredients to making Cable a great character who strives to be a great hero. There, I’m giving it away for all future writers to do a better job writing him than I do! Hah! I’m an idiot!

I think Young Nate is still nervous, sarcastic, insecure and he is also still reckless, adventurous, and bold, but when he is in the shadow of his adult self, it has to be a bit daunting. He views Cable the way all teenagers view adults with the impatience of someone trying to teach a dog how to program a remote control.

But the real interesting part for me is how much of a “there I will go but for the grace of me” is in Young Nate and how much it will hurt their mission if he doesn’t agree with Cable’s choices.

AIPT: X-Fan Jack Raow said you’ve written more Cable than anyone on the planet. What do you personally love about the character?

Fabian: First of all, let me slip Jack $5 for folding that true nugget into his question. I tend to point it out myself with no shortage of hubris, but I look better when the reader does it for me.

As for writing Nathan Dayspring Askani’son Gesundheit, what I love about him most is the perpetual spark of hope that drives him when so much of his life has been hopeless. The sheer will it takes for him to get up after he’s been knocked down, much less the effort it takes for him to make it through any given day, both physically and psychologically.

I love his sense of humor, which is dry and casually arrogant.

I love his insecurity and how his loneliness fuels so much of what he does without him even realizing it.

I have written him a lot, so I have thought about him a lot, and in 35 years of doing this, he is still one of my favorite Marvel characters to write.

This week's eXclusive preview images from upcoming X-Men comics — including an early look at Fall of the House of X and Rise of the Powers of X, courtesy of X-Men Senior Editor Jordan D. White.

[JB]

"Speaking of Jordan, he’ll be back next Monday for our annual, end-of-year chat — his last as the X-Men’s editorial leader! I’ll also reveal the results of the 2023 X-Men Monday Survey.

Did I mention the last Monday of December is also Christmas? Let’s hope you’ve all been good comic book fans this year… you know, respectful of your fellow fans’ opinions, not harassing creators over their handling of fictional characters, or creating hate-baiting YouTube videos because comics aren’t exactly like they were when you were 10 years old. You wouldn’t want Santa to withhold all those 2024 X-details, would you?"

[Braxxer]

The fact jean has been in white hot room since the gala is kinda funny if we forget about her mini because it would mean she spent months on a desert in sand until hope found her

[JB]

The fact jean has been in white hot room since the gala is kinda funny if we forget about her mini because it would mean she spent months on a desert in sand until hope found her

I need her to rip Mother's head off already cause I've had enough.

[Jackraow21]

Nice. Got my question answered. And I love his answer, for the record.

As for writing Nathan Dayspring Askani’son Gesundheit, what I love about him most is the perpetual spark of hope that drives him when so much of his life has been hopeless. The sheer will it takes for him to get up after he’s been knocked down, much less the effort it takes for him to make it through any given day, both physically and psychologically.

Damn. This hits hard, and sums up a big part of what I love about Cable.

I love his sense of humor, which is dry and casually arrogant.

Same. Ewing did an awesome job with Nathan's dry, cocky sense of humor IMO.

I love his insecurity and how his loneliness fuels so much of what he does without him even realizing it.

This is interesting and I'll have to ponder it a bit more, as I've always seen Cable as perhaps a bit overconfident. To the point where he plays his cards close to the vest and compartmentalizes information on a "need to know" basis, perhaps arrogantly thinking he knows best in these matters and thus no need to consult anyone else; and this behavior often puts him at loggerheads with his fellow heroes, and even sometimes his teammates in X-Force. But, I suppose if I'm digging deeper and peeling back the onion on him a bit more psychologically, that could be rooted in a great insecurity and need to prove himself. Especially considering who his parents are, he probably feels a constant need to measure up... and being back in this era fighting alongside them just intensifies this feeling.

And as for his loneliness, this tracks and I see it as another reason why he carries some of the burdens he carries so close to the vest.

AIPT: Time for one of those classic comic book questions no one should ever ask… but we’re going to ask anyway! X-Fan Cooper asked, “How old do you think Cable and Kid Cable are now? (If possible, please also tell us how old Deadpool is!)” Do you have the answers Cooper seeks, Fabian?

