I Heart Skull-Crusher #4 Review

 

Writer: Josie Campbell

Artist: Alessio Zonno

Colorist: Angel De Santiago

Letterer: Jim Campbell

Cover Artists: Alessio Zonno, Johanna The Mad & Frany

Publisher: Boom!

Price: $4.99

Release Date: June 19, 2024

 

Trini’s Podunk Lil’ Team beat the Bubble City Bullets and The Plague Town Masks. They've swept the competition, defeating the Neo Navada Nets, The Bombers, The Dead City Drills, The Forever-War Warriors (Joe Haldeman’s favorite team), and the Nightmare-Ville Mechs. How will they fare in the Finals of Queen Mob’s Screaming Pain Ball tournament? Let's get our heads in the game, leap into I Heart Skull-Crusher #4, and find out!

 

Story

Screaming Pain Ball is the national sport of the American Waste. Trini Wastelander fell in love with the game when she was six, and no one embodied SPB better than Skull-Crusher. Trini dreams of becoming a great SPB player and joining Skull-Crusher’s team, but her town gets overlooked by team scouts. So when Queen Mob announced that a national tournament would be open to amateurs, Trini knew this was her shot at the big time. She created the Podunk Lil' Team. Her love of the game and loyalty to her teammates have helped them reach the Finals. So they travel to Crater Town to face off against the remaining teams. But first, they must survive the Tyrants' Dinner.

 

Trini and Cutter Dan dress up and mix with the tyrants. Marcus, the former captain and forward striker of the Bubble City Bullets, attends with two of his mutant players. Marcus messes with Cutter Dan's head, suggesting Cutter Dan left the Bubble City Bullets when Marcus abandoned the field and forfeited the game. But Cutter Dan is more concerned about protecting Trini.

 

While other players happily live and let die, Trini reveres her national pastime and feels honored to be a participant. In I Heart Skull-Crusher #4, Josie Campbell grants Trini part of her dream, reveals more of Cutter Dan’s history, and explains why Coach Blood-Bone found solace in alcohol. Until now, Trini’s love for the game, her team, and Skull-Crusher have kept her going. What happens at the Tyrants’ Dinner shakes Trini's world and makes her question her actions and goals.

 

Don’t cry, Trini! Use your illusion to defeat them!

 

Art

Logos and teasers of the teams fill the first column of a diagonal elimination chart. Key scenes from recent fights spill across the opening pages. As Trini, Cutter Dan, and the twins push their broken-down Dakar Rally truck through jagged barren hills, the ankle-chained Coach Blood-Bone sunbathes on the roof, and David, the Anti-Mutant Bear-Man, pokes his head out a window, defiantly wearing his hat backward. They behold islands and a grassy tree-dotted peninsula bisecting a lake-filled crater. Then they walk down the brick streets of Crater Town as pennants flutter overhead between the tall buildings. A flying saucer hits the team with a spotlight and activates a cannon in I Heart Skull-Crusher #4.

 

Angel De Santiago keys limited palettes to Alessio Zonno’s settings and character interactions. Grays, browns, and yellow steep Crater Town and an elegant mansion, mutants drool green ooze, and closeups are grounded in vibrant red, pink, and orange. A redhead in a scarlet-stained white parka skates across a purple background as a penguin offers Trini a green cocktail.

 

Jim Campbell fills white dialogue balloons and colored narrative boxes with uppercase and lowercase lettering in eye-catching fonts. Team names are stylized and often mimic 3D. Sound effects help us hear a zeppelin fly overhead and release a payload with an almighty wham. Cheering fills the air as a shocking crash accompanies a soul-crushing realization in I Heart Skull-Crusher #4. Thanks to Boom! Studios for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

We learn why Queen Mob wanted Podunk Lil’ Team dead or alive (okay, mostly dead), Coach Blood-Bone tells disbelievers of David The Anti-Mutant Bear-Man to have a nice day, and Trini falls in and out of love in I Heart Skull-Crusher #4.

