On the surface, this sounded like a particularly bizarre idea; give "Cable" one final issue, but have Deadpool show up for a reprise of the old "Cable & Deadpool" series, and have this issue set during the "Messiah Complex" crossover from 2007. But I have to give Duane Swierczyski credit, in that it's not only entertaining, it's probably the best use of Deadpool during this fairly horrific glut of the character.

"Cable" #25 shows us how Deadpool had to help Cable out in rescuing the infant Hope even as police, Purifiers, Sentinels, and a Predator X all converge on Cooperstown, Alaska. It's a fairly standard action story at its core, with Deadpool and Cable trying to fight off the bad guys and live to see another day. Of course, since this is a prologue story, we already know how it's going to end. Swierczyski acknowledges as much, and instead makes the actual focus of the story the antics of Deadpool, while Cable acts as the straight man. Unlike most other "Deadpool" comics at the moment, though, Swierczyski actually makes Deadpool funny. He clearly gets the character and what his appeal once was, and makes the most of this guest-star in the final issue of "Cable."

It's been a while since I've seen Paco Medina's pencils, and I've always liked his art. His rounded forms always look organic and fluid, and when his characters leap across the page there's a strong sense of motion. He draws both Cable and Deadpool in a handsome but not ludicrously-good-looking sort of way, and his storytelling is strong. It makes me wish that when Ariel Olivetti left "Cable" that we'd had Medina take over instead; I think he would've been a good choice for the series.

Swierczyski also has fun playing with the fact that we know what's coming next, chronologically, after this story. Deadpool's comments about future appearances in "Cable" made me chuckle, and it's that light-hearted approach that ultimately makes this issue work. It's a shame that Swierczyski hadn't been able to do more issues like this on "Cable," instead of a two-year stalling tactic to keep him and Hope out of the rest of the X-Men titles. Still, it's a strong ending to the series, and it makes me definitely hope that we see more comics from Swierczyski before too long. Hopefully, next time, ones where he's got free reign to write his own stories without fitting them into a group of titles. I think that's where his talents would be better used.