Axel has big plans for Cable, Bishop and Forge

[rwsmith]

From: http://www.newsarama.com/NewJoeFridays/NewJoeFridays17.html

Q: "XChylde17" - Any chance we will see some stories coming out of Earth-4935 (the Askani timeline)? It's such an important part of Cable's character and it frequently gets referred to, plus it has potential for some really interesting stories, much like Wolverine: Origins. Also, thanks for giving me more Cable by putting him back on the X-Men, with what could be the coolest line-up ever.

JQ: Hey, XChylde17, while there are no immediate plans, Cable, Bishop, and Forge are three characters on the top of new X-overlord Axel Alonso’s list of character to bring back into the limelight.

Very interesting. I wonder how he plans to do this. Cable is already getting some limelight in X-men, and Axel has said that he wants to figure out "what makes the character tick" and give him his own series again. But what about Bishop and Forge?

Both have been appearing here and there, but I wonder how he'll bring them back into the limelight? My thoughts would be to put them both on the Uncanny team once they return from space and make them the government team. The only one I could see having a huge problem with this would be Warpath, but he could always defect and go and join Rogue's team with his buddies Nate and Sam.

Just a thought.

[Brian M.]

Cable: I think he already is in the forefront of the Universe. With Cable and Deadpool doing better and Cable on Rogue's team he already is a prime player. He's a Summers, he'll always be an important part of the X-Men.

Bishop: I think we're starting to see Bishop take a stronger role. His role during Civil War has been...interesting. I'm excited to see where he'll start to show up.

Forge: Isn't he already playing a big part in New X-Men comics?

[Sentinel K]

Forge: Isn't he already playing a big part in New X-Men comics?

Yeah. And that's a start. Forge is one of those characters that it's nice to see every once in awhile. I've always liked him but I wouldn't want him to become a permanent player.

He can be a bit of a deus ex machina character if not used right.

I'd like to see him stick around for a bit.


Cable is absoultely fine as he is at the moment. Alonso better not start messing with Cable & Deadpool!

I have no idea what they are going to do with Bishop. i get the impression not many writers other than Hine and Claremont actually like him. Which is a shame.

[Brian M.]

Yeah. And that's a start. Forge is one of those characters that it's nice to see every once in awhile. I've always liked him but I wouldn't want him to become a permanent player.

He can be a bit of a deus ex machina character if not used right.

I'd like to see him stick around for a bit.


Cable is absoultely fine as he is at the moment. Alonso better not start messing with Cable & Deadpool!

I have no idea what they are going to do with Bishop. i get the impression not many writers other than Hine and Claremont actually like him. Which is a shame.

I agree. Its obvious Fabian has a long term plan w/ Cable and Deadpool and Axel better just leave it the F alone. Fabian's managed to advance his plot even with the 3 detours due to crossovers he's had to include. I'm glad to hear the book is getting a regular artist. I'm going to assume that means it's been picked up past 36. Atleast to something like 48 maybe 50 issues. Which in this day is wonderful. I hope it continues though for a while, 100?

Bishop I really think was fine in Mutant Town. Playing Mutant Cop and all. It really seemed to fit him. Sadly M-Day changed that to crap.

[Hi-Fi]

Yeah. And that's a start. Forge is one of those characters that it's nice to see every once in awhile. I've always liked him but I wouldn't want him to become a permanent player.

He can be a bit of a deus ex machina character if not used right.

I'd like to see him stick around for a bit.


Completely agree about Forge. High-Five!!

[Sentinel K]

I agree. Its obvious Fabian has a long term plan w/ Cable and Deadpool and Axel better just leave it the F alone. Fabian's managed to advance his plot even with the 3 detours due to crossovers he's had to include. I'm glad to hear the book is getting a regular artist. I'm going to assume that means it's been picked up past 36. Atleast to something like 48 maybe 50 issues. Which in this day is wonderful. I hope it continues though for a while, 100?

Bishop I really think was fine in Mutant Town. Playing Mutant Cop and all. It really seemed to fit him. Sadly M-Day changed that to crap.