Fabian: I always pegged Cable in his early to mid-fifties but he has enough wear and tear on him to be a thousand!

I read and am writing Young Nate as 15-16 years old.

I always wrote Deadpool as being in his mid-to-late thirties when I started out, so by now I imagine, even taking “Marvel time” into account, he’s aged up to late thirties/very early forties.

This sounds right to me. Cable at early to mid fifties and Deadpool in his late 30s/early 40s. I picture Logan, even though he's obviously very old, as being about mid-40s in appearance too. So somewhere between Deadpool and Cable in terms of how old he looks.

[Kingdom X]

Congrats to Jack on getting your question answered (and for the $5 Fabian owes you)!

I didn’t see anywhere to submit fan questions for JDWs next interview… guess he’s tired of us lol

[Jackraow21]

Thanks. I really enjoyed his insights into how he sees Cable as a character and why he enjoys writing him. Between Fabian, Deniz Camp and Al Ewing, I feel like Cable fans have been fortunate in having writers that really seem to get his distinct voice and enjoy playing with some of the weirder aspects of the character... in Al Ewing's case, for example, it's what he did with Cable's T-O virus, allowing him to manipulate it and expanding upon the fact that it's a strain (the Apocalypse strain) that is basically unique to him. Even different from the version that Poccy used on Archangel, for example. More virulent, perhaps a rawer form that was injected into Nathan as an infant, closer to its source code (the Transmode virus). I thought that whole sub plot in X-men Red was really interesting. And in Deniz Camp's case, I loved how he leaned into the Tischman/Macann/Kordey runs on Cable/Soldier X which positioned him as a "telepathic soldier-messiah." Great stuff.

[JB]

Congrats to Jack on getting your question answered (and for the $5 Fabian owes you)!

I didn’t see anywhere to submit fan questions for JDWs next interview… guess he’s tired of us lol

Seems he's going to mostly be talking about the survey results and reflecting on the year. But yeah perhaps we wanted a break from us. LOL

Thanks. I really enjoyed his insights into how he sees Cable as a character and why he enjoys writing him. Between Fabian, Deniz Camp and Al Ewing, I feel like Cable fans have been fortunate in having writers that really seem to get his distinct voice and enjoy playing with some of the weirder aspects of the character... in Al Ewing's case, for example, it's what he did with Cable's T-O virus, allowing him to manipulate it and expanding upon the fact that it's a strain (the Apocalypse strain) that is basically unique to him. Even different from the version that Poccy used on Archangel, for example. More virulent, perhaps a rawer form that was injected into Nathan as an infant, closer to its source code (the Transmode virus). I thought that whole sub plot in X-men Red was really interesting. And in Deniz Camp's case, I loved how he leaned into the Tischman/Macann/Kordey runs on Cable/Soldier X which positioned him as a "telepathic soldier-messiah." Great stuff.

Congrats from me as well! Fabian really dug into Cable in those answers and I really appreciate that.

[Frontier]

No surprise Fabian knows Cable well. Only other person who would know him better would be Jackrawo21 .

Kurt and Sable are still super cute.

Jean getting the Hound treatment (kind of).

Wolverine and Colossus are finally pals again!

Can we called Orchis a failed villain group? Does anyone actually care or are intimidated by them at this point other than just wanting them gone?

[Jackraow21]

Love seeing the panel of Logan and Colossus. At first I thought it was a flashback, but then noted Piotr's beard so must be current.

And thanks for the kind words. My knowledge when it comes to my favorites is pretty extensive, but seeing as how there are far more rabid Wolverine fans than Cable ones, I suppose I'm a bit of an authority on the Askani'son, having read every Cable appearance ever written (not to mention the fact that he doesn't have as many appearances as Logan to keep track of). So that helps.

[cable guy]

[As for writing Nathan Dayspring Askani’son Gesundheit, what I love about him most is the perpetual spark of hope that drives him when so much of his life has been hopeless. The sheer will it takes for him to get up after he’s been knocked down, much less the effort it takes for him to make it through any given day, both physically and psychologically.]

I actually printed this answer out, from Fabian. I love it, as it nails down Cable perfectly. It really hits home for me as well.

Great Question there Jack, to get that out of him!