Marvel Zombies: Red Band #2 Review

 

Writers: Ethan S Parker & Griffin Sheridan

Artist: Jan Bazaldua

Colorist: Erick Arciniega

Letterer: Travis Lanham

Cover Artists: Greg Land & Rachelle Rosenberg; Scott Koblish & Val Staples; Scott Hepburn & Yen Nítro; Adam Warren & Lee Duhíg

Design: Sarah Spadaccini

Editors: Emerald Bensadoun, Jordan D White & EB Cebulski

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Price: $4.99

Release Date: October 22, 2025

 

Peter Parker anticipated making his spectacular debut on the Ed Sullivan show. Instead, he suffered a panic attack when zombies invaded a hospital. The Frightful Four created the zombies when they returned from space in their stolen NASA rocket. Iron Man, snooping on the Teen Brigade's radio frequency, heard Rick Jones hail Hulk. While Donald Blake will never tap his cane again, Daredevil wonders if zombies can reclaim their Humanity.

 

The only one who can deter the zombies is Hulk. He alone has confronted the walking dead before. Can Hulk, Spider-Man, and the newly christened Defenders defeat the zombie horde? Or will TVA agents erase everyone from existence to preserve the sacred timeline? Let's thwip into Marvel Zombies: Red Band #2 and see.

 

Story

Jean Grey never belonged anywhere until she joined Professor Xavier's school for mutants. Despite his assurances, Jean worried about destroying his school and killing her fellow students while she dreamed. Like any anxious soul spending their first night in a new place, Jean's fears conjured a nightmare. But when Scott attacked her, and she had to kill him in self-defense, Jean realized that his attack was no dream.

 

As Marvel Zombies: Red Band #2 introduces Jean Grey and Jessica Jones, it also looks in on Peter Parker. Jean and Jessica fight a losing battle to save people from the undead. Yet, the dwindling survivors hail Spider-Man for delivering them from the zombies. Even though society has fallen, and he no longer has a family to protect, Peter shies away from revealing his identity. Still, he becomes a leader to Jean Grey and Jessica Jones.

 

 

 

Most Humans who become zombies swiftly lose their self-awareness. Reed Richards clings to his sanity in Ethan S Parker and Griffin Sheridan’s story. Mr Frightful knows he has changed. Still, he yearns to share what he learned in space with the brightest minds on Earth. Instead, Reed Richards must fight to prevent the ever-growing horde of the undead from turning on each other.

 

Like many of New York’s heroes and villains, Reed Richards falls into another being's trap in Marvel Zombies: Red Band #2. Now, on a patchwork planet, the man who loves science leads his undead warriors against Earth's mightiest heroes. Reed knows he doesn't have much time left. He may not survive Battleworld. But if he wins, the Beyonder has promised to reward the victors with anything they desire. Perhaps, the Beyonder can even help the Frightful Four regain their Humanity and turn their cursed voyage into a blessing for Earth.

 

 

 

Art

Lights glow in Professor Xavier's mansion as he clasps Jean’s arm and assures his new student that she is safe in his care. But when Jean awakens, her bed has moved to a mutant Deadite cemetery. After the pristine architecture of Xavier’s mansion, Jean wavers between mercy and vengeance among the backstreets and alleys of New York City. Yet she walks through blood and body parts, just as she did when she left Xavier’s school for mutants.

 

While Erick Arciniega lavishes a loaded palette on Marvel Zombies: Red Band #2, Jean’s red hair binds her to Spider-Man’s suit. As she accepts Jessica Jones’ friendship, Jessica’s purple hair links her with the zombies. Yet when they trade the red sky above the glowing yellow and orange buildings for another’s domain, Jessica’s purple hair links her with the planet-filled sky above Battleworld. Jan Bazaldua portrays the fighting on a two-page arcing layout, with the final panel evoking Michelangelo's The Creation of Adam. 

 

 

 

Travis Lanham fills white dialogue balloons with black uppercase letters that grow bold for intonation, swell for intonation, and shrink for lowered voices. Zombies argue with larger dialogue in cloudy balloons. The narrator speaks into torn yellow boxes. Iron Man’s words fill yellow hexagons with red borders. Sound effects help readers hear the zombies tear through the ground, shriek, and feed. Yet whatever happens, Jean Grey seems destined to hear undead jaws snapping for her throat every time she closes her eyes. Thanks to Marvel Comics for providing a review copy.

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

As Humanity’s numbers dwindle, a portal appears in Central Park. Those who enter find themselves on Planet Undead Hulk. Avengers battle Frightful Enforcers for the ultimate prize. But while most of the “heroes” fight to reclaim the past, one pursues a lifelong goal in Marvel Zombies: Red Band #2.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

To look inside see my review at Comic Book Dispatch. 

Marvel Zombies: Red Band #1 Review

 

Writers: Ethan S Parker & Griffin Sheridan

Artist: Jan Bazaldua

Colorist: Erick Arciniega

Letterer: Travis Lanham

Cover Artists: Greg Land & Rachelle Rosenberg; Scott Koblish & Val Staples; Clayton Crain; Ryan Brown; Juan Shavrin; Ryan Meinerding, Amelia Vidal & Sung Choi

Design: Sarah Spadaccini

Editors: Emerald Bensadoun, Jordan D White & EB Cebulski

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Price: $4.99

Release Date: September 17, 2025

 

Aunt May worries about her nephew. He's an impressionable young man, and the TV shows such dreadful things these days. Uncle Ben also frets about how TV will hurt his young nephew. But Peter Parker can't help it. He wants to see the return of Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Jonathan Storm, and Benjamin Grimm. And there's another TV show he's not sure he wants his aunt and uncle to see. How will pop culture's penchant for sensationalism transform Peter? Let's thwip into Marvel Zombies: Red Band #1 and see.

 

Story

While Uncle Ben and Aunt May want to shelter their nephew from the world, Peter yearns to be a part of it. He's already taken steps to become someone noteworthy. But while he has garnered notoriety, someone else has grabbed the spotlight. Four people have stolen a NASA spaceship and launched it into space. Mission Control communicated with the rocket for a while. But as it returns to Earth, the astronauts’ status is a mystery in Marvel Zombies: Red Band #1.

 

Ethan S Parker & Griffin Sheridan’s story returns readers to the origins of the modern Marvel universe. It honors the evolving relationships between heroes like the Fantastic Four, Spider-Man, Daredevil, and their friends and families. But while Peter Parker dreams of attaining popularity and wealth, the Fantastic Four are thieves.

 

 

 

 

 

Marvel Zombies: Red Band #1 reminds us that it's vital to do things for the right reasons. Reed Richards may be brilliant. But his interests outweigh those of others. The Fantastic Four recognize they have changed. Still, they have attained power by breaking the rules and defying the system. And that will cause a lot of people a lot of pain, as the Fantastic Four raise a zombie army to overtake the world.

 

 

 

 

Art

Glowing windows defy the darkness descending on the Parker home as Peter, May, and Ben gather to watch TV together. After the Spider-Mask covers half his face, Peter rises to obscure the TV set and a framed print of Vincent Van Gogh’s “The Starry Night.” But Peter makes way when a broadcaster appears before the NASA logo. The Parker family watches as technicians in blue overalls work on equipment, while armed men in black uniforms and armor await the VTOL rocket’s return. 

 

 

 

 

As Jan Bazaldua fills Marvel Zombies: Red Band #1 with art that harkens back to an earlier era, Erick Arciniega imbues it with all the vibrance, nuance, and texture of modern coloring. Iron Man gleams in his golden armor, while Hulk radiates green. Joined by black, silver, and gold Thor in his red cape, the trio shines amid the glowing yellow buildings. Daredevil shows he belongs with the heroes when he arrives in black, red, and gold. But they must face off against the Frightful Four. Reed and Sue’s blue suits link them together, while Johnny’s flaming skin and Ben’s orange hide likewise bind the friends. All four demonstrate the decay afflicting them, as red fills areas formerly covered by skin.

 

 

 

 

 

Travis Lanham fills white dialogue balloons with black uppercase letters that grow bold for intonation. Yells enlarge words until they threaten to burst balloons, while zombies’ utterances fill cloudy balloons. The narrator speaks into yellow narrative boxes and often enlarges and colors the first letter of a sentence. Iron Man’s words fill yellow hexagons with red borders. Sound effects help readers feel the urgency of the rampaging horde. They also enhance the electrifying action as heroes and villains chart a course that will profoundly affect their world. Thanks to Marvel Comics for providing a review copy.

 

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

It's not just life-changing events that empower us. It's also what we do each day that determines if we are heroes or villains. Fueled by humorous dialogue and an insatiable hunger for Human flesh, Marvel Zombies #1 revisits the origins of the Marvel Universe and asks, "What if the Fantastic Four were villains?"

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

To look inside see my review at Comic Book Dispatch. 

Black Cat #2 Review

 

Writer: G Willow Wilson

Artist: Gleb Melnikov

Colorist: Brian Reber

Letterer: Joe Caramagna

Cover Artists: Adam Hughes; Alex Ross; Greg Land & Frank D’Armata; Paco Medina & Jesus Aburtov

Designer: Stacie Zucker

Editors: Tom Groneman, Nick Lowe & CB Cebulski

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Price: $4.99

Release Date: September 24, 2025

 

A master thief's life may appear glamorous, but pulling off challenging heists requires preparation. Especially while maintaining a reputation as New York's most beautiful thief. And what does Felicia have at the end of the day? An apartment filled with materialistic treasures, and no one to enjoy them with? Even Peter Parker doesn’t seem to think she’s worth his time anymore.

 

So, Felicia Hardy is changing her approach to life. How will her first attempt at heroism go? And will she read about the Lizard’s research in Scientific American? Let’s put on our catsuits, leap into Black Cat #2, and see!

 

Story

Black Cat maintains her fitness with grueling workouts at Glutes Gym. But her guy in the chair interrupts a training session that violates the Geneva Conventions on Torture. Boris informs her that two young guns from the Manfredi crime family are striking out on their own. So, Felicia breaks off her personal training session with Peach to tackle her first case.

 

After breaking the fourth wall to clarify matters for the reader in the first issue, Black Cat tackles a Lovejoy-style mystery. While Starchy & Cloth wash clothes and money in Spider-Girl, the Manfredi boys move antiques to clean money for immortals in Black Cat #2. New York hasn't forgiven the vampire world for their Blood Hunt. So, the undead moving their criminal operations to Black Cat's city adds a sinister undertone to the Manfredi boys' seemingly innocuous side hustle. 

 

Pursuing lightbulb moments entails trial and error before finding your path. Boris raises his concerns about venturing into unfamiliar territory in Black Cat #2. Gio and Leo also point out that, after coexisting peacefully with them in the past, Black Cat is changing the rules all of them live by. Felicia Hardy has a lot to sort out if she wishes to join the ranks of New York's costumed heroes. But after losing interest in her sparkly criminal endeavors, Black Cat enjoys playing the hero in G Willow Wilson’s story. 

 

 

 

Art

Gleb Melnikov portrays Felicia with full lips and defined muscles as she sweats and strains in Glutes Gym. When she dons her mask, the large circles of skin around her eyes suggest fashionable shades accompanying her salon-styled hair. By comparison, creases mar Boris's forehead, and the light catches his stark cheekbones. He shows a disinterest in fashion and keeps food nearby as he sits at his computer. Of the Manfredi boys, Gio watches his workers like a hawk and lowers his shades on his nose to count his money. Heavyset Leo seems impatient and nervous while rocking a John Travolta vibe.

 

As Brian Reber lavishes a loaded palette of bright and cheery colors on Black Cat #2, red dominates Felicia's new approach to life. Brickwork adorns her gym and the building where the Manfredi boys store their antiques. Red also dominates interiors, from the large GLUTES letters in the gym to the wallpaper adorning the stash house. And then there is the red interior of a gilt scrollwork egg that the Manfredi boys are moving.

 

Black Cat perches beside the ornamental egg as she picks up a gold pocket watch. Then she leans against a reddish-brown grandfather clock and tells Gio and Leo that time has run out on their side hustle. The emphasis on red reminds readers who the Manfredi boys are working for (and why their choice of a side hustle sucks).

 

Joe Caramagna fills white dialogue balloons with black uppercase text and shares Felicia’s thoughts with white uppercase letters in black narrative boxes. The letters grow bold for intonation, swell for raised voices, and shrink for lowered voices. Sound effects scamper across the pages, helping us hear an international accords-infringing workout, shifting sands, and screeching fill the night. Thanks to Marvel for providing a review copy. 

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

Tombstone regards Spider-Man as a hero he can manipulate. When Spider-Man starts playing from a different rulebook, his civilian counterpart, Peter Parker, also shrugs off Lonnie Lincoln’s influence. So, as Black Cat alters her approach to life, Tombstone wonders how he can use her to control Spider-Man in Black Cat #2.

 

Rating 9.2/10

 

To look inside see my review at Comic Book Dispatch. 

Sonja Reborn #1 Review

 

Writer: Christopher Priest

Artist: Alessandro Miracolo

Colorist: Giovanni Caputo

Letterer: Taylor Esposito

Editor: Matt Idelson

Cover Artists: Stjepan Sejic, Joshua Middleton, Chad Hardin, Greg Land, Cosplay (Ani-Mia) & Blank

Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment

Price: $4.99

Release Date: August 27, 2025

 

Margaret Sutherland hungers for revenge. She fell in love with a man, only to have another woman steal him. It’s a familiar tale, and as the saying goes, there are more fish in the sea. But the facts don’t matter to Margaret. All she feels is the aching loss from Justin’s departure. So she uses her connections and crosses the Atlantic. Will a routine traffic stop in New York City prevent her from killing the woman who took Justin away from her? And how does Margaret’s plight relate to Red Sonja? Let's grab our swords, leap into Sonja Reborn #1, and see!

 

Story

Margaret inhabited a world of wealth and privilege. Yet none of that made her happy. Justin brought a ray of sunshine into her empty life and gave it meaning. Working for the Duchy of Lancaster meant the rules governing everyday life in Britain didn't apply to Margaret. Securing a gun and emulating pop culture icons seemed like an easy solution.

 

In New York City, Margaret gets a rude awakening. The police officer acts on his experience and pulls her over. But he is more interested in flaunting his importance than in why Margaret is in this neighborhood so early in the morning. Thus, he doesn't intuit her intentions and follow her into the subway tunnel. 

 

Christopher Priest tells Sonja Reborn #1 from Margaret’s perspective. When danger threatens, she compares her dilemma to classic stories. Unlike in Amy Chu’s series, where Red Sonja travels to New York City, Christopher Priest transports Margaret to the Hyborian world. Like John Carter, Margaret finds navigating her new surroundings a challenge. Her world might have descended into a nightmare in Justin's absence. But everything in Margaret's altered existence is unfamiliar, appalling, and threatening.

 

Still, Margaret senses that a part of her belongs in this strange land. If Margaret can channel that aspect of herself, perhaps she can find a way to survive. But first, Margaret must embrace who she has become. In Sonja Reborn #1, Margaret's soul inhabits the body of the Hyrkanian She-Devil With A Sword.

 

Art

The emergency lights atop his cruiser alternate between painting the officer red and blue. Red and blue also illuminate figures who crouch in darkness. Yellow dominates a treasured memory of Justin. Margaret wears a yellow shirt and gold jewelry. Giovanni Caputo's light pink and blue butterflies represent Margaret's hopes for the future. The yellow field they visit finds a companion later in Sonja Reborn #1, when two other beings meet to share their concerns. One shines with a radiant palette, while the other prefers black and white.

 

Alessandro Miracolo signals Margaret's determination from the first page. She doesn't bother to face the cop as he writes her up. Instead, Margaret clutches the steering wheel, tilts her head down, and fixes her smoldering gaze straight ahead. The visor of the officer's cap casts a mask-like shadow over his eyes, reducing them to white slits as he smiles down at her. With his black hat and jacket, the shadow-mask suggests he sees himself as a hero of the night. But he doesn’t halt her evildoing for long.

 

When she arrives on a dusty slope, Margaret tumbles when she pulls the gold hilt of her long sword from its scabbard. But it's not long before flame-haired Margaret rises again in her silver armor and brown gloves, boots, and cape. As black smoke rises in the distance, Margaret approaches a mounted stranger. Instead of regarding him as he answers her questions, “Margaret” leans toward the horse’s nostrils, as if expressing dominance.

 

As Margaret pursues her quarry, Taylor Esposito fills white dialogue balloons with black uppercase text. Margaret’s thoughts, observations, and reactions during her journey appear as white letters in red narrative boxes. Like her jewelry, translations of British terms appear in yellow-gold boxes, and most of her sound effects are yellow. Yet while sound effects and enlarged dialogue are color-coded to characters and emotions, white letters in black balloons signal a threat to Margaret's future in Sonja Reborn #1. Thanks to Dynamite Entertainment for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

When Margaret Sutherland plunges into the Hyborian world, she unwittingly becomes a pawn in a battle between cosmic forces. While one embraces reason, all the other knows is the pain of losing a loved one. Christopher Priest reshapes Cimmerian history and challenges Red Sonja's traditional orientation to men in Sonja Reborn #1.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

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

Birds Of Prey #25 Preview

 

When people work well together, others often rally to the cause. Over time, the Birds of Prey organization has grown. Some members may not see themselves as heroes. Yet they fight together for the good of all. Still, every win against The Shadow Army seems to come with a loss. Can the Birds Of Prey stick together despite whatever the future throws at them? Or will Barda bankrupt them with her noodle consumption?

Here's all the info from DC Connect: 

Birds Of Prey #25

Writer: Kelly Thompson

Artists: Cliff Richards & Sami Basri

Cover Artists: Annie Wu, Leonardo Romero, Greg Land & Gerald Parel

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $3.99/$4.99 Cardstock/$6.99 Foil

Length: 32 Pages

Release Date: September 3, 2025

 

Special Oversize Issue!

 

The Birds of Prey took the fight to The Shadow Army and won—but that was merely The Shadow Army’s first move, and their endgame is only just beginning. After an unexpected ally emerges, the Birds find themselves racing against the clock to stop a game called The Unreality that is primed to become a mass casualty event in Gotham. To stop it, the Birds will need to go undercover, enter the game, dismantle it at its source…and somehow make it out alive.

 

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this preview with us.

Amazing Spider-Man #1 Review

 

Writer: Joe Kelly

Artists: Pepe Larraz & John Romita Jr

Inker: Scott Hanna

Colorist: Marte Gracia & Marcio Menyz

Letterer: Joe Caramagna

Cover Artists: Pepe Larraz & Marte Gracia; Cafu; Gil Kane, Josef Rubinstein & Morry Hollowell; Greg Land & Rachelle Rosenberg; Lee Bermejo; Mark Chiarello; Ryan Stegman & Frank Martin; David Marquez & Jesus Aburtov; Nimit Malavia; Simone Di Meo

Designer: Jay Bowen

Editors: Kaitlyn Lindtvedt, Tom Groneman, Nick Lowe & C B Cebulski

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $5.99

Release Date: April 9, 2025

 

Cyra’s endurance test stripped Peter Parker of the will to live. Her brother's attack ripped away his ability to live. A dose of a demigod’s revivifying vitality helped him knock the soul rot from the X-Men and yank the Blight from our world. Peter resolved to never falter in his commitment to others again. As Juggernaut told him, “Don’t think. Just do.”

 

Peter may not miss practicing magic, but he yearns for the security of a regular paycheck. So, Peter hurtles into a Fastball Special interviewing spree while singing “Don’t Stop Me Now” with Freddie Mercury. Doctor Doom made him Earth’s Champion. Cyttorak’s scion Cyra made him the unstoppable Spidernaut. But can Peter Parker land a job? And how are Norman Osborn’s efforts to shut down Oscorp going? Let's update our résumés, leap into Amazing Spider-Man #1, and see!

 

 

 

Story

Forced to choose between Spider-Man and himself, Peter Parker resolved to prioritize his relationship with Shay Marken. Then came his battles with a crime lord and the angry children of a silent god. Peter wants to revive his promises to Shay and make Aunt May proud. But Peter’s past rides before him when he sends out his résumés. His spotty attendance record and association with a supervillain CEO make him as alluring as Sam Witwicky’s medal from Barack Obama.

 

All this begs one question in Joe Kelly’s story. Why does Peter Parker need a job? Peter already has a full-time crime-fighting career. He could claim a check for a hundred grand from First National if he became a Hero For Hire. And that’s just the beginning of his moneymaking options. But he cares more about his friends and loved ones than his happiness. As Peter shields them from recriminations through anonymity, he must take the abuse dispensed by small-minded people holding great corporate power in Amazing Spider-Man #1.

 

As Spider-Man spends his life beating up supervillains, he also looks after their interests. While the Green Goblin rises immediately to mind, the Rhino’s plight comes into focus in Amazing Spider-Man #1. Aleksei may never get over Oksana’s loss, but others, like his rival Screwball, want to help "Vic"  move forward. When Spider-Man tries to understand Rhino’s dilemma, he risks falling under another person's arresting influence.

 

 

 

Art

While Peter dresses for success, he also models what prospective employers want to see. As he shines brightly during interviews, images of his past, his other career, and his everyday failures thwip through his mind. Aunt May looks rejuvenated from the Reeds of Raggadorr. Her nephew's prospects excite her as he hangs a photo. Pepe Larraz shows how Peter’s buoyant attitude during his whirlwind job hunt restores Aunt May’s faith in him. Yet when someone throws her nephew a bone, a childhood memory makes Peter wonder at his abrupt turn of fortune.

 

Marte Gracia reveals the featureless world Peter fights to fit into, with gray, purple, or green interviewers questioning the young aspirant wearing a gray suit. As Peter enters a world of commerce, plate glass windows fill the lobby with light. The highrise windows are so clean that Kenneth McCarry could have cleaned them. Yet their green tinge suggests avarice and corruption and reminds us that Peter’s thoughts are never far from one business leader in Amazing Spider-Man #1.

 

Joe Caramagna thwips uppercase black and blue lettering into dialogue balloons and narrative boxes. The dialogue grows bold for inflection, swells and changes color for volume, and shrinks for lowered voices. A frosty balloon greets an unwelcome reminder. White letters in edgy black balloons signal a villain's return, while one of Peter's remarks fills the air with yellow laughter. Sound effects enhance a persistent phone, someone ringing Spider-Man's bell, and the booming and crashing that busy executives tune out in their pursuit of corporate profits. 

 

 

 

Death To The Tyrant: Story

When Norman Osborn brought him a pizza, Peter took a study break to hear his friend’s plans.

Joe Kelly addresses class conflict in this five-page follow-up. Norman Osborn has much to atone for in Amazing Spider-Man #1. He recognizes he has inflicted great harm upon New York City. Yet Norman jokes about the pain he inflicted on others. The Soul Rot may not have infected Norman Osborn. Yet his resultant anger when another person expresses how Norman injured him suggests that power and wealth have inoculated Norman from empathizing with others.

 

Death To The Tyrant: Art

Marcio Menyz makes the Oscorp sign glow. Overhead lights illuminate the beige press room. Security guards in blue flank Norman as he stands before the brown wooden podium. John Romita Jr and Scott Hanna show a crowd of colorfully dressed seated reporters and standing photographers. More guards stand along the back wall. No one smiles or radiates warmth for Norman. Frantic action pursues painful drama as Marcio Menyz’s vibrant, uniform color explodes.  

 

 

 

Teaser: Story

In the Arizona badlands, scientists argue in Amazing Spider-Man #1. This final four-page story addresses the ongoing battle in science between long-established theories and reinterpretations based on new evidence. One man's controversial idea stands to be validated more rapidly than Alfred Wegener's hypothesis of continental drift.

 

Teaser: Art

Clad in brown, yellow, and green, the surveyors leave their dome tents. They gather before a hoodoo, pointing and photographing the sandstone sculpture. The clouds in the yellow and orange sky reflect the smaller dust clouds floating along the ground amid this painted desert. A man carrying a handheld movie camera and notebook contrasts with another scientist filming with his phone. Their argument serves as the opening notes in a symphony accompanied by bass drums amid colors that conjure the beauty and mysteries of the American Southwest. Thanks to Marvel for providing a copy for review.

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

As Peter Parker searches for a new place to spend his days, a strange development brings a mighty villain low. When Spider-Man leaps to meet this new challenge, titans arise to shake New York’s webbed wonders in Amazing Spider-Man #1.