I read that cable & Deadpool is confirmed to #46 (or was it #48?) so thats cool. I just hope Alonso doesn't start interfeering and trying to revert Cable to the gun-toting badass we all know and hate.

Alanso said something about a Cable solo series. Not needed. Don't try and fix what ain't broke.

[rwsmith]

Again, I hate to keep pointing this out, but other than on these boards, Cable/Deadpool really isn't all that popular. Just look at the sales.

If I was an editor, my job would be to fix that. And if that means I have to turn Cable back into a gun-toting hardcase, then so be it. He certainly seemed to sell more books that way.

[Sentinel K]

Again, I hate to keep pointing this out, but other than on these boards, Cable/Deadpool really isn't all that popular. Just look at the sales.

If I was an editor, my job would be to fix that. And if that means I have to turn Cable back into a gun-toting hardcase, then so be it. He certainly seemed to sell more books that way.

It sells enough. It has a significant following.

When he was a gun toting hard case it was the 90's and sales were much bigger anyway.

Who knows if reverting him back to that would increase sales that much?

I'd like to think not.

[Hi-Fi]

I'm reading the second arc of Cable/Deadpool and finding it extremely boring. Guess it's not for me.

Sorry Pete.

[Sentinel K]

I'm reading the second arc of Cable/Deadpool and finding it extremely boring. Guess it's not for me.

Sorry Pete.

See it through to the end. If you don't already know what happens, there is something that happens that even Cable didn't expect.

Such a great arc. But different strokes...

[rwsmith]

I'd like to see all of Cable's trying to play messiah in the public eye finally blow up in his face, as he realizes that society in this era loves nothing more than to watch a very public fall from grace. As this happens, he decides that one cannot unite such a fractured society, so he reverts to his old underground revolutionary ways. Working with Rogue's team in a more proactive way (think X-Force and going after the bad guys before they strike) and operating out of safe houses and hidden locations.

If nothing else, I'm sure this shift would make Deadpool quite happy. And he doesn't have to use the guns, but I'd have him pretty much using every weapon at his disposal.

[streator]

sounds good to me. i like all 3 characters.

[Daithi]

I just hope Alonso doesn't start interfeering and trying to revert Cable to the gun-toting badass we all know and hate.


I have a feeling that returing Cable to his 90's self is exactly what he wants.

[Sentinel K]

I have a feeling that returing Cable to his 90's self is exactly what he wants.

So do I. :(

[Omega Alpha]

I think that Bishop should go back to his timeline and Forge could just go to Limbo again. Two of the most boring X-men ever, IMO. As for Cable, just leave him in C&D, one of the best books on the market.

[Frodo-X]

I don't like when people say certain characters are boring and should be in limbo indefinitely. It's dismissive to those who like the character.

[Sentinel K]

I don't like when people say certain characters are boring and should be in limbo indefinitely. It's dismissive to those who like the character.

I agree.

If your going to say something like that at least give a reason.

[Tobias March]

Yeah personally I find The Maker fascinating, even if he can be a deus ex every now and then (Marvel Zombies; in the X-Men cartoon he invents the time machine that transports Bishop, then gets wasted by Nimrod, which is interesting considering what New X-Men are claiming now).

Bishop surely shouldn't be such a difficult character to write. Lobdell did try to flesh out his past as much as possible, but I guess the problem is that he was originally a cool character sketch by Portacio with a gun and little more.

[Omega Alpha]

I agree.

If your going to say something like that at least give a reason.

In Forge's specific case, he's merely a plot device to when the X-men needs tech stuff, that's all. In the same way Elixir is to heal (is getting too annoying, by the way- at least he had a personality before), and The Watcher is to when the writer wants to make a comment, or just want to show that something big is coming. He doesn't add much, or anything, to the team and just ends up being a Deus Ex Machina. And he also knows how to do mystical stuff, but, hey, nearly every Native American character in Marvel does. And, of course, mystical stuff is even more Deus Ex Machina than build things, ask Dr. Strange.

