Broken Frontier

So, last week Marvel Comics released a cryptic teaser image announcing that former Superman/Batman and Hulk compatriots Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness are working on ‘_ _ _ _ _ Reborn’.

If the House of Ideas isn’t throwing everyone for a loop and that’s indeed 5 slots to fill, options of how to fill in the blanks are not exactly what you’d call unlimited. Assuming we need 5 letters to fill them ('X-Men' is also five characters and the classic X-Men team concept will be in some serious need of Reborn-ing following Schism, it just doesn't fit with the direction the X-Universe is going in), here’s how it might shake down:

Bucky

 Yawn. The Winter Soldier-turned-Cap has been dead for five seconds and here we are talking about his resurrection already. That’s 21st Century comics for you. The time that Joe Quesada declared that deaths and resurrections in the modern Marvel U had to serve a purpose is long past us, sadly. Still, bringing Bucky back from the great beyond when the poor chap hasn’t even had enough time to buy a boat to cross the Styx with seems too far-fetched even by today’s standards.

Even though Bucky’s death in Fear Itself was handled poorly and hastily, in the slipstream of Captain America: The First Avenger, it’s important Marvel maintains a singular, clear-cut Captain America in Steve Rogers. And bringing Bucky back mere months after his death as a new heroic persona would tarnish the character’s reputation too much.

Torch

‘Torch’ is five letters, but ‘Torch Reborn’ sounds like sh_ _ and whatever happens to the character is best left in the more than capable hands of Jonathan Hickman, who, let’s not forget, has a multi-year plan for the Fantastic Four all mapped out. No way Loeb and McGuinness are going to mess with that.

Cable

Ah. Hmmm. Interesting. Dead and buried during X-Men: Second Coming, Cable will have been dead for a year and a half by the time _ _ _ _ _ Reborn rolls off the presses. That’ll do. Don’t forget that Loeb has a history with Mr. Nathan Summers: his run on the character in the 90s together with artist Ian Churchill was one of the defining moments of his early career. Could a return to Cable be in the cards? Visually, Cable’s muscular/bionic build would be a great fit for McGuinness’ art style too.

Granted, Cable Reborn may not be as sexy or buzz-worthy as the other two options mentioned here, it's an obvious fit given the talent involved, and one that doesn't step on the toes of Ed Brubaker (Bucky) or Jonathan Hickman (Human Torch). Plus, it would mean Bucky's death would still hold some sort of value after all.