 

Rating 9/10

 

For more cover art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Destro #1 Review

 

Writer: Dan Watters

Artist: Andrei Bressan

Colorist: Adriano Lucas

Letterer: Rus Wooton

Cover Artists: Andrei Bressan & Adriano Lucas; Andrea Milana; Nikola Čižešija; Steve Epting; Jorge Fornés; Jonboy Meyers; David Mack; Jason Howard & Annalisa Leoni; Jason Howard; Freddie Williams; Tyler Kirkham; Camron Johnson; Sajah Shah; Jamie Sullivan

Publisher: Image

Price: $4.99

Release Date: June 19, 2024

 

A General announces that protestors have reached the gates. Surveying the tall stone walls that protect him from his subjects, the Prime Minister orders him to send soldiers to quell the insurgency. Can the protestors overthrow the Republic of Darklonia? Let’s strap on our armor, load our weapons, march into Destro #1, and find out!

 

Story

When the soldiers leave the safety of the outer walls, a Battle Android Trooper raises its weapons, and the protestors flee. The BAT shrugs off the soldiers’ bullets and continues firing. When the General tells the Prime Minister that android soldiers have breached their defenses, the PM realizes he should have fled.

 

Destro is the leader of his Scottish clan. His company, MARS (or Military Armament Research Syndicate), provides weapons to the international community. Recently, Cobra Commander gave Destro Energon to build weapons and war machines. Destro also used it to power his BATs. The new power source is a game-changer, and Destro knows he has a valuable ally in Cobra Commander. But Cobra Commander holds a monopoly on Energon and an irritating habit of believing that anything associated with Energon belongs to him. Destro is desperate to keep MARS the world’s premier weapons supplier. So, he attacks beleaguered Darklonia and installs his cousin Artyom Darklon as its ruler. But everyone knows who's in charge.

 

In Destro #1, Dan Watters portrays a leader isolated from Humanity. Everyone he deals with is looking for an edge, and Destro must constantly look over his shoulder to ensure no one attacks his business or undermines his leadership. His metal mask, a symbol of his heritage, further isolates him from Human contact. The only people he can look to for support and inspiration are the former lairds of his clan. So, as Napoleon Hill suggests in his iconic book Think And Grow Rich, Destro interacts with statues of his ancestors. Is he crazy or the sanest man alive? While time answers that question, Destro will find holding a fortress more difficult than taking it and learn that a home can also be a target.

 

 

 

Art

Like Wild West Outlaws, the protestors tie bandanas around their faces as they raise signs and blazing signal flares above their heads. The soldiers who walk through the thick wooden doors in the tall stone wall look like mercenaries, each wearing whatever suits his fancy. Despite its Cylon Centurion helmet and chest-mounted control panel, the Battle Android Trooper wears a uniform as it raises arm-mounted weapons. The wind blows smoke before him, and trees behind him frame the fleeing protestors. Light bursts from the soldiers' rifles and streaks toward the BAT, who fires back with one arm cannon, the other raised toward the sky. When the soldiers glance up, they see more BATs soaring through the clouds beneath helicopters.

 

Andrei Bressan spares a page to reveal the BATs flying the unfriendly skies above Darklonia and most of two more pages to show the crowds and armored vehicles outside the gates of Artyom Darklon's new home. But Bressan usually invokes awe in smaller panels, as Destro #1 transports readers to the Scottish Highlands and the jungle of Sierra Gordo, South America. Bressan introduces readers to the sunbathing beauty who runs Hybrid Technologies and two brutal brothers who are the mirror image of each other. Yet Destro commands the most attention, with the wide collar that evokes a venomous Cobra's hood and the metal mask that covers his head, but unlike that of Cobra Commander and King Louis’ imprisoned brother, reveals his every expression.

 

Adriano Lucas lavishes a loaded palette on Destro #1. Vivid landscapes soften for smoke and haze, and artificial lighting changes the colors of clothing and furnishings. Heightened colors portray the BATs’ perspective. Scenes awaken interest in the infinite diversity of nature and Humanity. Destro treks through snowy, windswept mountains painted in shades of blue, red, and white. When Destro stands on the purple rock dais and speaks with the brown statues in red alcoves, readers sense the abandoned castle’s majesty.

