Robservations

XI: The Secret Origin of Cable

Column by Rob Liefeld

Since the dawn of the chat room and the advent of the message board, we've all read
numerous accounts of comic history presented as facts when they're really just
interpretations of events that have been passed along from one fan to another, most of
whom are third-hand participants at best. Case in point: the dozens of accounts of the
origin of the character Cable from multiple parties who had no participation in his creation. I
should know; I'm the daddy. Success has many fathers, indeed.

I've been reading reports of the newest direction that writer David
Tischman and artist Igor Kordey are bringing to the title, which has
been cited as a "back-to-basics" approach. Reading the various
interviews and promos got me thinking about Cable's origin, and
since I've never had the opportunity to set the record straight,
here's where we travel back in time and put all the pieces together.

Cable's origin wasn't very complicated in the beginning, but it

certainly became increasingly tangled and confused. It all started
with Bob Harras, the editor of the X-titles, asking me to redesign
the characters in New Mutants after I had been tapped to draw
itan assignment that included creating a new teacher for the
team. I sketched out four different looks for what was essentially
the same character, Cable, and fired them off with a stack of notes
for Bob to read. For reasons known only to him, he left Louise
Simonson out of this particular process. While I felt that was a little odd, I was the rookie
and he was my boss and I did what I was told.

Bob approved of Cable visually and signed off on the character profile that I had written for
him. Louise suggested calling him Commander X and Bob suggested the name Quinn, but
Cable won out in the end. The profile clearly identified him as a traveler from thousands of
years in the future who journeyed back in time to combat specific menaces in the past that
threatened the future of the Marvel Universe. The menaces he had targeted were intended
to expand the title outside the mutant spectrum, and Dr. Doom and Kang the Conqueror
were chief among the threats I had suggested. I felt it was necessary for Cable to face non-
mutant nemeses in order to increase his importance in the grand scheme of things. I was
determined to create a character with as much mystique and interest as Wolverine and was
deliberately mapping out a lineage that would capture the attention of readers everywhere.
He was a man of mystery, a man with a mission that would slowly reveal itself over the
course of several years. I wanted to outfit him in several different costumes, avoiding a
standard uniform, while giving him a limitless supply of
futuristic weaponry to help him carry out his crusade.

I also created an adversary for Cable named Stryfe who would

test him to the absolute limits of his abilities and help define
him and his struggles by being a formidable foe, the likes of
which the New Mutants had never really seen. I offered several
considerations for Stryfe's origin, one of them being that
underneath all that armor was a woman. Ultimately, the idea that Stryfe was actually Cable
seemed to offer more in the way of interesting story opportunities, and Bob encouraged me
to follow that path. It was the right move and it helped catapult Cable's popularity to new
heights.

My notes outlined Cable as a brilliant scientist first and a soldier second. I compared him to
the creative genius of Reed Richards combined with the tough guy persona of the Punisher
and felt very strongly that Cable needed to be more than just another action hero,
otherwise fans would reject him as a "been there, done that" soldier along the lines of Nick
Fury and Frank Castle. An interesting aside: I remember very clearly the morning Bob
Harras called me concerned as to why Cable was dressed in a vest and trousers, wearing
spectacles reading a book in the library of the X-mansion in New Mutants #99. He was
nervous that fans would reject the character because this new look was such a leap from
how Cable had been depicted up until that point. I argued my case that Cable should be
represented in a different light and Bob eventually agreed. Much to his surprise, the fans
responded positively to this latest facet of Cable's character and his popularity continued to
grow. His history with Wolverine, his romance with Domino, his numerous safe houses, the
futuristic technology at his disposal and the revelation of his telekinetic abilities in the pages
of X-Force #1 were all a direct result of the profile I had created for Cable.

So imagine my surprise when I received a call from Bob Harras, informing me that he, Jim
Lee and Whilce Portacio had crafted a story that would reveal that Cable was the son of
Scott Summers and Madelyne Pryor. I politely protested and asked Bob repeatedly to
reconsider what I felt was a decision that would be damaging to the character in the long
run. It became very clear that the my protests would go unheeded and I reminded myself
that Cable was not my character; he belonged to Marvel and I needed to accept that and
make the best of a frustrating situation. I chose to never address the issue in the titles I
was invested in and continued to work hard to create an element of intrigue around Cable,
even though it seemed futile after the mystery surrounding Cable's true identity had
evaporated without my consultation.

