By Marc Strom
Who knew saving the future could be so tricky?
In order to preserve tomorrow, the time-traveling mutant known as Bishop thinks he must kill the first mutant born since M-Day. But when that infant happens to have Cable as a foster father, doing so can prove difficult.
After Cable escaped him in their most recent clash, Bishop begins his hunt anew in KING-SIZE CABLE SPECTACULAR #1 on September 3—and this time, he doesn't have the faintest clue where his rival has gone.
"Bishop's lost the one good lead he had on Cable, and now he has to start from scratch," explains writer Duane Swierczynski. "How do you chase a guy who could be literally anywhere—and any
when—in the timestream? Hell, most of us have trouble finding matching socks. But Bishop comes up with something kind of cool. This issue shows you what he's up to."
Bishop, a one-time policeman, always has a plan; or, at the very least, a methodology.
"Bishop's time-jumping all over the place—but it's not a random search," Swierczynski reveals. "There's a specific method to Bishop's madness. Meanwhile, Cable's not exactly kicking back and relaxing, either. He knows Bishop is not going to stop looking for [him and the baby], so he's taking some countermeasures—which will mean all kinds of trouble for Bishop.
"They're like those little guys from 'Spy vs. Spy'…only with time machines and automatic weapons."
Despite Bishop's protestations—and numerous attempts to kill him—Cable's conviction that the first mutant born since M-Day will one day save mutant and humankind alike hasn't faltered. So what makes Cable so sure protecting the baby will prove the right thing to do while Bishop feels the child must die?
According to Swierczynski, the difference comes down to age:
"Cable's knowledge of the future is 20 centuries deep [while] Bishop's is [only] about 80 years—comparatively, the lifespan of a mayfly. So yeah, while Bishop's future may have kind of sucked, Cable seems to have a longer view in mind."
And as for Bishop's side of the argument, Swierczynski says fans won't have to wait long to learn more about that.
"Before the end of the year, you're really going to see things from Bishop's point of view, and it will explain just that," he promises.
In the past, the X-Men have counted on Bishop as an ally. And while his current role may mark him as the de-facto "villain" of the story, the series' author doesn't see it as so cut-and-dry.
"Bishop isn't your typical antagonist, twirling his goatee—well, if he still had one—waiting for his evil plans to hatch," Swierczynski comments. "In fact, he's having a miserable time of it—nothing's coming easy for this poor guy, as you'll see in this issue—despite the fact that he's an incredibly tough, smart, resourceful mutant.
"Also, don't forget Bishop may be right. He could be the hero, despite what everyone thinks. Which makes him all the more compelling to me."
Cable will soon have more than just Bishop to deal with, however, when his war for the future of mutantkind opens up a more domestic front.
"Some preview art from #7 has shown Cable with a ring on his finger, and in bed next to a gorgeous woman," Swierczynski offers up. "Clearly, he's never listened to his father's warnings about redheads."
KING-SIZE CABLE SPECTACULAR, written by Swierczynski with art by Ken Lashley, hits stands on September 3. For more on Bishop, head over to Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited.
)
)
)
)
)
)
