Deadpool & Cable #25 – Review

By Duane Swierczynsk (writer), Paco Medina (pencils), Juan Velasco (inks), Edgar Delgado (colorist) and VC’s Joe Caramagna (letters)

The Story: Cable fights his way through the hospital where Hope (the potential savior of mutantkind) has just been born. He manages to take her, but becomes overwhelmed while trying to flee. Fortunately his backup arrives just in time in the form of Deadpool. The pair make their escape, and must deal with further threats as they fight to protect Hope at all costs.

What’s Good: I needed to cleanse my ‘Pool palate pretty badly after reading the less than stellar inaugural issue of Deadpool Corps. Thankfully, Deadpool & Cable #25 proved to be the perfect antidote. This is the Merc as he should be written—quick thinking, cavalier, and absurd. Cable fares equally well, acting as the voice of logic and reason that grounds the reader in both the plot and emotional center of the story. He is every inch the soldier, and naturally finds the presence of an infant in his life quite distracting; but the cold, hard logic he uses, for example, to solve the problem of Hope’s incessant crying (“Remember Maslow’s hierarchy of basic needs? Food, warmth, shelter, sleep? You just go down the list til you hit the right one”) is not born out of callousness, but simple pragmatism. He clearly cares about the child, even as he curses the significant handicap she gives him in combat.

One thing I really appreciate about this book is that it plays the story completely straight. (Well…almost completely. This is Deadpool, after all.) This could so very easily have degenerated into an Odd Couple-esque sitcom about the two characters trying to deal with the responsibility of caring for the baby. Instead we got a great action story with plenty of non-baby related humor thrown in, and learned a little bit more about how Hope will fit into the X-universe in the process. Also, Swierczynsk limited himself to a single diaper-changing joke, and for that I thank him profusely.

Weekly Comic Book Review’s Top Picks

DS’ Top Picks

Pick of the Week: Blackest Night #8 – Just freakin’ awesome! Johns sewed up a tight, cosmic plot in a way that satisfied me intellectually, while delivering some heavy emotional punches! My first epic rating ever!

Most Anticipated: Batman and Robin #11 – Batman versus Robin! What else have you got to say to a Grant Morrison title?

Other Top Picks: Red Robin #11, JSA All-Stars #5, The Flash: Secret Files and Origins #1, Uncanny X-Men #523.

Joe’s Top Picks

Pick of the Week: X-Men: Second Coming #1 – It was a close race between this and Blackest Night #8, but Kyle, Yost and Finch pull ahead based on energy alone.  While BN #8 seemed a bit too preoccupied with launching Brightest Day and not enough with finishing Blackest Night, this issue hit all the right beats to make me ravenous for more.

Most Anticipated: Uncanny X-Men #523 – I’m trying really hard not to be a total x-whore here, but I just can’t help it!  I’m eager to find out what happens next in this storyline and this is the place to go!  I only hope the momentum lasts.

Other Picks: S.H.I.E.L.D. #1, Flash Secret Files 2010, Red Robin #11, Demo #3, Avengers The Origin #1, Deadpool & Cable #25, Wolverine Weapon X #12, Turf #1

Alex’s Top Picks

Pick of the Week: Unknown Soldier #18 – I said it in my review: this was an easy pick of the week.  This was probably the best issue the series has seen since the end of the first arc.  Emotional and volatile, this hit all the right buttons and came with some really great art as well.

Most Anticipated: S.H.I.E.L.D. #1 – Jonathan Hickman fully unleashed on the Marvel Universe.  In other words, espect insanity.  I am prepared to have my mind completely blown and thus far, having seen previews of Dustin Weaver’s art on the comic, I’m already halfway there.

Other Picks: The Flash: Secret Files & Origins 2010, Wolverine: Weapon X #12, Sweet Tooth #8, Invincible Returns, Batman & Robin #11

Dean’s Top Picks

Pick of the Week: Second Coming #1 – Great start to an event that has been building for years!  I really loved everything about it.

Most Anticipated: Turf #1 – Jonathan Ross and Tommy Lee Edwards doing a story about 1920’s mobsters and aliens?  Sign me up!

Other Picks: Uncanny X-Men #523, SHIELD #1, Wolverine Weapon X #12, Cowboy Ninja Viking #5