Deadpool Volume 1 by Various

Deadpool Volume 1 by Daniel Way

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This is an expansive volume that includes so many interesting points in Deadpool's story.  He takes on dicey adversaries like Wolverine and Bulleye. The former seems to be an exercise in futility, with two evenly matched opponents, considering that both of whom are more or less immortal.  The writing and art play things up for laughs, but there is also a deadly seriousness in that both Wolverine and Deadpool are equally formidable in their own ways, and not above showing ruthlessness to their enemies.  I liked the Wolverine storyline because it has some juicy tidbits of Wolverine's own personal history.

Bullseye I don't like at all.  Bullseye and Deadpool almost become friendly adversaries in that they earn each other's respect.    It's true to Deadpool's history of being, shall we say, morally flexible, that he could become 'friendly' with someone like Bullseye.

Deadpool takes on the Skrull invasion.  He manages to out-think his enemy in that they assume that Deadpool is no good tactician. He is.  And he's also got nothing to lose.  That makes him a deadly enemy.  Along with his penchant for insanity and trickery.

Deadpool goes after Norman Osborn in the aftermath of Deadpool's work to take down the Skrulls' invasion.   Obsorn manipulated the situation to make himself look like a hero, and has subsequently wrestled control of SHIELD away from Tony Stark and renamed it HAMMER. He sends his team of villains turned questionable heroes the Thunderbolts after Deadpool to save his own butt.   Although he's outgunned and outnumbered, Deadpool refuses to stay down for long.

I liked how the end of the book has a history of Deadpool as a character.  His story is long and tragic in some places. In others, showing how Deadpool is not quite a hero, but not a villain instead.  He trods the line between them both and continually steps over in either direction.

While Deadpool is a formidable warrior, and there is plenty of violence and action, this book isn't for readers who don't appreciate ridiculousness and a hero who's perpetually cracking jokes, many fairly low brow and crass. Even some of the action scenes are played for laughs. As well as Deadpool's worldview tinged by his mental illness carrying over into absurdity and cartoonish imagery.

This is one superhero (in the broadest of terms) who stands out from the crowd.  I'd recommend this graphic novel to readers who don't have an aversion to the ridiculous.



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