Review – Deadpool #1 (Marvel Comics)

A New King Arises in Deadpool #1

Once again, the infamous Deadpool has been granted an all-new series, and it all kicks off with Deadpool #1. This time around, it’s Kelly Thompson at the helm, the mind behind the latest Captain Marvel series and the West Coast Avengers.

Since this is Deadpool we’re talking about, you just know that he’s going to get himself into some sort of trouble right off the bat. The real question is: what sort of trouble will it be this time, and how many other characters are going to get dragged into the mix?

Well, we can answer at least one of those questions. This time around, Deadpool starts off his series by taking a new contract that sets him up against the King of Monsters. And let the insanity and bloodshed ensue.

Writing

It wouldn’t be a Deadpool issue without him getting maimed at least a little bit. Thankfully, Kelly Thompson isn’t one to waste any time. Realistically, a fast introduction is a way to go with Wade’s series. That way, we can spend more time with the quippy merc for hire.

 Deadpool #1 was all over the place – but in the best ways possible. This is Deadpool we’re talking about. There’s violence and gore, of course. And more than a healthy level of sass and quips. But there are also a few fun cameos and even a shockingly heavy moment or two.

Fans of Elsa Bloodstone and Gwenpool will be delighted with this issue. If for no other reason than the fact the Thompson couldn’t resist pulling them into this series for at least one cameo. These moments jump from silly to intense and then straight to heartbreaking in a shocking turn of events.

In a single issue, we’ve seen Deadpool end up in a situation entirely over his head. And naturally, he doesn’t even have the faintest clue. The plot introduced here is one carefully set, with a clear intent to run through several issues.

Art

The artwork behind Deadpool #1 is truly impressive. And that probably shouldn’t be surprising, given how many artists got involved. There was a lot of ground to cover in this first issue, from character cameos, to gore (obviously), monsters, and so much more. And it was all brilliantly done.

The artists for this issue included Chris Bachalo for pencils, and for inking, we have Wayne Faucher, Tim Townsend, Al Vey, Jaime Mendoza, Livesay, and Victor Olazaba. Finally, we have coloring, which was provided by David Curiel, and lettering, which VC’s Joe Sabino did. See, I told you there was a massive creative team for this issue.

And yet, they all worked together flawlessly. The artwork seemed to portray the sass inherent to the merc with a mouth, making it perfect for this series. It’s brightly colored and full of creative monster designs. This is a relief, given how many monsters make an appearance in this issue.

Conclusion

Deadpool #1 is a fast-paced and action-packed first issue to Deadpool’s latest series. It brings with it a few surprises in the form of walk-on characters. But it also has plenty of memorable new monsters to showcase, and in general, simply has a lot of fun is exactly what it is. 

This series will be perfect for fans of Deadpool, naturally. But it’s also a great starting point for new fans (for example, any fans following Kelly Thompson). No matter your experience with this character, it’s worth checking out.

This review was originally written for Word of the Nerd, but has been ported over to Quirky Cat’s Fat Stacks now that the site has shut down.