 

Rus Wooton ushers readers into Destro #1 with large uppercase black lettering in white dialogue balloons and narrative boxes. White and light-blue letters in dark-blue boxes list the merits of BATs and drones. Sound effects help readers hear volleys of gunfire and explosions devour tanks and ground. Thanks to Image Comics, Skybound Entertainment, and Hasbro for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

When Astoria Carlton-Ritz, the new CEO of Hybrid Technologies, visits Artyom Darklon’s weapons fair, she looks forward to resuming her life in Manhattan. But a freak accident in Darklonia may suggest a new business opportunity or a rare ability in Destro #1.

 

Rating 10/10

 

For more cover art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Amazing Spider-Man #52 Review

 

Writers: Zeb Wells

Pencilers: Ed McGuinness

Inker: Mark Farmer

Colorists: Marcio Menyz

Letterer: Joe Caramagna

Cover Artists: Ed McGuinness & Marcio Menyz; Adi Granov; Davi Go; Pablo Villalobos; Skottie Young

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $4.99

Release Date: June 19, 2024

 

The Hobgoblin's Winkler Device put Norman Osborn's sinful thoughts into Peter Parker's head. Now Norman orders his lawyer to transfer ownership of recent Oscorp acquisitions to Peter. What is Norman Osborn's grand design, and can anyone scuttle his evil plans? Let’s thwip into Amazing Spider-Man #52 and find out!

 

Story

Kraven tried to save Peter, but that didn’t work. So, Chasm decides to have a go. As Kraven flees, the experienced hunter fears they will fight to the death. A mysterious substance flows through Chasm's veins. It transformed Ben Reilly into Chasm. What might it do to Spider-Goblin in Amazing Spider-Man #52? Kamala Khan’s phone call to Norman Osborn didn’t go as planned. So, she returns to where she believes Peter’s recent troubles began. The last time she risked her life for Peter Parker, she lost it. But Peter is her friend, and she believes her former employer injured Peter when he appealed to Norman for help.

 

In Amazing Spider-Man #52, Zeb Wells recalls events thirty issues ago, although his story also harkens back to Ben’s Beyond Era and Dark Web. This time, Ben Reilly is on Peter’s side (mostly). Ms Marvel joins a team to combat the goblin menace. A hero many love to hate (or hate to love) will return. Spider-Goblin and Chasm clash across pages while a battle rages inside Peter Parker's mind. We all know how difficult it can be to control our thoughts. Could we focus on our tasks and helping others if we shared our thoughts with someone opposed to our existence? At times, Peter seems more interested in quipping than thwipping. He struggled to lead a team of heroes in the Gang War. Should his personality resurface, can Peter Parker retain control of his mind? Zeb Wells' ending will leave readers anticipating the fireworks erupting in comic shops after Independence Day.

 

 

Art

Kraven crouches, looking on as Spider-Goblin and Chasm have a stare-down and a crouch-off. The combatants spring toward each other as silhouettes, sharing a panel with Kraven's jaw falling open. Chasm and Spider-Goblin tangle across a double-page spread while Norman sits in his Green Goblin costume, surrounded by open laptop computers. He smiles as he holds the phone to his ear and props his legs on his desk, released from the morality that bound him. Then his face contorts, and he yells into the phone as Kamala Khan appears on his blue-streaked monitor. Ed McGuinness and Mark Farmer evoke the high-flying action of Sam Raimi's first Spider-Man movie as Chasm and Spider-Goblin tangle through the air, crash into brickwork and demolish architecture. Ms Marvel reaches out to punch someone’s grasping metal arm. Then she faces off against a Tin Man with a brain in Amazing Spider-Man #52.

 

 

 

Marcio Menyz lavishes a loaded palette of bold, eye-catching colors on Ed McGuinness and Mark Farmer's energetic and charismatic art. Green energy crackles around Chasm, while Norman's costume brings life and energy to Oscorp’s subdued grays and beiges. Where there is yellow smoke, there is orange fire as Spider-Goblin aims his glider at Chasm’s chest. The glider slams purple Chasm into brown brickwork, sending bricks flying amid a cloud of green. Ms Marvel's yellow, red, and blue costume shines in the evening as she steps through a hole in the wall and beholds gray machinery amid the shattered remains of brown wooden crates. The Walking Brain glows green as it casts a stream of green light. 