[Sentinel K]

In Forge's specific case, he's merely a plot device to when the X-men needs tech stuff, that's all. In the same way Elixir is to heal (is getting too annoying, by the way- at least he had a personality before), and The Watcher is to when the writer wants to make a comment, or just want to show that something big is coming. He doesn't add much, or anything, to the team and just ends up being a Deus Ex Machina. And he also knows how to do mystical stuff, but, hey, nearly every Native American character in Marvel does. And, of course, mystical stuff is even more Deus Ex Machina than build things, ask Dr. Strange.

I have to disagree with you here.

You ever read Uncanny #186 or #227? He's a fascinating character. Those are great issues!

Someone who's made grave errors in his life and who tries to make up for them.

I agree that he CAN be used as a deus ex machina if used badly. Kyle and Yost did a pretty good job in New X-men though. This is why i think he should be used sparingly.

And one of the big aspects of his character that you're forgetting, or are ignorent of, is that after the event in Viet Nam (it's probably been retconned to some other conflict now) which happened BEFORE the character even first appeared in Uncanny, he turned his back on Native American mystic stuff!

[Frodo-X]

In Forge's specific case, he's merely a plot device to when the X-men needs tech stuff, that's all. In the same way Elixir is to heal (is getting too annoying, by the way- at least he had a personality before), and The Watcher is to when the writer wants to make a comment, or just want to show that something big is coming. He doesn't add much, or anything, to the team and just ends up being a Deus Ex Machina. And he also knows how to do mystical stuff, but, hey, nearly every Native American character in Marvel does. And, of course, mystical stuff is even more Deus Ex Machina than build things, ask Dr. Strange.

Most of what you say is true, but don't you think they deserve the chance to make him better rather than banish him to limbo because he wasn't a homerun the first time? I'm not saying I love everything Forge has done, but I think the character has good enough roots and shows promise.

In the right hands, any character can achieve greatness.

[Joe Acro]

In Forge's specific case, he's merely a plot device to when the X-men needs tech stuff, that's all. In the same way Elixir is to heal (is getting too annoying, by the way- at least he had a personality before), and The Watcher is to when the writer wants to make a comment, or just want to show that something big is coming. He doesn't add much, or anything, to the team and just ends up being a Deus Ex Machina. And he also knows how to do mystical stuff, but, hey, nearly every Native American character in Marvel does. And, of course, mystical stuff is even more Deus Ex Machina than build things, ask Dr. Strange.
Forge is deus ex machina. Elixir is a deus ex machina. The Watcher is a deus ex machina. Strange is a deus ex machina. Scarlet Witch is a deus as machina....

Is anybody else not seeing how overused this term is, especially in this thread?

In any case, I think it would be wrong to give Cable another title. He's in two now (three if you count Civil War). The continuity already makes my head hurt. A third title would start making him look like Wolverine.

Forge should be written as a tactical leader for some group. Maybe he could be Heather Hudson in Exiles or more like Madelyne Pryor in the Outback X-Men. This way, he'd be providing a useful job to the team instead of just building whatever they need.

I always felt bad that Bishop never got the chance to kill Fitzroy. He was robbed. I would like to see him return to being on a team or possibly forming his own government-sponsored team. Sure, it'd be another X-Men title, but I think it could work.

[Daithi]

In any case, I think it would be wrong to give Cable another title. He's in two now (three if you count Civil War). The continuity already makes my head hurt. A third title would start making him look like Wolverine.

The fear for me is that he won't be getting a 3rd title meaning bye bye C&D. Or a "revamp".

[kate-pryde]

With Cable having a rather large role in Civil War, it's putting the spotlight on him quite a bit more than he's had recently.

Axel has already said he wanted to have a Cable solo book, but the question is whether or not Cable & Deadpool will be canceled.

The sales of C&D have been steadily increasing and its had the biggest increase of any Marvel series year-to-year.

Cable & Deadpool in September outsold Daredevil, Captain America, Incredible Hulk, Sensation & Friendly Neighborhood Spiderman, and Ghost Rider. So, if C&D is canceled, all of those books should be as well. :p

The question to Joe Quesada was specifically if there would be any more tales from the Askani timeline and a Cable Origins type of books. I would absolutely love to see that happen, but it's going to take the right writer and artists to really sell that to those that aren't already fans of the Askani timeline. But it would work allowing there to be a Cable solo series set in the Askani future (Cable's past), Cable & Deadpool, and Cable to make frequent appearances in core X-books.

