Cable: Conquest (Comics) | Review

What happens when you take Cable's time-traveling abilities and build a mission around protecting the timestream? You get something fast-paced but shallow. Cable: Conquest repositions Nathan Summers as Marvel's temporal guardian chasing a generic villain.

This is writer James Robinson (Fantastic Four: End is Fourever, Squadron Supreme: Civil War II) with artists Carlos Pacheco (Fantastic Four: Reckoning War, Fantastic Four: Resurrection of Galactus) and Dale Keown (Hulk: The End, Incredible Hulk: Future Imperfect) launching Cable into a new role during Marvel's ResurrXion event.

Cable's been defined by stopping Apocalypse, protecting Hope and leading X-Force. This series shifts him as someone self-appointed to safeguard history. Whether that reinvention works depends on seeing Cable operate solo without the relationships that anchor his character.

The arc opens with Cable detecting temporal disturbances that threaten the timestream. He tracks these disruptions to Conquest, a time traveler assembling components of an ancient weapon capable of rewriting history. The weapon's origins tie to civilization's dawn, requiring Conquest to jump through multiple periods.

Robinson establishes the chase structure immediately. Cable arrives in an era, discovers Conquest has already been there and barely misses him before jumping to the next period. It's a cat-and-mouse game spanning prehistory, feudal Japan, World War II and the modern day.

The weapon Conquest seeks is called the Phalanx Weapon, though its connection to the Phalanx alien race remains unclear. Robinson uses it as a McGuffin justifying time-hopping without deeper implications. The weapon's power is vague beyond "can control reality" which makes stakes feel abstract rather than personal.

What makes this arc frustrating is how little we learn about Conquest as a villain. He's introduced as someone obsessed with conquering time but gets no back-story, motivation or personality. He's essentially a Kang the Conqueror knockoff without the complexity.

Cable's internal narration carries the story. Robinson writes Nathan with gruff determination but without emotional weight from his usual stakes. He's not protecting Hope or preventing his dystopian future but doing this because it's his job now. That shift from personal mission to self-appointed duty makes actions feel less urgent.

The time period visits offer spectacle. In feudal Japan, Cable fights alongside samurai against Conquest's manipulations. World War II sequence has him navigating Nazi Germany preventing battle alterations. These scenes feel like historical tourism rather than meaningful exploration.

Conquest's plan becomes clearer in the final issues. He wants to use the assembled weapon to create a timeline where he rules all history simultaneously. It's an ambitious goal rendered very generic by execution. The confrontation happens in a temporal void where reality breaks down, creating spectacle without any emotional payoff.

Cable wins through combination of tactical thinking and exploiting Conquest's arrogance. Nathan's lifetime of time travel gives him advantages Conquest didn't anticipate. The resolution feels anticlimactic given the buildup, wrapping up quickly once Cable gains the upper hand.

The weapon gets destroyed or lost to time, depending on how you interpret the ending. Robinson leaves it ambiguous whether Cable truly saved the timestream or delayed another crisis. That open-endedness might work for ongoing series but feels unsatisfying for an introductory arc meant to establish a new status quo.

This storyline connects to Cable's ResurrXion presence where he's operating independently from X-Force and the X-Men. The time cop concept continues into subsequent arcs where Cable recruits younger mutants to protect the timeline. The arc establishes the framework.

It also positions Cable away from his typical role as Hope's protector and X-Force leader. Post-Secret Wars continuity has shifted many characters into new directions and Cable's temporal guardian role represents his evolution. Whether that resonates depends on how much you value Cable's relationships versus his solo capabilities.

Carlos Pacheco handles most art duties with his detailed style bringing visual consistency to the time-hopping narrative. His Cable looks weathered and battle-hardened. Dale Keown worked on select issues with his heavy-lined style, creating visual inconsistency when switching artists.

The color work stays vibrant throughout different time periods. Prehistoric settings use earthy tones and muted palettes. Feudal Japan incorporates traditional colors. World War II sequences adopt grayer, more somber tones that reflect the period's darkness. Modern-day scenes return to the brighter palette typical of superhero comics.

Robinson's writing maintains a brisk pace prioritizing action over introspection. Cable's internal narration provides context and explains tactical thinking but rarely digs into emotional complexity. The dialogue stays functional without memorable or character-defining moments.

Pacing moves quickly, perhaps too quickly. Five issues cover multiple time periods, a villain's entire scheme and Cable's response without pausing for substantial character work. The arc feels like it's racing toward its conclusion rather than building tension organically. Moments that could resonate emotionally get glossed over.

Cable: Conquest succeeds as a visually appealing action showcase but fails to establish Cable's time cop role as compelling beyond surface level. Robinson executes the timestream premise as a generic chase story where the villain lacks depth and stakes feel abstract.

What hurts this arc is how disconnected it feels from what typically makes Cable interesting. His relationships with Hope, his complicated family dynamics and his role leading X-Force provide emotional anchors this solo mission lacks. Repositioning him as a lone temporal guardian removes those connections without replacing them.

Conquest represents the arc's biggest weakness. He's one-dimensional, lacking personality or motivation. When your villain is "generic time conqueror," the story struggles to create tension beyond stopping him. The Phalanx Weapon feels equally undercooked as a plot device.

If you're looking for deep character exploration or innovative time travel storytelling, this will disappoint. But if you want straightforward action with Cable showing off across historical periods while fighting a forgettable villain, this delivers. The arc works best as a palate cleanser between heavier storylines rather than essential.

Cable: Conquest trade paperback collects issues #1-5 of ongoing series, available in physical format via Amazon, Barnes & Noble and local comic-book shops. The story is also available digitally on Amazon Kindle, ComiXology and Marvel Unlimited.