 

 

 

While the brainy Tin Man projects a forest of faces and documents, Joe Caramagna thwips uppercase black lettering into dialogue balloons and narrative boxes. The fonts grow bold for inflection, swell for increased volume, get italicized for machine-speak, and shrink for lowered voices. Chasm clocks Spider-Goblin’s face with a yellow-orange smash, Spider-Goblin carries Chasm into the wall with a giant red slam, and red-and-blue Spidey screams red letters diagonally across a panel in Amazing Spider-Man #52. Thanks to Marvel for providing a copy for review.

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

Kraven, Spider-Goblin, and Spider-Man all reach for a broken spear, while someone who destroyed most of its mind tries to save Peter Parker's broken brain in Amazing Spider-Man #52.

 

Rating 9.4/10

 

To preview interior art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Meet Ghezal Omar at SDCC

As a special bonus, here's a press release from San Diego Comic-Con

 PIMP KILLERS, BOUNTY HUNTERS AND POKER PLAYERS, OH MY! 

GHEZAL OMAR BRINGS UNSTOPPABLE FEMALE HEROES TO SAN DIEGO COMIC CON

We’re not in Kansas anymore. And Oz is a fantasy compared to the gritty, adrenaline-fueled worlds that creator and writer, Ghezal Omar, brings to life. Omar returns to San Diego Comic Con, bringing sequels to her fresh creations: Pimp Killer 2: Made in America and .357 Magnum Opus 2: The Golden Suicides.

Omar, the first Afghan-American graphic novelist, continues to push the boundaries of female representation in comics, thus redefining the female-driven action thriller genre. Her debut, .357 Magnum Opus, captivated audiences with its portrayal of a relentless bounty hunter gang.

This year, she’s revealed that each sequel follows a heart-wrenching tale of the bounty hunters, further delving into their complex, adrenaline-fueled journeys. Teaming up with writer, Kayden Phoenix, “.357 Magnum Opus 2: The Golden Suicides” promises to melt the hearts of fans with action and suspense, just like water on the Wicked Witch.

 

 

In "Pimp Killer 2: Made in America," Omar delves into the dark sides of police corruption and human trafficking, painting a gritty and unflinching portrait of these systemic issues. 

“She’s changing what it means to be a main character. She has always been fascinated by strong female leads, and now hopes to introduce others to their intricacies.” - Spectrum News 1 

“I wanted to create a woman who doesn't care if she's going to fight she's going to get her hands dirty. She's going to do all the things that these male powerful male superheroes do." - ABC 10News

 

 

Omar’s works are not just entertainment; they are a powerful statement on female empowerment and resilience. By creating compelling female protagonists who defy stereotypes, Omar’s graphic novels inspire readers to challenge societal norms and embrace their own strength. Her contributions are crucial in an industry that still grapples with gender representation issues, making her a much-needed voice in the comic world.

Follow the yellow brick road to San Diego Comic Con, Artist Alley (FF-10).

 

 

ArtilleryNetwork.com
Instagram: @357MagnumOpus

 

Miles Morales: Spider-Man #21 Review

 

Writer: Cody Ziglar

Artist: Brent Peeples & Daniel Picciotto

Colorist: Bryan Valenza

Letterer: Cory Petit

Cover Artists: Federico Vicentini & Matt Milla; Skottie Young

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $3.99

Release Date: June 12, 2024

 

Miles is no stranger to trauma. He has leaned on his ladylove Tiana, taken up journalling, and sought counseling. Yet he’s also survived repeated attacks from Rabble and the Cape Killers, rejoiced in Kamala Khan's return, and brought his clone brother Shift into the Morales family. How will Miles react to a role model's betrayal? Is he strong enough to shrug it off and fight the vampires attacking New York City? Let's grab our venom-sabers, leap into Miles Morales: Spider-Man #21, and find out!

 

Story

Blade and the Structure have launched a massive attack on our world. The Daywalker introduced Miles to the legions of the undead, while Dracula sought to protect Brielle (Bloodline) from her father. But no one likes the bearer of bad news. When Dracula tells Brielle what her dad's been up to, she runs away. After the superhero community helps him escape Blade's control in Blood Hunt #3, Miles follows Brielle to help her cope. But Brielle wants alone time, and Miles wants to protect his family and neighbors, so he thwips off to Brooklyn.

