Basic Cable: Avengers: X-Sanction #1 Review

EDITOR’S NOTE: And one last very quick review before the comic store open… and one that contains spoilers to boot. You are warned.

Okay, let’s start with the fact that The Falcon isn’t an active member of The Avengers. Not active, not honorary, not a Secret Avenger, not a West Coast Avengers… nope, not an Avenger. Which means that there is no reason for Cable to think that he would make an appearance in battle with The Avengers. Which means that the first step of his “master plan” against The Avengers is based purely on wishful thinking and the needs of Jeph Loeb’s plot.

But let’s assume that Falcon was a member of the Avengers, and that Cable’s plan therefore makes some sense on it’s face. Cable takes Falcon out with a sniper rifle during a battle that includes not only Falcon, but Captain America, Iron Man, the Red Hulk, Spider-Man and Wolverine, but which proves that Cable’s master, time-spanning plan was based on every science fiction movie ever made.

Cable’s plan is to kidnap Falcon but leave his familiar Redwing free to act as a beacon to draw Captain America into an ambush. Cable clearly states that his plan is: “Left the bird for Cap to follow. And when he goes missing, the rest will come, too.” Cool story, bro! Except… Falcon was kidnapped – with this fact being loudly pointed out by Cap – in the company of four other Avengers. Any of whom could probably be expected to respond to the news that one of their own was kidnapped under their noses by, I don’t know… doing absolutely anything other than saying, “Fuck it. You take this, Cap. Sure, there’s a clear path to where we can find and rescue Falcon, but I think a better response to one of us being picked off would be to split up. Sure, Wolverine could use his tracking skills to aid in the rescue, and Spider-Man could use his spider sense to warn us of ambush, and Red Hulk and Iron Man give us all the raw power we could need, but I hear Tom Cruise is on Letterman tonight.”

So right on it’s face, all Cable’s master plan requires to be successful is a coincidental appearance by Falcon, and for four superheroes to act completely out of character for reasons that can only be reasonably ascribed to a teamwide case of brain fluke, overt racism, or, more probably, lazy Goddamned writing on Jeph Loeb’s part.

Let’s take a step back and talk about Ed McGuinness’s art. This book is in his usual style, which is hard to pigeonhole. At times his figures are detailed, jacked and heavily inked, and at others they’re almost cartoony, with Mike Weiringo-like simplicity. McGuinness’s stuff is always unique, and if you liked it in other books, like his run on Superman / Batman (Also with Loeg writing), you’ll like it well enough here.

But the art won’t save this book. This is only the first chapter in yet another Marvel event that will inevitably lead to this summer’s Avengers Vs. X-Men, but as a first step, it’s a massive stumble. I’ve always snarkily said that people shouldn’t point out holes in a story’s plot because it’s impolite to the writer, but this plot is almost all hole.

And I haven’t even pointed out that two of this book’s twenty pages – one-tenth – are devoted to a double-page spread. Of Captain America. Trying to blow Cable’s head off. While Cable is suffering a minor seizure. With a giant handgun. Not the Punisher, not Deadpool… Captain America.

If you absolutely need to keep up on events leading into Avengers Vs. X-Men, hold your nose and pay your four bucks. Otherwise? Pretend you’re an Avenger and this book is The Falcon, and leave it to it’s fate.