Skip to content

Please note that when you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Thanks!

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Thanks!

Cable Reading Order

  • by

Cable looks straight at you with his signature intensity

Meet Nathan Summers, time-traveling soldier, powerful mutant, and original X-Force leader, with this Cable comics reading list, covering everything from his first appearance to his team-ups with Deadpool, his X-Men days, the Messiah Trilogy, and more.

X-Men Reading Order - X-Logo

Few characters at Marvel have a backstory as complicated as Cable (with the possible exception of Psylocke). Born Nathan Christopher Charles Summers, Cable is the time-traveling son of Scott Summers (Cyclops) and Madelyne Pryor (a clone of Jean Grey). Behind his conception lurks the mad geneticist Mr. Sinister, who planned to use the child as a weapon to destroy his archenemy, Apocalypse.

As an infant, Nathan was infected by a deadly techno-organic virus incurable in the present. To save him, Cyclops gave Nathan up, sending him 2,000 years into the future (Earth-493) where he could be treated and raised. There was no hope for Scott to ever see his son again… or so he thought.

In this future world, Nathan was raised by the Askani Clan to become the warrior known as Cable, a sworn enemy of Apocalypse. The religious order was led by Mother Askani, a time-displaced version of Rachel Summers, Cable’s half-sister.

To defeat Apocalypse once and for all, Cable traveled back to the present day, at least a decade before he was born. He became the leader of X-Force, taking young mutants under his wing and training them to face future threats with a more aggressive approach than the X-Men.

Over the years, Cable formed one of Marvel’s most improbable odd couples with Deadpool, clashed with his alternate-universe half-brother/counterpart Nate Grey, adopted and raised Hope (the first post-Decimation mutant), joined the Avengers Unity Division, and much more.

As if that wasn’t complicated enough, he has also been killed and replaced by a younger, time-displaced version of himself, often called Kid Cable, before eventually being revived during the Krakoa era.

It’s no surprise then that when Cable popped up in Deadpool 2 (2018), played by Josh Brolin, his backstory was mostly ignored. It’s the kind of story that needs a whole movie to tell properly—or, better yet, a stack of comic books.

Cable Comics Collection

More X-Men! Cable is a member of the X-Men family. To know more about X-Men’s history, go check out our massive X-Men Guide!

Before Cable: The Early Years (Optional)

If you want to focus on Cable as an adult, you can skip this section. Created by writer Chris Claremont and penciler Rick Leonardi, baby Nathan made his first appearance in The Uncanny X-Men #201. His first years on Earth were turbulent: he was kidnapped multiple times, his own mother tried to kill him, and he was infected by a techno-virus before being sent to the future!

  • X-Men: Mutant Massacre Prelude Omnibus
    Uncanny X-Men #194-209, X-Men Annual #9-10, New Mutants Special Edition #1, New Mutants Annual #2, Nightcrawler (1985) #1-4, Longshot (1985) #1-6, Avengers #263, Fantastic Four #286, X-Factor (1986) #1-8, X-Factor Annual #1, Iron Man Annual #8, Amazing Spider-Man #282; material from Marvel Fanfare #33; Classic X-Men #8, 43

  • X-Men: Mutant Massacre Omnibus
    Collects Uncanny X-Men #210–219, Annual #11; New Mutants #46; X-Factor #9-17, Annual #2; Thor #373–374, 377-378; Power Pack #27; Daredevil #238; Fantastic Four vs. the X-Men #1-4; X-Men vs. the Avengers #1-4

    • Baby Nathan is kidnapped by the Marauders to Sinister’s orphanage in Uncanny X-Men #215-216
  • X-Men: inferno Omnibus
    Collects X-Factor #33-40; X-Terminators #1-4; Uncanny X-Men #239-243; New Mutants #71-73; Power Pack #40, #42-44; Avengers #298-300; Fantastic Four #322-324; Amazing Spider-Man #311-313; Spectacular Spider-Man #146-148; Web of Spider-Man #47-48; Daredevil #262-263, 265; Excalibur #6-7; Mutant Misadventures of Cloak and Dagger #4, material from X-Factor Annual #4. 

    • Baby Nathan is once again kidnapped, this time by Limbo demons as his own mother wants to sacrifice him.
  • X-Factor: The Original X-Men Omnibus Vol. 2 [2026]
    Collects X-Factor (1986) #27-50, X-Factor Annual (1986) #3-4, X-Terminators (1988) #1-4, Uncanny X-Men (1981) #240-243, New Mutants (1983) #76, Fantastic Four (1961) #342; material from New Mutants Annual (1984) #5; Marvel Comics Presents (1988) #15, 17-24.