 

Miles counts Misty Knight as his mentor and her partner Colleen Wing as his sword master. Blade is another role model. In Miles Morales: Spider-Man #21, Miles relives their last conversation before Blade bit him. Blade's plan is abhorrent to Miles. Worse, his role model violated his trust. As with other forms of harassment and abuse, Blade's act was all about power. "I made you, which means I control you," he tells Miles. The superhero community granted Miles a reprieve but not a return to Humanity. Weakened and reeling, Miles receives help from a longtime foe.

 

Hightail was already his enemy when Miles fought vampires alongside Blade and Bloodline. R’ym’r's conversion poured fuel on Hightail's ire. Like Miles, the speedster escaped the vampire's dominance. Still, her connection to R’ym’r remains. With their world cast in perpetual twilight, Miles and Hightail join forces in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #21. Part of Miles’ appeal is how he respects those who don’t necessarily deserve it, including former foes like Hightail. But it's also interesting how Blade's actions ripple through the undead community, awakening allies and foes alike. Blade has made all the living his enemies. Yet many undead are not his friends. As for Miles, when Blood Hunt is over, he’ll have plenty to write about in his vampire diaries.

 

 

Art

Power surges around Dracula as if increasing the density of the air. Burning fires fill the air with plumes of smoke. The Darkforce energy obliterating the sun hangs in the air and suffuses rooftops. Brent Peeples & Daniel Picciotto fill the streets with lethal vampires, once again terrorizing New Yorkers after the Gang War's end. A mother clutches her child to her chest in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #21. Tears stream down her face as vampires chase her. Miles leaps through a full-page panel to kick a vampire's head. As Miles wades into the scrum, claws slash through his mask. Miles can drive her undead pursuers away with blows and venom blasts. But unlike Mr Spock, his exposed pointed ear hastens her flight.

 

As Miles tumbles off a rooftop water tower in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #21, Miles remembers spearing a vampire atop another roof. The yellow energy arcs and branches amid gray smoke. Orange backgrounds reveal the venom-blasts' intensity. Bryan Valenza makes Hightail shine in her reflective lemon-lime metallic suit. The glowing white lines adorning her shoulders, torso, and thighs suggest a recent escape from ENCOM's Tron program. Yet the shadow of red-eyed R’ym’r hovers above her, surrounded by orange light and black crosshatching.

 

Cory Petit thwips the black uppercase letters into white dialogue balloons and white letters into color narrative boxes. A blue siren wails over the vampire-filled streets as New York burns, while a red Thwack connects with a vampire that evokes a notorious gangster. Immense transparent letters, outlined in white, welcome the return of another powerful enemy to our planet. Thanks to Marvel for providing a copy for review.

 

 

Final Thoughts

Haunted by his role model's betrayal and reeling from barely controlled vampirism, Miles and his fastest frenemy seek out an occult ceremony in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #21.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

To preview interior art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Amazing Spider-Man: Blood Hunt #2 Review

 

Writer: Justina Ireland

Pencilers: Marcelo Ferreira & Chris Campana

Inkers: Roberto Poggi, Sean Parsons & Craig Yeung

Colorist: Rachelle Rosenberg

Letterer: Cory Petit

Cover Artists: Marcelo Ferreira, Roberto Poggi & Rachelle Rosenberg

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $3.99

Release Date: June 12, 2024

 

Peter Parker teamed with the Lizard and Misty Knight to rescue her partner Colleen Wing and Dr. Michael Morbius. The Lizard led Spider-Man and Misty to an abandoned church with an underground lair. But when vampires swarmed the fake church, the terrific trio sought refuge at a church guarded by troops armed with holy water weaponry. Can Spider-Man, Misty, and Lizard rescue Colleen and Dr Mike? Does Dr Mike have a cure for vampirism? And why do vampires seem drawn to the Lizard? Let’s grab some garlic, thwip into Amazing Spider-Man: Blood Hunt #2, and find out!

 

Story

TJ once worked for the Beyond Corporation. Now, he is Theocritis, the vampire CEO of Hemoglobin Inc. Theocritis is developing three vampire-related products for the market. One of them is Cure, which curbs a vampire’s bloodlust. Theocritis used Dr Morbius' blood to engineer Cure. Dr Morbius has spent years seeking a way to go from Living Vampire to Human. Hemoglobin Inc. hasn't found the solution, but they've achieved promising results. Dr Morbius agrees to peruse their research and see if he can help Theocritis. Although he plays it cool, Dr Morbius has a good reason to help out Theocritis in Amazing Spider-Man: Blood Hunt #2. The vampire CEO imprisoned Dr Morbius’ friend, Colleen Wing. The private eye can shrug off a pair of handcuffs, but Colleen will need more than a hairpin to escape the vampire compound.

 

While others largely yanked Peter’s strands until now, he plays detective as effectively as Colleen or her partner Misty in Amazing Spider-Man: Blood Hunt #2. He doesn’t benefit from Theocritis’ briefing, but Spider-Man intuits the Lizard's vampiric appeal. That victory comes with a cost. Still, it enhances Spider-Man's understanding of the web in which Misty and the Lizard ensnared him. Theocritis founded his company on Beyond Corporation’s proprietary technology. Maxine Danger insists that anything Theocritis develops belongs to her. Spider-Man plays it cool and doesn’t give away that he discovered Misty and Colleen were working with Maxine Danger.

 

Justina Ireland doesn’t clarify Theocritis’ connection with Blade and The Structure. Still, a vampire invasion provides the perfect cover for Theocritis to ramp up his vampiric business operations. Theocritis is on a rapid journey from office flunky to CEO, but he's still a fanboy. The way he manipulates an employee suggests his goals are less than noble. Still, at least Theocritis' efforts address a social ill that most elected officials would rather ignore than tackle.

 

 

 

 

Art

Justina Ireland’s story is so spectacular that it takes an army of artists to bring it to life in Amazing Spider-Man: Blood Hunt #2. Marcelo Ferreira, Chris Campana, Roberto Poggi, Sean Parsons & Craig Yeung convey the impressive laboratory of Hemoglobin Inc. Colleen peers out through the glass panel of her sanitized pen. Her expression and the bite marks on her neck suggest she's no longer in a hitting-and-quipping mood. High-speed camera shots reveal Spider-Man's acrobatics in the park, but the Lizard's ground-shaking landing disperses the undead. Maxine Danger may have escaped jail, but the prim and stylish CEO opts for attire and a new corporate vehicle taken from Wez’s gang in The Road Warrior.

 

Rachelle Rosenberg conveys the cleanroom environment of Theocritis' biotech startup. He may wear a suit, but his all-red ensemble suggests his likely future residence, provided Maxine doesn't get to him first. The skies of New York take on attractive pinks, purples, and oranges. The lamp posts and the glowing headlights of Misty’s motorcycle illuminate the yellow-green ground fog that hovers over the park. Rosenberg also enlivens silhouettes with purple highlights, completing the eerie atmosphere in Amazing Spider-Man: Blood Hunt #2. Amid all the gray, bloodless vampires, Misty Knight's red outfit, enlivened with reflective black leather and her golden arm, seems the perfect foil for pink-haired Maxine's Punk sensibilities.

 

Cory Petit thwips large black uppercase lettering into white dialogue balloons and white narrative boxes with red borders. Spider-Man’s thwips and the Lizard's roaring complete this story of corporate warfare and the toll it takes on everyone when CEOs value profits over people. Thanks to Marvel for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

After his recent battles with Ben Reilly, Peter Parker finally meets the woman who stole his clone’s memories. While Miles Morales’ mentor agrees to meet Peter halfway, her partner is in danger of joining the undead in Amazing Spider-Man: Blood Hunt #2. But is a manufactured vampire the equal of a natural-born bloodsucker?

 

Rating 9.4/10

 

To preview interior art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Deadpool #3 Review

 

Writer: Cody Ziglar

Artist: Rogê Antônio

Colorist: Guru-eFX

Letterer: Joe Sabino

Cover Artists: Taurin Clarke; Greg & Tim Hildebrandt; Rob Liefeld; Matthew Waite

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $3.99

Release Date: June 12, 2024

 

The Touch is a mystic cult of Kung Fu psychos obsessed with death. Their leader, Death Grip, gets a high from killing. So he sets his sights on a seemingly impossible target, the ever-lovin-and-regenerating Deadpool. How does Death Grip plan to kill the Merc With A Mouth? Let's leap into Deadpool #3 and find out!