Scott Lobdell or Jeph Loeb would be perfect to write a Cable Origins series, since both were key to establishing the Askani.

The thing about the Askani is that it's very complicated and more philosophical than the average comic concept (like Cable is a big guy with a big gun who likes to shoot people). It appeals to people who like to read sci-fi and fastasy novels, so it might be able to draw in a different type of reader.

But I have a feeling that Axel is stupid enough to return Cable to a big dolt with a gun who likes destroying this and is just a cross between Punisher and Wolverine and the word Askani will be banned once again. Every time editors pushed writers of the Cable series in that direction, sales fell and writers quit. And if that's what they do with a Cable solo series, it will have the same results.

[Omega Alpha]

About Forge (it's easier to answer that way than to quote everything): if he's written well, of course i may eventually like him, as much as i could eventually like any character, but i have never read anything that made him remotely interesting, ever. And when i say go to Limbo, please understand that i'm fine if they keep him in, i don't know, New Excalibur, Wolverine Origins, or anything else i don't read, just keep him away from me:D

[Canemacar]

I've always kinda liked Forge. I agree that he can easily become a deus ex machina if used wrong, he should be used more like Oracle to take advantage of his powers without it becoming a huge plot device.

Bishop should be moved away from the X-men and into the main Marvel Universe. Maybe make him a full time agent of SHIELD.

Cable should stay with Deadpool and maybe show up in X-men from time to time. He doesn't really warrant a solo.

[Frodo-X]

If he gives them all fart powers I'm gonna hurt somebody.

[Canemacar]

Or bondage costumes. I'd rip my eyes from their sockets if I had to see Cable in a gimp suit.

[Niro]

Yeaaa i want more Forge!
I hope its stories on forge and bishop in alternate timeline where they're fighting in a mutant - sentinel war or something.

And with cable i hope its stories of him against apocalypse in his own timeline

[Tobias March]

Bishop should be moved away from the X-men and into the main Marvel Universe. Maybe make him a full time agent of SHIELD.
.

I like that, have Bish move out. Too many X-Men characters get limbo-ised when they could be out in the big bad MU making a name for themselves :)

[fishtaco]

I'd like to see Forge in Exiles.

[ibrakeforchinwe]

I'm scared by this news. 3 guys with guns...Is that what he likes? Does he like any of the rest of the X-Men?

[Kaos]

I want more bishop...that dude is ill

[Faded]

My thoughts on these characters is not entirely positive.

I mean...Forge is cool as a supporting character (especially for Storm and/or Mystique). Not sure I want to see *that* much of him. A good writer can change that all, but at this very moment...not excited.

As for Cable, I might've read some of his comments in his previous interviews wrong, but I certainly have enough Cable going around.

Bishop I stand alone in that I liked him most in his solo series of the 90's (and his cameo in Madrox!). He has a lot of baggage that I don't care for (alt. reality origin; CRAZY multitude of possible family members in the X-Men) but I do like him to a degree.

[Syzygy]

Bishop I really think was fine in Mutant Town. Playing Mutant Cop and all. It really seemed to fit him. Sadly M-Day changed that to crap.

Agree that Bishop was great in District X.

Peace,
Syzygy

[Frank]

I could see Bishop, Forge and Cable form a new pro-reg X-Force founded on the principle of enforcing mutant laws. They could even have a Sentinel human pilot from O-N-E with them(going for the cybernetic look).

[rwsmith]

Bishop and Forge maybe, but no way would Cable go along with it.

[kate-pryde]

Cable would never go Pro-Registration.

I could see Cable heading up a new X-Force style book.

For example:

Something big happens that makes mutant/human relations even worse and makes it look like the future is heading towards a Days of Future Past type of horrors. Cable has a major split with the X-Men (especially Scott) over what the X-Men need to be doing to prevent this. Scott wants to be rational, show that the mutants aren't threats, Cable wants to be pro-active. He forms a team to go out there and do something about the future he sees as inevitable, and his group becomes outlaws from the X-Men and are being hunted down by the government.

