Hasbro released what could be considered the best Cable action figure to date in the summer 2016, but back in 2004 ToyBiz released the definitive version in Series 6 of their Marvel Legends.
Cable was an amazing action and, as a figure, is still one the best figures produced. But he had a glaring issue. The problem with ToyBiz’s Cable was that he was too small. Cable is always drawn to be huge in the comics, and there was an expectation that the figure would be ginormous. It wasn’t. In fact, it was a bit smaller than your average Captain America, and that was a huge letdown for collectors. What made it worse was that this was an amazing sculpt; it really captured Cable from different eras, and even alone the figure popped on displays. Customizers quickly made use of the figure as the combat boots and pants allowed for some great opportunities.
While Cable was short, he was huge, in a sense. He had one of the best upper body builds, as well as rocker shoulders and loads of articulation. I had hoped that the figure would get re-purposed as a blank as it would have been great for a number of those “6-foot-2-to-3” characters. Dave Cortez did an amazing job on the overall likeness, and even to this day that head sculpt is awesome. It doesn’t just channel Cable, it is Cable — Marvel Select and Hasbro’s Marvel Legends don’t even compare.
The figure came in two variations: the blue and yellow X-Men colors, and the brown and blue “soldier” colors. It’s the same base figure, but the changes in color really made it feel like you were holding two different action figures. This was great for collectors wanting a “Cable vs Deadpool” look or an early “X-Force” look. The sculpted figure isn’t canon to a specific costume but generic enough that it covered every look.
The figure comes with Cable’s signature shoulder pads and a ride/shoulder cannon. The shoulders pads are great, and when paired with the blue and brown version they really bring that costume full circle. The scooter/shoulder cannon is cool, although I prefer it as a scooter more.
For the nostalgic collector, this is a great figure to find, play with, and display with your other Marvel Legends. If you are just getting into collecting previous Marvel Legends, this should be one of the ones at the top of your list, despite the small scale. You can still find Cable through the following retailers:
