Deadpool #1 – Review

By: Gerry Duggan & Brian Posehn (Writers), Tony Moore (Artist), Val Staples (Colorist), Joe Sabino (Letterer)

The Review: So, it’s a comedy book. I’m not sure why I’m so surprised that Marvel chose to take this direction for the Marvel Now! Deadpool relaunch. After all, the evidence was pretty conclusive from the preview pages and the appearance of comedic actor and stand-up Brian Posehn on script duties. Maybe it was because (from what I could gauge through internet forums, comic book shop chatter etc.) there was a consensus among fans that a return to the Joe Kelly-era Deadpool was the preferred option. Insane, wise-cracking and maniacally violent, yes, but with a twisted vulnerability at his core; a sad clown hiding two machetes and an M60 in his pants. Instead Duggan and Posehn have played the book for straight-up LOLs. Which is fine – as long as they can actually get you to laugh. It’s not always the easiest thing to do in comics.

The set-up provides a decent enough stage for the mirth-making to play out on. A brief bit of exposition at the start of the book shows how a patriotic Necromancer  has taken to reanimating the bodies of America’s greatest non-living-Presidents so that they can save America from poverty, political division and Disney’s rampant subjugation of the entire entertainment industry (well, something like that anyways). While S.H.I.E.L.D. admits they’ve got to do something to stop the likes of Nixon and LBJ tearing Manhattan asunder, they’re also not totally keen on the idea of the Avengers being seen decapitating heads of state, zombie or no. Deadpool has no such haughty reputation to worry about however. After witnessing the Merc With A Mouth tussling with FDR (now imbued with super-strength and a whole host of other undead powers) S.H.I.E.L.D. offer him the gig.

Duggan and Posehn really try their best, keeping the jokes coming at a constant break-neck pace, Airplane!-style, though as such there’s little room for any real drama or depth. Humour can be a decisively subjective matter so I wouldn’t go so far as to say “this book isn’t funny” but…well, I don’t know, I guess it all just feels a little safe at best and a little awkward at worst. Somewhere hidden in here there might be a hilarious Deadpool MAX book trying to get out, but this isn’t it.

Hack/Slash #21 – Review

By Tim Seeley (Writer), Emily Stone (Art), and Mark Englert (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: I’ve made no secret about the fact that I’m quite a fan of the Hack/Slash formula. It successfully blends a variety of genres into one extremely satisfying product. One part bloody horror story, one part buddy action comedy, one part grounded drama, and one part supernatural thriller, Hack/Slash somehow manages to work on nearly every level. While the series has hit a few bumps here and there, it always keeps me coming back for more because the basic concept is just so much fun. Simply put, you should be reading Hack/Slash.

The Story: The latest chapter of Hack/Slash sees Cassie’s past catching up with her in a big way. Longtime fans will either love or loathe the surprise returns in one of the more oddball issues of the series. Let me just say that it features one of the more interesting uses of an old lady in a comic book. Yep…

What’s Good: Story-wise, Hack/Slash #21 scores more points with me for what it sets up than for what actually happens. Though that’s not to say it isn’t a fun and entertaining issue. In fact, it might actually be one of the funniest comics I’ve read in quite some time. The bits with the elderly lady, Muffy, are so ridiculous that you can’t help but laugh. Cassie and Vlad even get in on it with some great character moments both humorous and, at times, poignant. Good work Mr. Seeley.

Also worth mentioning is the art team of Emily Stone and Mark Englert. They provide solid visuals throughout the book, with a few extremely stand-out moments. I’ve been a bit hard on Emily Stone in the past (mostly regarding facial consistency and the occasionally sketchy panel), but Hack/Slash #21 features some of her best work. And that work is complimented well by Mark Englert’s effective, quality coloring.

What’s Not So Good: A lot of your enjoyment of the latest Hack/Slash arc will probably rest on what you think of the returning characters. I can easily imagine at least one of them annoying or irritating people, so I can easily imagine his (or her?!) return falling flat. Personally, I think introducing new characters might have been more interesting, but I’m not exactly against how things now stand.

Another not so good thing is that some of Stone’s pencils tend to look a bit sketchy and rough at times. While it doesn’t really distract from the otherwise nice visuals, an extra layer of polish would have helped. I say that especially because Hack/Slash is extremely close to being a consistently good to great looking series as Stone’s solid work continues to improve.

Conclusion: Hack/Slash #21 is a surprisingly funny installment to an extremely entertaining series. While some may find themselves a bit irked by the returns, I believe most will be forgiven by the time they hit the cliffhanger of an ending. I look forward to seeing where Tim Seeley and his creative team take things from this point on.

Grade:  B

-Kyle Posluszny

Thunderbolts #130 (Magnum Opus Pt. 2) – Review

By Andy Diggle (Writer), Bong Dazo (Pencils), Joe Pimentel (Inks), and Frank Martin (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: So far, I’ve had a fair share of conflicting emotions regarding Andy Diggle’s Thunderbolts run. On one hand, the author carries on the mean streak and dark tone that made the Warren Ellis run such a critical success. On the other, I have yet to find Diggle’s new Thunderbolts team all that appealing. The characters have their moments, but the team as a whole lacks the turmoil and dysfunction that made the Ellis bunch so appealing. Thankfully, I have a feeling most of my conflicting emotion will be quickly forgotten as Deadpool brings his unique brand of humor and chaos to a series that currently needs just a little extra jolt of electricity.

The Story: “Magnum Opus” continues as Deadpool, in an effort to reach Norman Osborn for payment (and a bit of revenge), squares off against the Thunderbolts inside Avengers Tower. But all is not as it seems since Osborn has the Thunderbolts pulling punches in order to keep their target alive. Action, violence, and humor are the name of the game in Thunderbolts #130.

What’s Good: It figures that it’d take Deadpool to finally bring out the personality in the Thunderbolts team and make (almost) everything click. Long story short, Andy Diggle does quite a good job handling both his team and the guest of honor. Regarding the T-bolts, for the first time I actually find myself really looking forward to the next issue so that I can learn more about the cast of characters that I am fairly unfamiliar with thanks to the interesting team dynamics on display. As for Deadpool, Diggle effectively picks up where Daniel Way left off and doesn’t really miss a beat in handling the more unique aspects of the crazy mercenary.

Also worth mentioning about the latest issue of Thunderbolts is how damn nice it looks. The creative team does a fantastic job of handling the non-stop, explosive action without ever really letting it get too out of hand. From Bong Dazo’s kinetic scenes and stylish character work to the complimentary inks and vibrant colors that help the work jump off the page, the second chapter of “Magnum Opus” is a lot of fun to look at.

What’s Not So Good: Two key things hold Thunderbolts #130 from earning a higher grade. The first thing is that, while Diggle makes solid strides in bringing out the personality of his team, it still consists of characters that I have little, to no attachment to. While I understand that time is needed for them to grow on me, I had hoped for at least a character or two to really stand out by this point. I highly doubt I’m the only one feeling this way.

The second thing that needs to be mentioned is that from time to time the action gets a little bit too crazy. Either too much is going on, or character positioning leads to a bit of confusion. It doesn’t really detract from the strong visuals a whole lot, but it proves distracting at times.

Conclusion: The latest issue of Thunderbolts restores my faith in the series. I had thought about dropping it following the Deadpool crossover, but now I feel that the new team definitely has the potential to be quite memorable. You’ve got the ball back Diggle, now is the time to run with it.

Grade:  B

-Kyle Posluszny

Second Opinion

Fanboys take note: when somebody asks whether or not you dig the Bong, I promise you it’s okay to say “YES!”  This was my first introduction to artist Bong Dazo’s work, and I was incredibly impressed.  Although I believe his style is a bit to cartoonish and illustrative to be the regular artist for a dark and gritty title like Thunderbolts, it nicely complements Deadpool’s appearance here.  Dazo’s art is loose and flowing, yet incredibly detailed when the moment calls for it, and I hope the industry takes note and sends more work his way!  As for the story itself, I was surprised by how easily Deadpool took down the Thunderbolts, and disappointed by how utterly inept they came off looking.  I enjoyed this issue, don’t get me wrong, but when I finished it the first thing  I said to myself was “wow, why is it I’m reading this title?”  The ease with which Deadpool laid the smackdown on Osborn’s team of covert cutthroats is embarassing, and it makes them look like far less of a threat than Diggle was building them up to be in previous issues.  I hate to say it, but Diggle actually succeeded in making me want to drop this title and resume collecting Deadpool, and that was the last thing I expected to get from this issue.

