Deadpool: Merc With a Mouth #11 – Review

By Victor Gischler (writer), Bong Dazo (pencils), Leonardo Ito (inks), Matt Milla (colors) and Jeff Eckleberry (letters)

The Story: Deadpool and company continue to run around the zombieverse, searching for a way out. Spoiler alert: they haven’t found one yet.

What’s Good: The more I read this book, the more I’m growing to enjoy the art. Dazo is doing an absolutely fantastic job with a script that (in the hands of a less talented artist) wouldn’t lend itself to great panels. Dazo’s are consistently good though, and a huge tip of my hat goes to both him and colorist Matt Milla for their downright beautiful work on the (many) fires and explosions; everything from the overall look to the shadows they cast are just pretty, and a lot of fun to look at. (The panel of ‘Pool shish-kabobing Zombie Firebird is just incredible—I would have loved to see that as a full splash page. Just awesome.)

The zombie enemies are particularly good in this issue, and more interesting than they’ve been for…well, most of this series, really. Zombie Iceman and Zombie Firebird are quite threatening, and both project a real sense of danger even while engaging in banter and (admittedly pretty bad) quips.

What’s Not So Good: Gischler’s writing continues to shoot for the absolute lowest common denominator. I don’t necessarily mean that as an insult, mind you; puns and intentionally bad dialog have their place, and if ANY Marvel character were made to make use of such humor it would be Gischler’s Deadpool. I can’t help but feel it’s far, far too overused in this series though. I would excuse the whole thing as being intended for much younger readers who might be more entertained by that sort of writing than I am, but the parental advisory warning on the cover rather precludes that assumption.

Deadpool: Merc With A Mouth #10 – Review

By Victor Gischler (writer), Bong Dazo (pencils), Leonardo Ito (inks), Matt Milla (colors) and Jeff Eckleberry (letters)

The Story: Deadpool and company come up with a clever ruse that allows them to escape both the A.I.M. agents on their tail and the nasty infestation of mutant zombies. Since ‘Pool is the mastermind behind it all, of course, nothing goes according to plan.

What’s Good: I am an unashamedly writing-first kind of reader. If an author can sell me on the way he constructs his dialogue, or the way she crafts her story, I will enjoy the comic. I say this so you understand just how much I enjoyed the artwork of this book to bring it up first. Dazo hasn’t particularly stood out for me before, but he really tears down the house in this issue. The set pieces are wonderful, the characters are a ton of fun to watch, and the action is kinetic and exciting. This is the first time in quite a while I’ve found myself more compelled to turn the page to see what would happen next than to read what would happen. Special credit also needs to go to Matt Milla’s beautiful colors (the explosions and gun battles in particular are very, very nice.) His bold coloring and lively palette add a ton of life to these illustrations.