  • X-Men By Chris Claremont & Jim Lee Omnibus Vol. 2
    Collects X-Factor #63-70; Uncanny X-Men #273-280; X-Men #1-9, material from #10-11; Ghost Rider #26-27.

    • Third kidnapping of Nathan In X-Factor #65-68! This time, Apocalypse infected him with the techno-organic virus before being sent into the Askani future (also collected in X-Men Epic Collection: Mutant Genesis)

Pre-adult Cable life is explored in two limited series. Published in 1994, this part can be read as a prelude to Cable as an adult, for those who prefer more chronological order. Those stories are also placed a little bit below, closer to the year of publication, to be appreciated differently.

Newly arrived in the present, Cable crosses paths with Canadian secret Agent Logan in a one-shot published in 1999 that you can read here if you want:

X-Men Hickman

Adult Cable: New Mutants, X-Force, and Cable: Blood & Metal (1990-1993)

Created by Louise Simonson and Rob Liefeld, adult Cable made his debut in The New Mutants #87 (March 1990), where he became the team’s mentor. The character was not intended to be the adult version of Nathan Summers. This was added later by Editor Bob Harras, Jim Lee, and Whilce Portacio in the X-Men spinoff X-Factor. See X-Factor #65-68 (listed above), published in 1991.

X-Men Reading Order X-Force logo

X-Force starts here! With issue #100, the first volume of The New Mutants concluded as the title was canceled in 1991. With the help of Domino, Cable reorganizes the New Mutants into X-Force to make them a strike force. During that time, Cable headlined his first miniseries, Blood & Metal.

You can also check out X-Force Omnibus Volume 1 which collects part of the issues listed here.
X-Men Hickman

Cable: From X-Force to X-Men (1993-2002)

A few years after his introduction, Cable headlined his first solo ongoing series, cementing his popularity during the 1990s. The title ran for 107 issues and featured writers such as Fabian Nicieza, Jeph Loeb, Joe Pruett, David Tischman, and others. During this time, he continued to lead X-Force and took part in several major crossover events, making him more connected to the main X-Men team.

Marvel has started collecting this era in Epic Collection, although the collection is still incomplete at this date. 

A new era of X-Force starts around issue #44. For the moment, you’ll need to look at for older collections as those issues haven’t been reprinted in the past 10 years.

x-men logo

The World of X-Men and Marvel Comics is shaken by the Onslaught event! Cable is still leading the X-Force and fighting against Onslaught alongside other X-Men. He is playing mostly a supporting role, making this event optional for the character.

  • Cable & X-Force: Onslaught!
    Collects Cable (1993) #32-39, X-Force (1991) #57-61, Incredible Hulk (1968) #444, X-Man #18-19 And X-Force/Cable Annual ’96.

Between Onslaught and Operation Tolerance Zero, Marvel Comics has never reprinted (nor made available digitally) the Cable and X-Force issues, leaving a short period uncollected

  • Cable #40-44
  • Cable/X-Force Annual 1997
  • X-Force #62-66
  • Prophet and Cable #1-2

x-men logo

During Operation Tolerance Zero, the X-Men are under fire from a strike force with one goal: the extermination of the entire mutant race. In these dark hours, Cable’s role as leader is questioned, eventually leading to his departure from the team.

It’s time for a Revolution! After recent events, Marvel Comics delivered a soft reboot of the X-Men franchise with the Revolution initiative, which started with a 6-month time jump. It was short-lived and poorly received. AIPT called the first Cable arc in this period ‘one of the most bizarre chapters in Cable history.’ His solo series was also soon cancelled, before being relaunched as Soldier X, a title that lasted for just 12 issues. 

X-Men Hickman

The Odd Couple: Cable & Deadpool (2004-2008)

Opposite attracts. This concept is explored in the now-famous comics series Cable & Deadpool by Fabian Nicieza and Patrick Zircher. Our straight man Cable is still trying to change the world for the better while working and building a friendship with Deadpool. As Spider-Man can confirm, this is no easy task but it is generally entertaining.

  • Deadpool & Cable Omnibus
    Collects Cable & Deadpool 1-50, Deadpool/GLI Summer Fun Spectacular, material from Deadpool (2012) 27

Marvel Comics has started to reprint this run in the Modern Epic Collection which would replace the Ultimate Collection. Only one volume has been released for the moment.

At this point, Cable mostly stopped appearing in his own title, making a brief return in issues #40–42. During that interlude, he joined Rogue’s X-Men team in X-Men Vol. 2 (1991) #190.