Grade: C+

-Tony Rakittke

Deadpool #5 – Review

By Daniel Way (Writer), Carlo Barberi (Pencils), Juan Vlasco & Sandu Florea (Inks), and Marte Gracia & Raul Trevino (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: I am loving what Daniel Way and his art teams are doing with the new Deadpool series. In fact, while I have never found myself to be particularly impressed by any of Daniel Way’s previous work (outside of, shock of shocks, the Wolverine Origins arc that featured Deadpool), I think I can safely say that he may have found his calling. And in my opinion, this is a very good thing; considering how nice it is to have a Marvel book offering an alternative from all of the overly serious stuff the company has put out as of late.

The Story: Captured by the zombie-creating Dr. Lovosnos, Deadpool learns the true nature of his mission. In short, Wade was sent by Zeke to the doctor as payment for the procedure done to his buxom blonde wife. And what does the doctor find interesting about Deadpool? Turns out a person that can regenerate flesh is quite useful to have in handy when you have a whole bunch of hungry zombies around!

What’s Good: Once again, I’m going to have a hard time thinking of a book that’s more fun to read and look at than the most recent Deadpool. You’ll find that one of the most impressive things the issue is how Daniel Way’s clever script puts Wade Wilson’s unique powers and traits to great use. In addition, the frantic, lively visuals are an excellent fit for the off-the-wall zombie story. Truth be told, I couldn’t be much happier with this one.

What’s Not So Good: I can’t really think of anything negative to say about Deadpool #5 other than the fact that, it’s definitely not a book for those who can’t really appreciate the style of humor used in it. Humor is a pretty subjective thing and as such, I’m fairly certain there are a number of people who are just going to flat out hate how the book is handled from a writing standpoint. I am not one of those people, but it is worth mentioning.

Conclusion: What else can I say? The latest issue of Deadpool worked for me in every way. I highly recommend it.

Grade: A

-Kyle Posluszny

Deadpool #3 (Secret Invasion) – Review

By Daniel Way (Writer), Paco Medina (Artist), Juan Vlasco (Inker), and Marte Gracia (Colorist)

The Story: Deadpool fights a Super Skrull and works to complete the mission that was assigned to him by Nick Fury. Violence, witty banter, and general wackiness ensues in a way that only “The Merc with a Mouth” can deliver.

What’s Good: The third issue of the new Deadpool series is the best yet and ends in such an intriguing fashion that I find myself eagerly anticipating what is going to happen next. In every way, Daniel Way and Paco Medina have taken a fairly limiting story situation (the Secret Invasion) and made the absolute most of it. The jokes (a mix of dry humor and slapstick) hit far more than they miss, the artwork perfectly matches the energetic tone of the story, and most importantly, the book is just plain fun. Deadpool is now easily one of the most entertaining and vibrant books that Marvel puts out. If the creative team can keep it up, Deadpool may have a long and successful future.

What’s Not So Good: The fact that this series is still stuck within the Secret Invasion for this issue. I have definitely had my fill of Skrulls, no matter how entertaining the book they are in is. It is time to move on to different (probably better) things.

I also feel I should mention that the tone of this book may not be to everyone’s liking. Daniel Way goes little bit overboard trying to make a joke at every opportunity and Paco Medina’s stylized, cartoony artwork may be a bit much for some. Personally, I am a big fan, but I know many prefer comics with a darker edge.

Conclusion: By injecting some (much needed) fun into the Skrull invasion, Deadpool joins Ms. Marvel and Black Panther as a prime example of how to use event trappings to the fullest. Well worth picking up.

Grade: B+

-Kyle Posluszny