If you read last month’s issue, you’ve read the bulk of this one. Cable and Hope time jump; Bishop jumps too; they shoot at each other; repeat. The key difference here is that this particular line of story has the decency to climax in this issue and (hopefully) propel this story forward.

This is not to say that this issue or its predecessor were/are bad comics. Just that “Bishop and Cable’s Excellent Adventure” was getting old.

There is wall to wall action here though Cable and Hope’s relationship continues to be the highlight of the book even overshadowing the disorienting loss of Bishop’s X-marbles.

Writer Duane Swlercynski delivers believable dialogue that brings a genuine feeling of family and the familiar to Cable and Hope’s interaction. You can hear the years between them and even an echo of Cable’s childhood in his reactions. It’s subtle but palpable.

The action is brought to life by the consistent work of Giancarlo Caracuzzo. Keeping this issue together visually must have been quite a task given the ever-changing setting.

There is a sense of moving on at the end of this book, an acknowledgement that this phase is passing. Once Hope’s story potential is realized, it’ll be interesting to see where the future takes Cable not to mention Bishop.

COVER BY: Marko Djurdjevic
WRITER: Duane Swierczynski
PENCILS: Giancarlo Caracuzzo, Denys Cowan &ESDRAS CRISTOBAL
PUBLISHER: Marvel Comics
COVER PRICE: $2.99
ON SALE: 03/10/10