X-Men Hickman

Cable: The Messiah Trilogy (2008-2010)

In the aftermath of House of M and the Decimation event that wiped out the mutant gene, no more mutants were being born. The future of Homo superior had never looked bleaker until a miracle arrived: the birth of the first child with the X-gene since the catastrophe. This triggers a race between mutant factions to find the child and kicks off the Messiah Trilogy. It’s one of the most important stories in Cable’s history, as the soldier from the future is ready to do whatever it takes to protect the child.

  • X-Men Milestones: Messiah Complex
    Collects X-Men: Messiah Complex One-Shot (2007), Uncanny X-Men #492-494, X-Men (vol. 2) 205-207, New X-Men (2004) 44-46, X-Factor (2005) 25-27
  • Cable: The Last Hope Vol. 1
    Collects Cable (2008) #1-12, King-Size Cable #1, X-Men: The Times & Life of Lucas Bishop #1-3, X-Men: Future History – The Messiah War Sourcebook.
  • Cable: The Last Hope Vol. 2
    Collects X-Force/Cable: Messiah War #1, Cable (2008) #13-25, X-Force (2008) #14-16, and X-Men: Hope (2010) #1. Also collected in X-Men Milestones: Messiah War
  • X-Men Milestones: Second Coming
    Collects Second Coming: Prepare (2009), Second Coming (2010) 1-2, Uncanny X-Men (1981) 523-525, New Mutants (2009) 12-14, X-Men Legacy (2008) 235-237, X-Force (2008) 26-28.

After Second Coming, Cable disappeared only to return when the X-Men go to war against the Avengers in Avengers Vs. X-Men. Nathan Summers is present in the four-issue prologue.

X-Men Hickman

Cable Marvel Now! (2012-2015)

When Marvel relaunched after the events of Avengers Vs. X-Men, Nathan Summers returned as the leader of the X-Force, with the fate of the Marvel Universe in his hands. With his team consisting of Domino, Colossus, Forge, Dr. Nemesis, and Hope Summers, he tackles threats that nobody else knows about even if it makes the team public enemy number one. The series was under the creative team of Dennis Hopeless and Salvador Larroca, lasting 19 issues. Cable starts a new iteration of the team not long after, written by Si Spurrier, with Psylocke, Fantomex, and Marrow. 

X-Men Hickman

All-New, All-Different Marvel: Cable in Uncanny Avengers (2015-2017)

The Marvel Universe as we knew it came to an end in Jonathan Hickman’s Secret Wars. The reboot saw Cable becoming a member of the Uncanny Avengers (from Gerry Duggan and Ryan Stegman) led by an elderly Steve Rogers, after he learned the team’s true mission. The group was disbanded in the aftermath of Civil War II, although they reassembled under Rogue’s leadership to continue the fight.

X-Men Hickman

Solo Cable in Marvel Legacy (2017)

The third solo ongoing Cable series focuses on the time-traveling soldier as he does what he does best: fight for the future! While he is working to prevent catastrophic events, he also deepens his relationship with his adopted daughter, Hope. Part of the Marvel Legacy initiative, the title saw a return to classic issue numbering, beginning with #150.

X-Men Hickman

Interlude: Kid Cable (2018-2020)

At the start of Marvel’s Fresh Start, writer Ed Brisson was tasked with wrapping up the story of the time-displaced teen X-Men in Extermination. The event had major consequences for Cable as he is killed and a younger version of him, dubbed Kid Cable, took his place. Spinning out of this series came a new X-Force title, also written by Brisson, that puts back into action the original line-up under Domino’s leadership.

X-Men Hickman

The two Cables in the Krakoa Era (2019-2024)

As the X-Men entered the Age of Krakoa, Kid Cable joined the mutant nation and became a member of Psylocke’s Fallen Angels before headlining his own title, becoming one of the Swordbearers of Krakoa, and finding love.

The Old Cable made his return with Cable Reloaded and, for the last part of the Krakoa era, had some adventures on Mars, teamed up with Bishop, and had a short solo series from Fabian Nicieza.

During that period, Rob Liefield also came back to write the limited series Major X and the one-shot X-Force: Killshot Anniversary Special #1.

X-Men Hickman

Cable From The Ashes (2024-)

Krakoa is no more. The X-Men are back… From The Ashes. Cable is reunited with Bishop for a follow-up to Children of the Vault before finding himself left stranded in the dystopian city of Salvation Bay in his miniseries by David Pepose and Mike Henderson.

X-Men Hickman

Go Back to our X-Men Reading Guide

X-Men Hickman

Did we forget an important issue? Did we make a mistake? Let us know in the comments!

Pin
Tags:

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *