Deadpool #7 Review

Writers Brian Posehn and Gerry Duggan return to the pages of Deadpool this week after proving that their Dead Presidents arc only felt interminable. Instead of moving forward into the next arc, though, we’re given a retro-styled one-shot set during Tony Stark’s infamous battle with alcohol, recycling a concept from the “classic” Deadpool era. The good news is that the book clocks in as the best issue of the NOW! relaunch; the bad news is that the best of the relaunch still isn't as great as the series could be.

The high point of this story has to be the artwork by Scott Koblish and colorist Val Staples. The halftones and flat, blocky colors are perfectly fitted to Koblish’s throwback art style. The poses, compositions, and attire that Koblish uses to adorn his pages are evocative of the nostalgic, late 70s/early 80s vibe on which this book depends. Even the characters’ more awkward postures manage to channel a certain Bronze Age accuracy.

Happily, this issue’s script comes in relatively close second place, ditching the much of the inanity of all six previous installments of this series for a degree of successful revisionist humor and – gasp! – plot. Yes, the book is still chock full of sight gags and slapstick that seem as though they were lifted from rejected Tom and Jerry episodes, but Deadpool’s harebrained scheme actually feels like it was planned from the beginning instead of being improvised halfway through the writing process. Yes, the overdone pop culture references once again wear thin after the first two mentions, but there’s enough of a story to support readers’ interests when that particular deceased equine is being thrashed.

The real thorn in my side – and I can already tell that this isn’t going to matter much to a majority of the fans still reading this title – was the whole bogus rationalization for the issue, as explained on the first page. Gosh! Two weeks since the last issue! We need a retro one-shot to fill in – might as well use an Iron Man theme. The Iron Man 3 advertisement on the cover already spilled the beans. Avengers and All-New X-Men have been running tighter release schedules since their inceptions.

Use Deadpool to mock the establishment like he used to. Have him tell the reader that he’s giving the brass the finger and doing whatever he wants instead. The tendencies toward half-logic and catering to the lowest common denominator exhibited by this book are the reasons that this title has failed to shine so far. On the bright side, though, this issue shows that there is the necessary talent to return this book to its former days of glory.

Poet Mase has all the respect in the world for Joey Esposito, the best comics editor around. Keep in touch with Poet on Twitter @PoetMase, or post a message on his IGN profile PoetMase.

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