On Cable's team, I could see Domino, some of the members of X-Force (Shatterstar, Siryn, Warpath), maybe Deadpool for comedy relief, a few of the younger X-Men (maybe Jubilee or Husk), maybe someone from the New X-Men, and possibly Rachel.

I think something like that as the younger rebel type of team, but with a very definite mission, would work far better than a solo Cable book.

[ibrakeforchinwe]

Cable is Anti-Registration as seen in Civil War 2-4.

[Madrox84]

Hmm, this is interesting news.

Cable looks as though he is gonna be pretty prominant in X-Men, and i'm interested in seeing what Mike Carey has planned for him. I have also been really enjoying Cable and Deadpool. I hope Alonso's plans don't clash with anything Carey and Nicieza have planned.

Forge is a character that i find very interesting, but in the hands of the wrong writer becomes very deus ex machina. I'd like to see him turn up as a supporting character, kinda like he has been in New X-Men.

Bishop i have never found that interesting, though i did enjoy District X.

[Cthulhudrew]

I think Forge needs to be moved out of the mainstream X-titles in order to really stand out. As it is, his power isn't visual or "sexy" enough to play in the X-Books alongside the majority of the other X-Folk, and so he either gets relegated to wise indian shaman/wizard or the "tech guy" role (and let's face it, do the mutants really need a tech guy?)

I could definitely see him with a role in, say, Cable and Deadpool. Or some other less spandexy, more character driven book.

Bishop- well, not a huge fan of Bishop (he was basically black Cable when he first appeared on the scene, and I haven't really read much of him aside from his early appearances, so I'm not an expert by any means). I think he could definitely work alongside Cable, though, as both are men out of time. In fact, I think putting the two of them together for a little bit would really help to differentiate them. I'm sure that Bishop probably doesn't dig Cable's current messiah role, for instance, and would love to see him confront Nathan over that.

Aside from that, again, I think Bishop probably works better in a non-mainstream X-Book (like he was in District X; didn't read it, admittedly, but I understand his role was pretty well done in it). His power isn't used nearly enough, though it could be pretty interesting (although, against non-energy powered folk it's kind of useless), and other than that, he's just a guy who shoots guns fighting alongside superpowered mutants.

Heck, you could probably put Bishop and Forge together in a title and make something interesting right there. The man out of time, and the man ahead of his time.

[Titan76]

Forge should stay as a supporting character. I think he best suites teaching the New X-men squad rather then actually joining the X-men. He's the kind of guy who looks more like a teacher and has a lot to teach.

My thoughts on Cable and Bishop though aren't so nice.

Bishop was a real interesting character when he first came to the X-books. I liked him then, he was different and the way he always treated and acted around the X-men when he first came was always spot on to me. However after re-reading his stories many times I think Marvel should have killed him off during the Onslaught saga. It was really his sole purpose for being in the X-books. To find out who had betray the X-men and stop them from killing them. I think when Onslaught fired that blast at the X-men and when Bishop jump in to take it he should have died with those words of him saying when he was falling his last ones. It would have been the perfect ending for him and his purpose for being in the X-universe would have been completed.

Cable on the other hand........I just really don't like this character very much. Marvel really screwed his character up when they made him Scott's son and that his only mission was really to destroy Apocalypse. When he finally did that what then? Cable to me his no real purpose for being in Marvel which is why I have always said they either need to do three things:

Kill him(which won't last)
Send him back into the future where he can do his own thing like X-Man did.
De-age him back into whatever age he would be if he wasn't sent to the future which I think he would be at least five.

I know he has a good size fanbase and lots of people on this board like C&D but you can just count me as one of those people who just doesn't like him nor his series.

[rwsmith]

Titan, I would actually agree with you about both Cable and Bishop. I think the whole time traveler from the future thing has been played out to death, and particularly in the X-books. In fact, I think that's a big part of the reason why comics in the late 90's left such a bad taste in people's mouth (well, that and clones in the Spider-books).

And it seemed like Marvel was really focused on getting back to basics for the past five years or so---a strategy which has paid off IMO! They pared down the casts in the X-books and really just focused on the "core" X-men for awhile. Then they revamped the Avengers to include many of their most popular icons.