 

Rating 9.3/10

 

To look inside see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Deadpool #4 Review

 

Writer: Cody Ziglar

Pencilers: Rogê Antônio & Eric Gapstur

Inkers: Jonas Trindade & Eric Gapstur

Colorist: Guru-eFX

Letterer: Joe Sabino

Cover Artists: Taurin Clarke; Jan Bazaldua & Federico Blee; Greg Land & Frank D’Armata

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $3.99

Release Date: July 3, 2024

 

Ellie wants to be a partner in her dad’s business venture. Deadpool’s new mercenary team already acts like a family, even if Doug lacks superpowers, Taskmaster wants extra pay for fieldwork, and Wade's symbiote alien-canine daughter Princess wants to eat negative reviewers. (Ouch!) At least the rat in the water cooler seems content. Will Ellie emulate the rat? Or, like Kirk's little rascals on Sigma Iotia II, will Ellie demand a piece of the action? Let's leap into Deadpool #4 and find out!

 

Story

Deadpool’s life is dangerous. If Ellie won’t return to Terry and Emily's home in Arizona, Taskmaster insists Wade’s Human daughter learn to protect herself. Ellie works hard in Taskmaster’s lessons, but success doesn’t come easy. Still, faster than Harry Potter turned the tables on Professor Snape during their Occlumency lessons, Ellie surprises Taskmaster. Blame it on her hyperactive neurons!

 

Deadpool is proud of his Human daughter. She can learn to protect herself, and her super-healing ability insulates her from danger. But that doesn't mean he wants her to seek it out. Nor does he want her to go around killing people. Ellie sought him out because she wanted to participate in his life. So, in Deadpool #4, the Merc With A Mouth wonders how to shield his Human daughter from danger while encouraging her interests and nurturing her abilities.

 

 

 

Cody Ziglar doesn't let Deadpool dwell on his problems for long. Instead, he offers Wade Wilson a new one. Everyone loves a party, but Deadpool isn't wild about Death Grip's invitation. Sure, he'd like to stop the psychotic martial artist from hurling convention wreckers like Crossbones at him. Still, who can resist a rematch?

 

Deadpool #4 is a descent into brutality. Taskmaster's method of training Ellie involves seeing what he can break. Death Grip took the Muramasa blade from Solem, but instead of wielding it, the master of magic and martial arts became a sword-swallower. Now, a sword forged from the dark portions of the Human soul inhabits the leader of a death cult. Can the leader of The Touch kill the unkillable Deadpool? Or will the joke be on Death Grip?

 

 

Art

Rogê Antônio, Jonas Trindade, and Eric Gapstur pool their talents to portray Team Deadpool’s homelife. Princess looks on as Ellie battles sword-wielding Taskmaster in a boxing ring. A multiple exposure shot reveals when Tasky’s lessons hit home, and Ellie forces Taskmaster to drop his beverage can. Yet her vulnerability shows when she sits before her father at the dinner table.

 

Guru-eFX lavishes a loaded palette of appealing colors on the action and drama in Deadpool #4. As Deadpool and Taskmaster watch the fighting projected on the big screen, a shot from behind colors the two men light blue against an inked background. The sores covering Wade’s head blend with his costume, even when red hearts cover his eyes. A nearly Black and White invitation leads to gray-robed warriors in a pink and lavender lobby. Orange surrounds Wade’s head, a blue-white glow suffuses Taskmaster’s beloved weapon, and the background turns Deep Purple as Deadpool and Tasky reenact their version of Thor and Loki’s Get Help. Honestly! Who’d be a Soldier Of Fortune?

 

Joe Sabino stabs white and colored dialogue balloons and narrative boxes with black uppercase lettering in Deadpool #4. The font shrinks for lowered voices, emboldens for inflection, and swells for increased volume. Sound effects help us hear Taskmaster emulate Captain America, Ellie slams into a corner post, and gunfire rings out in The Touch's temple. A scream accompanies a panel of the inflamed pain centers of Deadpool's brain. Thanks to Marvel for providing a copy for review.

 

 

Final Thoughts

When Death Grip offers Deadpool a deal he can’t refuse, the Merc With A Mouth discovers pain like he's never experienced and feels an emotion he's not used to in Deadpool #4.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

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