 

Story

Deadpool thought he had scored an easy gig. He would hang out at Streaming Con, guard his client Derek, and sell a few signed headshots to help pay Taskmaster’s field tax. Instead, Crossbones blasts into the meeting hall, and unlike Deadpool, he’s shooting off more than his mouth. Crossbones gets Deadpool dead to rights, but no one counts on Ellie crashing the party.

 

Deadpool thought he’d stashed his daughter safely away in Arizona. But Ellie is determined to be his Pain In The Ass daughter. She spliced her foster mother’s SHIELD LMD hand with the cellphone Deadpool gave her and built a teleporter. His daughter distracts Crossbones, but Taskmaster, Princess, and Deadpool must now act to protect Ellie from Death Grip’s agent.

 

 

 

In Deadpool #3, Death Grip’s rival has something he wants. When Solem learns Death Grip's target, he gives the Muramasa Blade away with his blessing. Muramasa was a master swordsmith of feudal Japan who imbued his swords with magic. Death Grip won’t be bothered if Crossbones fails. Killing Deadpool would be the ultimate rush!

 

Despite Ellie's desire to learn what makes her dad tick, she presents Deadpool with a dilemma. She knows he is a mercenary, but he doesn't want her to watch him kill people. But sending Ellie back to Terry and Emily's home would accomplish nothing. Ellie would watch more New Toobe videos and find another way to return. Whether Deadpool likes it or not, he’s stuck with his daughter.

 

In Deadpool #3, the mirthful Merc realizes he must look over both of his daughters, even if they have a healing factor. Reeling from losing Valentine, Deadpool realizes he can't bury his longings in work. While Cody Ziglar packs his story with action, mysticism, and laughs, it’s all about family, friendship, and acceptance of others, regardless of their appearance or what they can do for you. 

 

 

 

Art

Rogê Antônio conveys the heat of battle as The Touch storm Solem’s palace. Bullets fly, feet kick, and a blast from Death Grip's hands reduces an opponent to a smoking skeleton. Death Grip covers his face with cloth and symbols and conjures a blue blast with his wrapped hands. The way the mask hangs over Death Grip’s nose and mouth evokes Davy Jones playing his organ aboard the Flying Dutchman. Crossbones’ assault on Streaming Con is equally explosive. Crossbones wields weapons with Arnold Schwarzenegger’s muscles, including a rifle evoking Jesse Ventura’s in Predator. Deadpool reacts to Crossbones’ intrusion on his firm’s first assignment with a half-page of stabby panels. Crossbones and Deadpool hurtle toward the ceiling in a vertical half-page. But Ellie's appearance stipples Crossbones with white and bathes him in blue and purple energy.

 

Guru-eFX lavishes a loaded palette of appealing colors on Rogê Antônio's art in Deadpool #3. Taskmaster's blue-and-gold shield looks good beside Princess' red fur and Derek's purple jacket, while Crossbones' explosives fill the meeting hall with glowing yellow smoke. Blue and purple rule The Touch's compound, while the gleaming red Muramasa Blade fills Death Grip's eyes with white light. All the trash and stains in Deadpool's gray and green corporate headquarters suggest where he should spend Derek's check. But the streak of light blue that crosses the rubble-filled storage closet shows what Deadpool values most.

 

Joe Sabino skewers dialogue balloons with black uppercase lettering in Deadpool #3. The Merc With A Mouth always speaks in yellow fields, while his canine daughter speaks white words into red balloons. The font size makes for easy reading, while the sound effects enliven battles, help us hear Death Grip's power, and remind us that even a child can wield surprise as an effective weapon. Thanks to Marvel for providing a copy for review.

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

While Taskmaster adds expenses to his invoice, he protects Ellie, finds a connection between the girl and himself, and agrees to avenge Deadpool if The Touch silences the Merc With A Mouth. What strange magic does Deadpool's Human daughter wield in Deadpool #3?

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

To preview interior art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch. 