Having said all that, I think now is the time to focus on some secondary and tertiary characters. The icons have been overexposed to the point where it wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing IMO if many of them took a back-seat for awhile, particularly in the X-books. Wolverine, for example, has enough going on in his two solo books and New Avengers. And even the rest of the Astonshing cast could use a breather, as they are always the X-men squad that guest-stars in everything (House of M, Civil War, X-Factor, New X-men, X-men, Uncanny X-men, etc.).

What does this have to do with Cable and Bishop? Well, they are fairly popular in their own right, as both at one time could support their own solo titles, which is more than you can say for a lot of X-men characters. So there's virtually no chance that Marvel is going to kill them or send them back to the future IMO, regardless of how much some of us might wish that they would.

So, my only hope is that they downplay the time-traveling stuff (like they did with Bishop over in Mutant X, for example) and just try to make these guys compelling characters in this time. Cable needs to stop trying to tell everyone what to do just because he comes from a possible future. It's gotten downright annoying IMO. Let's let these guys focus on being cool X-men again in this time period and I think I'll be okay with them. If every story arc starts to revolve around preventing something awful from happening in the future, on the other hand, well, then it might finally be time for me to move on from the X-titles.

[Oliverhannah]

I'd like to see Forge in Exiles.

NO!

I want Cable stay in Cable/Deadpool forever.. why he join the X-Men for?

Lady Mastermind should be telepathy, not him! he lose his telepathy..

[Sentinel K]

NO!

I want Cable stay in Cable/Deadpool forever.. why he join the X-Men for?

Lady Mastermind should be telepathy, not him! he lose his telepathy..

Err...he did say Forge. Not Cable.

[Oliverhannah]

Err...he did say Forge. Not Cable.

lol huh... he say he want Forge join the Exiles that why i don't want him join to the Exiles, No way!

Forge is shit! Cable are so borin!!

I heard Bishop have big storyline bewteen about Gateway and Monet, sorry my lip is sealed! :( sorry dude

[eggie]

I love all 3 of these characters...when the new X-Men line-up was revealed I was excited to see Cable on it (although I wish he had his powers instead of the info-net or whatever that they gave him in Cable/Deadpool, which by the way is a really cool series that more people should be reading). I was disappointed that there was no Bishop although I don't know where he would fit in currently...I can't see him on X-Men so I guess he should be in Uncanny but they already have a bad@$$ in Warpath...I don't know where he should go but I want more Bishop! I use to love Forge back in the late 80's/early 90's when he was appearing in Uncanny, but wasn't a fan when he moved over to X-Factor...again, I don't know where they should put him except to give him a mentor type role in New X-Men.

[Sgt. Preston]

It seems like Forge is going to be utilized as a mentor in New X-Men. He's a cool character, but he's best when used in the background.

Cable already seems to be taking a more active role in the Marvel Universe with the additional face time he's been getting both in X-Men and in Civil War.

Bishop has been the main man throughout the various David Hine series, but not sure where he will go since two guys with big guns aren't necessary on the X-Men lineup and the Uncanny guys are in space. Don't see Whedon adding him to Astonishing that's for sure.

Maybe Axel has another solo book in store for him.

[Frank]

Cable is Anti-Registration as seen in Civil War 2-4.

Cable left Captain America's group in Civil War 4.

[fishtaco]

Forge is shit! Cable are so borin!!For someone who hasn't read Uncanny X-Men #'s 184-188, 198, 220, 224, 226-227, 253-255, 257-260, 262-264, 270-277, that's quite a reckless opinion. Any particular reason you don't like either character?

[Joe Franklin]

Forge is shit!

:eek: Forge was written to be awesome under Claremont's pen in the 80's. You need to go buy some Uncanny X-Men back issues from the 70's and 80's to see how great the X-Men used to be before they became overexposed.

[Faded]

:eek: Forge was written to be awesome under Claremont's pen in the 80's. You need to go buy some Uncanny X-Men back issues from the 70's and 80's to see how great the X-Men used to be before they became overexposed.

But...they still are great. :confused:

[Joe Franklin]

But...they still are great. :confused:

They are still good, but not great.