What I Bought 3/24/2015 - Part 6

It's all about Deadpool today, folks. The book is nearing its conclusion, so let's see how whether Wade gets to end on a high note or not. Yes, I know they're teasing the "Death of Deadpool", but for Wade, that might actually qualify as a high point.

Deadpool #41-43, by Brian Posehn and Gerry Duggan (writers), Salva Espin (artist), Val Staples (colorist), Joe Sabino (letterer) - I went with #43's cover because it accurately conveys my feelings about Omega Red by having him jammed in a barrel and about to be set on fire.

Wade's no longer inverted by the Axis nonsense, but he's feeling a bit lost. Shiklah notes that he needs to go figure out who he is. I assume she figures he will rediscover the violent guy she likes, but who knows. Then he gets a call from Trapster (Wade gave him his number while he was "Zenpool"), who has a job offer from Roxxon. It pays well, and there'll be violence, so Wade accepts. Once he gets there, he learns Roxxon wants them to kill a bunch of civilians who aren't happy with Roxxon stealing oil and priceless ancient artifacts (which turn out to be the same sorts of coffins Wade initially found Shiklah in, prompting him to call her about it). So Wade and Trapster switch sides and help the people. Or try to, because Roxxon has lots of guys with guns, and also Omega Red, who says Deadpool killed his family? Really? I'm asking, I have no idea. Wade's pretty sure he didn't, but he's only just starting to get back the vague memories of killing his own parents, so as he notes, can't trust your memories.

Wade's attempt at heroism sorta doesn't work, as he and all the people he was trying to help wind up captured, and even though Wade literally chews off his own arm to get free, he's only able to save a few. Still, a few is better than none, and they fly off to safety in a heli, while Wade goes to investigate these glass coffins. Omega Red still isn't dead, though, so he'll have to be dealt with. Also, the faceless imbeciles of ULTIMATUM have killed their boss Flag-Smasher because he refused to let them go after Deadpool. So now they are going after Deadpool. Because they're idiots. You'd think after he killed like 200 of them and single-handedly destroyed their faux-Helicarrier they'd get the message.

One good thing about Posehn and Duggan using Omega Red is, I won't feel bad when Wade kills the bad guy. Like, if he killed Trapster, I would feel like that was a little bit of a waste, because he's a good sort of villain to have around (even if I don't entirely buy the partial face turn he has here. Pete was a member of that Intelligencia that tried taking over the world, but now he's uncool with civilian casualties?) But Omega Red, pfft, no big loss there.

Aw crap, Wade's going to choose mercy, isn't he?

It's been a few years since I've bought a comic Salva Espin drew. There was the trade of Black Widow and the Marvel Girls a couple of years ago, and Jeff Parker's brief Exiles run before that. I like Espin's style, he's got a clean line, and his characters are expressive. I might have worried that his work was too pretty for Wade, but he does fine. It's not the ugliest I've ever seen Wade, but there are a few panels where he looks at least a bit like a corpse, so that's pretty good. The full-page splash of Wade minus an arm, shooting guys and proclaiming he's out of jokes, that looked good. Agent Preston's husband looked pretty different from how he's been drawn up to now, though. Other than that, I thought Espin maintained the look of the book as established by Hawthorne and Koblish. Val Staples' color work helps. It helps maintain a similar feel for the book.

I don't have a clue how this is all going to end for Wade. Will he somehow avoid blowing things with Shiklah, and manage to be some sort of dad for Eleanor? Is he going to decide being around Shiklah encourages the parts of himself he doesn't like, or is she going to get fed up with him? Are ULTIMATUM going to manage to successfully kill him or someone he cares about? I don't think Wade throwing down his guns and walking away is an option. Setting aside the fact his books sell, Wade's like Frank Castle: He's too far down that path to stop. It's a matter of directing the violence in a useful way.

It occurs to me that even if Wade won't use the Tabula Rasa drug on himself, might he try using it on everyone else? Make them all forget him, so he'd be dead in a sense? I guess that would be less dead, more "never existed" as far as those characters were concerned. I hope that's not the direction it's going to go, but I could see Wade deciding he was meant to be alone, and trying to protect the people he cared about.