Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Cable #4!Cyclops’ son, Cable, has been a shining example of grisly body horror since he was first introduced in X-Men canon, and his latest adventure keeps that disgusting reputation alive. The reason this has always been the case is due to the nature of Cable’s techno-organic virus, which is constantly trying to transmute his flesh into a living machine. And now, that process (which Cable perpetually fights off with his telekinetic powers) has just gone haywire.
In a preview for Cable #4 by Fabian Nicieza, Scot Eaton, and Lan Medina, Cable and his younger counterpart, Nate, have hit a bit of a rough patch in their relationship after teaming up to take down a hidden threat with the potential to bring about the apocalypse: the Neocracy. The Neocracy promises to mutate every person on the planet, making everyone a member of one ‘master race’. The Cables were initially on the same page about destroying the Neocracy, but in the previous issue, Nate was seemingly converted to the Neocracy’s cause, and shot Cable in the head.
This issue opens with Cable lying on the floor, seemingly dead. However, readers quickly learn that he didn’t die, which wasn’t accidental on Kid Cable’s part. Apparently, Nate has a plan brewing that requires Cable to seem dead, and for those trying to give rise to the Neocracy to trust him. Indeed, the Neocracy actually requires an infusion of Nate’s techno-organic virus in order to ‘come online’, as integrating the mutating nature of the virus would allow the Neocracy the ability to infect and mutate all of humanity, as it’s designed to.
While the preview neglected to feature any notable examples of body horror, the cover of the issue makes up for that in spades. The cover art shows Cable merging with Kid Cable – flesh and techno-organic flesh alike – creating a mess of stringy and metallic skin connected like strands of glue between them. The visual is horrific, and quite literally skin-crawling, but worst of all, it teases what fans can expect from the full issue.
It is noted in this preview that Kid Cable had a plan up his sleeve when he pretended to kill Cable, and that plan would result in the ultimate defeat of the Neocracy. Could Nate have decided that the only way to beat this villain is to literally merge bodies, using the shared techno-organic virus to do so? Only time will tell, but if the cover is any indication, it won’t be pretty.
Cable #4 shows both Cables experiencing a wild surge of uncontained techno-organic expansion, resulting in the formation of grotesque tendrils fusing together in a truly unsettling display of body horror. Interestingly enough, this isn’t the first time this has happened. One of the most noteworthy moments in Cable’s history that showed his techno-organic virus going haywire was during his crossover series with Deadpool, where Cable took his telekinetic focus away from his ever-spreading virus for the sake of his larger mission, and the result was the unchecked spread of the virus, turning Cable into amorphous mass of metallic flesh.
While it seems Cable and Kid Cable have their powers under a little more control than Cable did in Cable & Deadpool – as it may be a part of Nate’s grand plan to take down the Neocracy – that’s not guaranteed. Perhaps both Cables have finally lost control of the virus that has haunted Cable since birth, and the result is this awful amalgamation. However, no matter the circumstances, it’s clear to see from this preview alone (specifically the cover) that Cyclops’ son, Cable, is about to showcase one of his most gruesome displays of body horror in X-Men history.
Cable #4 by Marvel Comics is available May 1, 2024.