 

 

Deadpool & Wolverine WWIII #2 Review

 

Writer: Joe Kelly

Artist: Adam Kubert

Colorist: Frank Martin

Letterer: Joe Sabino

Cover Artists: Adam Kubert & Frank Martin; Jan Bazaldua & Edgar Delgado; Salvador Larroca & GURU-eFX

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $4.99

Release Date: June 12, 2024

 

Someone monkeyed with a man and created Wither. Wolverine wants to know who gave him superpowers that propelled him on an insane murder spree. Wolverine thinks Deadpool knows. But Deadpool’s left town. Wolverine tracks his frenemy to Russia, where he discovers that Deadpool isn’t himself anymore. He’s let the monsters who created Wither experiment on him. Can Wolverine cure Deadpool of his madness? Or will Deadpool forever be known as Wade Wilson The 3rd? Let’s extend our claws, leap into Deadpool & Wolverine WWIII #2, and find out!

 

Story

Wade has money. His abilities and antics grant him notoriety. His body heals injuries but can’t cure his cancer-ridden appearance. His looks drive people away. The way he draws solace in diversion, ditto. A man named Delta asks, “What if I could help you achieve your potential?” Wade agrees, but he fears change. So, he left “the world’s crappiest trail of breadcrumbs” for Wolverine to follow. Wolverine’s intrusion interrupts Delta’s experiment. So Delta asks Greta to teleport Deadpool (or WWIII) and Wolverine into the wilderness and transforms a sprint into a marathon. Like Queen Victoria, Delta's investors are not amused.

 

In Deadpool & Wolverine WWIII #2, Deadpool wasn't happy, but neither was Wolverine. Perhaps neither man can find fulfillment, given the lives they lead. But Wolverine finds purpose as he tends to WWIII. His selfless sacrifice demonstrates the difference between the two men. Wade tried to buy a meaningful life. But some things can't be given or purchased. Joe Kelly's punishing story puts science in the crosshairs. It asks questions. Can man improve on nature? Are we happiest when we work at our maximum potential? Or are we happiest when we can sit quietly and be one with nature and those around us? It's a divide as wide as the gulf between the Blue Wave and MAGA, and the story tackles presumptions associated with social and economic status.

 

Ultimately, Deadpool & Wolverine WWIII #2 is a tragedy. Science tried to give both men a new lease on life. Yet all it did was forge effective killing machines. There's a term associated with doing the same thing again and expecting different results. And that word is not sanity. But then, Delta’s earlier experiment produced Wither.

 

 

 

Art

Like Deadpool, Adam Kubert seeks a change in orientation. So Kubert turns the pages sideways to force readers to adapt or die. Or he works across two pages, taking readers on wide-screen narrative journeys. Drones follow this experiment, even when the participants travel from Delta's compound to a land far, far away. Spectators watch the gladiators fight and endure the elements as silhouettes standing before a Drive-In Movie Screen, not the comparatively diminutive high-def replacements in your local multiplex viewing room. Greta stands apart from the onlookers with her punk attire, green hair, and tattooed skin. Her black lips are small and delicate, even when covered with a burst bubble of gum. But when she opens her mouth, it hinges wide like a snake’s in Deadpool & Wolverine WWIII #2.

 

Frank Martin demonstrates Greta’s power as disembodied pink lips that dwarf characters. Like Delta's affluent patrons, she eats people and spits them out. Pink and purple dominate pages as the colors portray the new power surging through Wade Wilson The 3^rd. The colors form smoke, rays of light, or tiny rectangles that hover around regenerating limbs. But the rectangles swarming around Delta are as fascinating as his purple veins. Is Delta a construct in Deadpool & Wolverine WWIII #2? Can he even know himself if he's addicted to constantly changing circumstances?

 

Joe Sabino casts Weapon X-worthy lowercase black letters into white and colored balloons and boxes. Sound effects help us hear Greta’s teleportation and heighten fight scenes. Yet the red letters that accompany coughing pull on the heartstrings. Thanks to Marvel for providing a copy for review.

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

Delta entertains wealthy clients by experimenting on unhappy people. Like Doctor Moreau, he seeks to improve on the base model. But what will shape Wade Wilson's destiny more in Deadpool & Wolverine WWIII #2? Wolverine’s pity or the impatience of Delta’s clients?

 

Rating 8.6/10

 

To preview interior art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.