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

Lockjaw and the Pet Avengers #2 – Review

By Chris Eliopoulos (Writer), Ig Guara (Pencils), and Chris Sotomayor (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: The first issue of Lockjaw & The Pet Avengers was a solid serving of all-ages fun. While the pacing was a bit off (Throg’s drawn out origin hurt the whole book), I found myself impressed by how well the Pet Avengers concept was introduced and put into motion (even if the team assembly stuff was about as generic as it gets).

The Story: Lockjaw and the rest of the Pet Avengers try to locate the Infinity Gem that’s somewhere in the Savage Land. Lucky for them, the noble Zabu, the Saber-toothed tiger, is willing to give them some help. Unlucky for them though is that, at one point, they must deal with the Devil Dinosaur…

What’s Good: The second chapter of Pet Avengers is a great example of an all-ages comic done right. It’s fast, it’s funny, it looks very nice, and it does a lot of cool things with it’s cast of talking Marvel animals. The very best thing about Pet Avengers #2 though, is that it’s absolutely loaded with a personality that every member of the creative team helps to develop.

Chris Eliopoulos once again does a fine job of handling a concept that could easily fall apart because of how silly the whole idea sounds. The second part of the Pet Avengers’ quest to obtain the Infinity Gems is quite funny, but it’s also full of action, adventure, and a sense of importance. Thanks to Eliopoulos’ decision to have the pets feel a sense of duty and responsibility, it’s easier for the reader to have some emotional investment in the story beyond “oh look how cute all those animals are!” (or something like that). Also, Eliopoulos gives each Avenger a distinct voice and that contributes to a team dynamic that is a lot of fun to read about.

As for the visuals, Ig Guara does an outstanding job of giving the animals a wide range of emotion. It goes a long way towards getting the reader to invest in the Pet Avengers’ quest. Guara also creates a number of impressive action sequences that some slam, bang, explosion superhero action to shame. Also, how cool does Throg look?! Special mention must also go to Chris Sotomayor for vibrant color work that does a heck of a lot for the lively tone of Lockjaw and the Pet Avengers #2.

What’s Not So Good: Criticizing the latest Pet Avengers comic is both very easy and extremely difficult. It’s easy because the book lacks depth, has a few jokes that fall flat (Poop jokes? Sure they get a laugh out of kids, but c’mon…), and a couple of panels that just look odd (why does it seem like it looks like Hairball is ALWAYS yelling? – If a cat could yell, I mean). It’s difficult because Pet Avengers #2 does exactly what it needs to do extremely well. And also… I really don’t want to sound like a pretentious prick. but it’s obviously not something as deep or complex as something like, Unwritten. But then again, it doesn’t have to be…

Conclusion: I know I’m not going to change any minds that aren’t open to giving Pet Avengers #2 a chance… But it is seriously worth giving a chance. It’s good, mostly clean (remember that there’s poop jokes) fun.

Grade: B+ (on the All-Ages scale)

-Kyle Posluszny