The fact that Cable was now the son of Scott Summers didn't
change the fact that he was a time traveler who hailed from the
future, so it was back to business as usual as we increased the
conflict between Cable and his doppelganger, Stryfe. As I figured
out the Stryfe relationship, I pleaded with Bob to allow me to reveal
that Stryfe was the original and Cable was the clone. I felt that this
twist made Cable infinitely more interesting and his story that much
more compelling. The clone was pure and not corrupted and would
have to grapple with the aspect that he was a manufactured
individual warring with his real-life counterpart to save mankind.
Needless to say, Bob would not embrace this concept because he
felt Cable would not be relevant as a clone. There were also many
story possibilities dealing with Cable's identity. We could play with
the timelines and Cable's various arrivals in the present time stream
and try to pinpoint exactly when Cable turned mad and became
Stryfe. In my mind, the Cable that first arrives in New Mutants
#87 is pure and noble, but the Cable in the final issues of New Mutants had become
tainted during his descent into madness. The Cable in X-Force was the clone and the
intention of the Cable miniseries I proposed would have shown much of the back-story
detailing Cable's evolution. The miniseries that was produced by Fabian Nicieza and John
Romita Jr. was very close to the outline I proposed to Bob which depicted Cable in multiple
timelinespast, present and futuredetailing events that transformed him into the mutant
freedom fighter. The Romita miniseries is perhaps my favorite Cable adventure and I felt
that Fabian, with whom I had spent nearly two years collaborating on the character, really
connected with the essence of Cable. Romita's version of Cable remains my favorite.

If the Askani legacy is the reason you dig Cable, though, than let's be very clear: I had
nothing to do with it. If we're talking about the hard-edged, master strategist, super
scientist, time traveling warrior; I'm your guy. As far as the legend of the Askani goes,
however, let's give credit where it's due and acknowledge the folks who were responsible for
that aspect of Cable's history. The entire Askani history was developed by Fabian, Bob
Harras, Scott Lobdell and Mark Powers. I had absolutely nothing to do with any of it and
have always felt it only confused and complicated the character. The Askani seemed to be
an attempt to turn Cable into a young Jedi knight, complete with the light sabre-ish weapon
that would be introduced during Joe Casey's run on the title. I liked the concept of the
psimitar as an addition to his vast arsenal, but I felt that making it
his sole weapon was a mistake. I commented to editor Mark Powers
a few years back that the artists were portraying Cable as looking
increasingly younger with each new appearance. He confirmed that
was by deliberate design because Bob didn't think kids could relate
to an older character. I scratched my head in disbelief. Cable's
hairline had grown back in and his countenance was more boyish
than ever, which prompted me to suggest a story to Mark called
"The Three Cables" in which we could address the fact that Cable
was regressing in age while he was in the present. "The Three
Cables" would unite the Cable from New Mutants #87 with his
latest incarnation as well as introducing an older, Odin-looking
model. Together, they joined forces to foil a plot that threatened
each of their time streams. Suffice it to say, this story, much like
"First Contact," will not see the light of day under the current
editorial regime.

Many writers and artists have added to Cable's growing legacy. Some of it is good; much of
it, in my opinion, has been confusing. I have no one to blame, however, because at the
height of his popularity, I left Cable with adopted parents who were given the task to
continue the legacy I started with Bob, Louise and Fabian. I hope that one day, the Askani
aspect will be revealed as a dream, a hoax or an imaginary story and that Cable's true
identity will be revealed. I've always felt that the most fascinating aspect of Cable was the
vast amount of knowledge he has at his disposal, given the fact that he has lived in the
future and has seen the fate of everyone in the present. The grief and guilt he bears sets
him apart from everyone else around him, with the possible exception of Rachel Summers.

I read the fist issue by Kordey and Tischman, and I thought it was a fine effort. For the first
time in years, Cable resembles the character that was introduced some 13 years ago. He's a
little rough around the edges and he's a man of few words. For that reason, Kordey's art
style really fits the book. I'm excited about the possibilities that this new creative team
offers the character. Here's hoping the title can attract enough attention to stay alive and
thrive amidst the slumping sales that continue to plague the comic industry.

As to the concept of Cable's creation, I've read various opinions over the years stating that
Cable has endured in spite of me. I would encourage those who subscribe to that opinion to
go back and re-read the early adventures of Cable and co. in the New Mutants and X-
Force and discover the groundwork that was being carefully laid for the character. Chris
Claremont and Bob Mcleod created Cannonball, a character I was allowed to play with and
add to, thereby altering his history. Am I somehow entitled to partake in Cannonball's
creation? The answer, of course, is no. Chris and Bob gave birth to Sam Guthrie the same
way I gave birth to Cable. And while there have been some additions and subtractions to
the profile I created for him, who he is remains essentially unchanged.

Rob Liefeld is the creator of Cable, X-Force, Youngblood and Supreme.

2001 Rob Liefeld