Deadpool: Merc With A Mouth #3 – Review

By Victor Gischler (Writer), Bong Dazo (Pencils), Jose Pimentel (Inks), and Matt Milla (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: There’s definitely room for another Deadpool series. The problem, however, is that Merc with a Mouth just can’t compare with the Daniel Way series. M.w.a.M. is entertaining enough and Bong Dazo is a great fit for a Deadpool comic. but it’s next to impossible to forget about cool Way’s take on the twisted character is.

The Story: Hydra, Deadpool, cavemen, and, thanks to Ka-Zar, a T-Rex battle it out as the Zombiepool head gets tossed around.

What’s Good: Deadpool: Merc with a Mouth #3 is, in nearly every way, a step forward in the right direction for the series. It’s not perfect, but it definitely hits far more than it misses. The premise lives up to its promise, the chaotic situation finally explodes in a fun, violent way (as it turns out, guns, two ‘pools, a dinosaur, and crazy cavemen make for a good mix), and the creative team manages to find a nice rhythm with the visual and dialogue-based humor (“Where’s Waldo?” on a splash page, for instance)

Writer Victor Gischler seems to take more from the Daniel Way school of Deadpool writing than he has before in Merc with a Mouth #3. As a result, the funny stuff is more satisfying all around. In addition, there’s a buddy-comedy feel to the humor that works really well. Deadpool and the zombie severed head make a pretty good team and I’m now looking forward to seeing how much Gischler can squeeze out of the pairing before real sense of Deadpool overdose sets in.

There’s a hell of a lot happening on every single page of the latest Deadpool comic. Bong Dazo and his art team handle it extremely well. Dazo’s shockingly detailed (considering how much is going on) pencil work is just the right type of crazy for what the script demands. You want an insane splash that features Hydra, a rampaging dinosaur, cavemen, a talking severed head, Deadpool, Zabu, Ka-Zar, and the sexy A.I.M. agent? You got it. Thanks to some excellent (though sometimes heavy) inking by Jose Pimentel, the chaos never gets out of control. The action is easy to follow, individual characters stand out as needed, and you never get the feeling of the visuals overwhelming the storytelling. Special mention must also go out to Matt Milla for making Deadpool: Merc with a Mouth #3 one of the most colorful, vibrant comic books I’ve seen in quite some time.

What’s Not So Good: Remember how I said that Gischler seems to take a lot from the “Daniel Way school of Deadpool writing?” That’s something of a double-edged sword because it stops Gischler’s series from feeling as though it’s truly standing out on its own merits. In addition, I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t mention that, as a whole, Gischler’s take on Deadpool seems like a tiny step backward in light of what Way is doing with the character in the main series. Wade’s actually getting some depth thanks to Way, so Gischler’s back-to-basics approach must be noted.

Conclusion: If you’re in the mood for a bit more Deadpool, Merc with a Mouth #3 is definitely worth checking out. The book is a whole lot of fun and a solid addition to your weekly reading list.

Grade: B

-Kyle Posluszny

Deadpool: Merc with a Mouth #1 – Review

By Victor Gischler (Writer), Bong Dazo (Artist), and Jose Pimentel (Inks), and Matt Milla (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: Did they really need another Deadpool series? I like the character as much as most people (probably more), but Deadpool is going to turn into the next Spider-Man or Wolverine at the current pace.

The Story: Deadpool gets hired by A.I.M. to recover a package located in the Savage Land. The merc runs into Ka-Zar and Zabu, some natives, and the contact that is supposed to have secured the package.

What’s Good and What’s Not So Good: The art is easily the highlight of the new Deadpool series. Bong Dazo is a great artist for a character like Deadpool, and simply put, his manic, lively, exaggerated style is a perfect fit for a series like Merc With A Mouth. Dazo’s work saves a script from being baf all around.

Victor Gischler writes a solid Deadpool (I like the Fallout reference) and puts the character in a fun situation, but there’s nothing about Merc With A Mouth #1 that makes it a must read. That said, the debut of this new series proves that there is actually room for two Deadpool comics. The Daniel Way series is Deadpool doing his thing in relation to the current Marvel status quo. On the other hand, the Victor Gischler series is, from the looks of it, all about telling entertaining stories about an entertaining character. That’s something I can get behind.

Conclusion: Deadpool: Merc with a Mouth #1 is worth checking out if you are either A) a fan of the character or B) someone that would rather read a Deadpool book that doesn’t pay much attention to the current Marvel U. situation.

Grade: C

-Kyle Posluszny

New Avengers #41 (Secret Invasion) – Review

By Brian Michael Bendis (Writer), Billy Tan (Artist), and Justin Ponsor (Colorist)

On Sale 5/29/08

One thing that bothers me about Brian Bendis is that he’s always willing to waste a page or two recapping something we’ve already seen. In this issue we get to see the Avengers/Skrull/dinosaur fight (from Secret Invasion #2) for, what, the third or fourth time? It only takes two and a half pages, but at 22 pages every 30 days, that’s three whole days blown. On the other hand, this issue features Shanna the She-Devil and, damn, does that girl look fine.

Like all Bendis’ other Secret Invasion books lately, this issue is mostly back story, explaining what’s been happening in the background of the Marvel Universe for the past few years. Or it could all be a big, fat lie.

