By Duane Swierczynksi (writer), Jason Pearson (art), Paul Mounts (colors), VC’s Clayton Cowles (letters and production)
The Story: Deadpool continues his testimony before the Senate committee, explaining (his version) of his origin and the details of his first mission as a covert operative. Meanwhile, the people behind the Weapon X program that created Deadpool scramble to piece together their own version of events.
What’s Good: I was pretty hard on the first issue of this mini-series, but I’m happy to report that things have significantly improved in the second. The expositional growing pains are out of the way, and the plot finally has room to open up and breathe a bit. ‘Pool’s antics in front of the committee feel toned down from last issue, and are less distracting—and far more effective—because of this decision.
The fiction Deadpool weaves for the committee is infused with just the right mix of self-aggrandizing insanity and well-meaning sincerity, and the cuts between his idealized version of history and the more truthful, recorded version being dug out by the Weapon X crew is very well handled, and quite entertaining. Ashbury’s panic over the information leak, and his scramble to obtain details and figure out exactly what it means for himself and his company, feels suitably frantic and imperative.
Swierczynski seems to have tapped into just the right part of Deadpool’s insanity for this issue: he is well spoken, lucid, and we can never be quite sure if his clowning and tenuous grip on reality (and history) are simply the honest product of his psychosis, or if they are calculated bits of manipulation designed to misdirect and misinform the committee. THIS is the Deadpool I like, and want to read about!
What’s Not So Good: No real complaints, to my complete astonishment given the mini’s rocky start. This is the most solid chunk of story I feel like I’ve gotten from a Deadpool book in a while. My major fear is that it’s all going to be for naught, and wasted for the sake of a quick gag ending to the series. I sincerely hope I’m wrong about that.
Conclusion: The plot has greatly improved in both quality and focus, Swierczynksi is writing a great Deadpool, and Jason Pearson’s art is great fun to look at as well. The $3.99 price point still grates on me mightily though, enough to say give it a pass if you’re not a ‘Pool fan. If you do like the Merc, though, there are far worse ways to spend four bucks.
Grade: B-
-SoldierHawk
Filed under: Marvel Comics Tagged: | Comic Book Reviews, Deadpool, Deadpool: Wade Wilson's War, Deadpool: Wade Wilson's War #2, Deadpool: Wade Wilson's War #2 review, Duane Swierczynski, Jason Pearson, Paul Mounts, VC's Clayton Cowles, Weekly Comic Book Review, Weekly Comic Reviews