Let me explain: Spider-Man gets separated from the other Avengers during the fight and runs into Ka-Zar and the aforementioned sweet-looking She-Devil. (Spidey calls her “Sheena”, a cute side-reference to one of the 50 other comic book jungle girls who preceded her.) After a few pages of the usual “You’re a Skrull!”, “I’m not a Skrull!” bickering, Ka-Zar and Shanna explain how they discovered Skrulls disguised as S.H.I.E.L.D. agents poaching the Savage Land’s vibranium mines, at long last bringing us back to the plot line Bendis established way back in New Avengers #1. They claim they infiltrated the camp but were caught, then escaped, and have been fighting a guerrilla war with the Skrulls ever since. Of course, Ka-Zar and/or Shanna could be Skrulls him/her/themselves, in which case they may have left out a few key details.

Overall, it’s a good issue, though Bendis pads things out even more than usual. Billy Tan has never caught my eye before but, my goodness, he certainly knows how to draw Shanna in all her buckskin-clad glory.

The character who shows up on the last page is no big surprise. What with Mockingbird (maybe) coming back from the dead, we all knew it was only a matter of time before they put the spotlight on this guy. Still, I can’t wait to see what happens next.

Did I mention Shanna is really, really hot?

Too bad she’s probably a Skrull. (Grade: A-)

– Andrew C. Murphy

A Second Opinion

It’s hard to say if Ka-Zar or Shanna are Skrulls. They definitely have their story straight, but one thing I’ve learned to trust over the years is Spidey’s intelligence. We’ll just have to see where it goes. As for the rest of the issue, there’s definitely a lot of padding as Andrew suggested, but it wasn’t so jarring to me. In fact, I had a lot of fun in this story. The connection it makes to New Avengers #1 will pay off for loyal readers of the series, and just having an issue with our two favorite Savage Land residents is enough to make me smile.

Billy Tan’s art is incredibly lush. I was always a fan of his X-Men work, but here he’s given a chance to shine, showing more versatility thanks to the large cast of characters and dense jungle setting. If Marvel’s smart, they’ll keep him out of the “mutant ghetto” and let him thrive on another book. Hell, keep him on New Avengers – I’d love to see that! And yes, his rendition of Shanna is delicious; however, Frank Cho, in my mind, will forever own her after that Shanna mini-series he did a few years ago.

I had a lot of fun with this issue. It’s actually got Avengers in it, plus it’s more concurrent with the main Secret Invasion storyline. It’s not a key issue, but it does act as a decent supplement until Secret Invasion #3 hits the newsstand next month. (Grade: B+)

– J. Montes

Spider-Man Family #7 – Review

By: Karl Kesel, Todd Dezago, Mark Waid (story), Karl Kesel (art), Val Staples (colors)

This issue of Spider-Man Family is a loving tribute to Mike Wieringo. Many of the writers he’s worked with in the past have come back for this special issue to craft a story that very much centers around Wieringo’s kindred spirit. So, don’t expect something emotional and heavy – this story is completely light-hearted.

The title of the story says it all – “Looter’s Quest” is a 30-page globe trotting adventure featuring about one of Spidey’s most ridiculous foes. The Looter is completely obsessed with finding the “twin” meteorite that matches the one that gave him his powers. Why? Because he wants to be smarter (and probably a more intelligent villain). Spider-Man catches on to his plot and follows him from place to place, yet the Looter somehow manages to outwit him time and again!

Giving nods  Mike Wieringo, we’re treated to many of the characters he worked on such as Spider-Man (duh), Doctor Strange, and the Fantastic Four. As you can imagine, it’s silly and full of cheese. While this story may not win any awards, but its sentiment is heartfelt.

As for the other stories, well, they’re nothing too special. We have a reprinting of Venom #1 by David Michelinie and Mark Bagley, Spider-Man: Death & Destiny #1, and another installment of Spider-Man J – the manga version of Spider-Man. Priced at $4.99, Spider-Man Family weighs in at a hefty 104 pages, which if you think about it, is a bargain. (Grade: B-)

-J. Montes

Uncanny X-Men #495 – Review

By Ed Brubaker (writer), Mike Choi (art), Sonia Oback (colored art)

This issue kicks off the X-Men: Divided story line. Reeling from events of Messiah Complex, Cyclops and Emma Frost now live in seclusion in the Savage Land. I don’t know if Marvel is trying to expose Iron Man as much as possible before the movie’s released or if it’s just because he’s that important to Marvel continuity now, but Tony Stark makes an appearance in this book (surprise, surprise). He asks Cyclops to get his team registered to which he gets snubbed off (as usual). From here, we catch up on the rest of the X-Men. Wolverine, Nightcrawler, and Colossus are off making mischief in eastern Europe. And Angel stumbles onto something odd in San Francisco.

New to the book is artist Mike Choi. Backed with Sonia Oback’s colors, this duo creates a lot of eye candy. If you’re on the fence about picking up this book, Choi’s art should be enough to sway you – he’s that good.

This isn’t your typical Brubaker story. There’s usually an agenda in every book he writes, so this being an “X-Men on vacation” story, it feels a bit off. There’s some character building going on here and Brubaker tries to liven it up with some humor, but most of it falls a bit flat. The ending isn’t your typical cliffhanger; it’ll most likely leave you feeling perplexed, but I’m sure there’s some method to Brubaker’s madness. I’ll stick around and see what happens next. (Grade: C+)

– J.Montes

A Second Opinion

I agree with Jay on many aspects here. The story doesn’t have any action, mostly character development, which is nice and all, but I hope to see more action next issue.

I hated the whole Civil War storyline and Iron Man, himself, and his “registration” act. Why must he still pop up in almost every other character’s comics. Enough already! “They are pushing me to officially register all of you,” he says twice in this issue. Just grow a pair already!

Choi and Oback are great as usual on art chores. (Grade: C+)

-Daniel Yanez