Justice League Dream Girls: A DC Pride Event #3 Review

 

Justice League Dream Girls: A DC Pride Event #3 Review

Writers: Jadzia Axelrod & Nicole Maines

Artists: Brandt&Stein, Jan Bazaldua & Rosi Kämpe

Colorists: Dearbhla Kelly, Adriano Lucas & Tríona Farrell

Letterers: Frank Cvetkovic & Jodie Troutman

Cover Artist: Brandt&Stein

Variant Cover Artists: Phil Jimenez & Arif Prianto; Oscar Vega

Editors: Ash Padilla, Andrea Shea & Paul Kaminski

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $4.99 US/Variant $5.99 US (cardstock)

Release Date: June 17, 2026

 

Everyone wants to condemn Dreamer for aiding Amanda Waller when she robbed the metahumans of their powers. So, after Galaxy invites Dreamer along on Star Sapphire's mercy mission to Naltor, Guy Gardner and Jessica Cruz argue against Dreamer's future participation in the Justice League. But while the heroes weigh whether Dreamer and Galaxy represent a greater threat than Lex Luthor, the condemned lie under the Key's spell.

 

Dreamer may be unaware of the battle raging in the Watchtower over her future. Yet as she dreams, Dreamer discovers that she is not a passive participant. And although she refuses to believe that she can be a hero, Dreamer pushes Galaxy out of their shared dream. Like one of the costumes she wore in her dreams, can Dreamer embrace a more hopeful view of the future? And as he lurks in her subconscious, what knowledge does the Key hope Dreamer can unlock for him? Let’s leap into Justice League Dream Girls: A DC Pride Event #3 and see!

 

Story

She helped rescue Steve Trevor in Themyscira. As Robin Hood, she protected participants in a Pride parade. After visiting exotic places and combating foes, Galaxy feels exhausted when she revives. Worse, the display screens filling the Justice League Watchtower are an onslaught on her senses. Yet when the Question tells Galaxy that her membership in the Justice League is in jeopardy, she ignores Jon Kent and Kat’s pleas. Galaxy refuses to rest and let others decide where she belongs.

 

As Galaxy rushes to defend herself before the Justice League, Dreamer abandons her recent superhero cosplay in Justice League Dream Girls: A DC Pride Event #3. As she told Galaxy in the castle, she is tired of combating the naysayers. After trying so hard to prove herself, she realizes that the superhero community will never accept her. And rather than be seen as a villain, it is easier to sleep the pain away.

 

Before expelling her from their dream, Dreamer argued that all the heroes love and admire Galaxy. Yet in Jadzia Axelrod and Nicole Maines, Galaxy must defend her right to stand among her fellow heroes. As they question her ability to control her powers, they also debate Galaxy's judgment.

 

All this takes place following the Justice League's decision to offer amnesty to villains. As Jack Ryder argued on the set of Hardwired, the Justice League leaders imposed the controversial pilot program on their membership. In their wisdom, Batman, Wonder Woman, and Captain Marvel threw open the doors to villains who have stolen, tortured, and murdered people. So as Galaxy begins to wonder where she belongs, a hero who embodies youth, change, and idealism becomes a first step toward attacking the leaders’ more questionable choices in Justice League Dream Girls: A DC Pride Event #3.

 

Art

After Galaxy clutches her head, she raises her arm before her face. Jon catches her when she falls, while Kat elicits a smile when she cradles Galaxy's chin with her hand. Then Galaxy marches off toward the meeting, where she raises her hand toward the heroes standing above her on the dais. While Guy Gardner, clad in his priestly robes, crosses his arms and frowns at Galaxy, Dreamer stands upon the castle parapet. As Dreamer’s trenchcoat pixelates, the glowing fragments float away like flower petals on the wind. When Steve Trevor appears, his features shift, evoking how Dreamer altered her friend’s attire.

 

As Brandt&Stein, Jan Bazaldua, and Rosi Kämpe portray Galaxy and Dreamer’s battles for their future, Dearbhla Kelly, Adriano Lucas, and Tríona Farrell adorn Justice League Dream Girls: A DC Pride Event #3 with a loaded palette of bright colors. Galaxy’s violet outfit links her with Kat and Star Sapphire. Her indigo skin links her with Extraño, who regards all costumed superheroes as vigilantes and rule-breakers.

 

The blue wraparound viewscreens link with Batman and Wonder Woman's impartiality. As Dreamer wears a blue-and-white costume, the energy flung across a blue-and-white corridor represents all the colors in the emotional spectrum. Yet as Steve Trevor comforts Dreamer in his green flight suit, Guy Gardner and Jessica Cruz's uniforms reveal what they're most afraid of losing.

 

Frank Cvetkovic and Jodie Troutman fill white dialogue balloons with uppercase and lowercase letters of varying sizes and fonts. Dreamer’s thoughts inhabit blue boxes, while white letters in black balloons and boxes signal danger. As laughter and coughing fill the air, and an unseen threat demonstrates its fiery temperament, sound effects enhance the actions that alarm the Green Lanterns. The bonus story, One Fine Day, focuses on Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn’s relationship and illustrates why they have become one of the most popular couples in comics. Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this story with us.

 

Final Thoughts

Everyone wants to belong. Yet sometimes, the fight doesn’t seem worth it. As Dreamer loses hope of acceptance, Galaxy fights to retain what she has achieved. Yet as she argues her case, Galaxy must also question why she is waging this battle against her accusers. And while the heroes attack someone who would never willingly hurt them, a villain takes strides toward achieving power over them in Justice League Dream Girls: A DC Pride Event #3.

 

Rating 9.5/10

 

To look inside see my preview of Justice League Dream Girls: A DC Pride Event #3.

 

For what happened last time, see my preview of Justice League: Dream Girls—A DC Pride Event #2.

 

For the beginning of Dreamer and Galaxy's dream journey, see my preview of Justice League: Dream Girls—A DC Pride Event #1.

 

For how this series started, see my review of Justice League Intergalactic Special #1.

 

For Jack Ryder's argument on the set of Hardwired, see my review of Justice League #19. 

 

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. 

Spider-Girl #3 Review

 

Writer: Torunn Grønbekk

Artist: André Risso

Colorist: Java Tartaglia

Letterer: Joe Caramagna

Designer: Stacie Zucker

Editors: Kaitlyn Lindtvedt, Nick Lowe & CB Cebulski

Cover Artists: David Nakayama; Javier Garrón & Jesus Aburtov; Annie Wu; Jan Bazaldua & Federico Blee

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $3.99

Release Date: August 20, 2025

 

When Bullseye recruited her, he turned Makawalu Akana’s life upside down. Maka left Hawaii to travel the world in Bullseye’s private jet. While helping her hone her abilities and grooming her for a career, her mentor helped her compete in contests, rack up victories, and collect trophies. Then Maka realized she was a means to an end. After Bullseye secured what he wanted, her kumu aʻo planned to kill her. 

 

So Maka is starting over. She’s trying to make friends, help others, and do the right thing. But someone sent a plague of Vermin and rats to kill her. Then Lady Bullseye attacked her before leaving her with stolen money. Will Maka fail Superhero Ethics 101? And who else will threaten her life? Let’s leap into Spider-Girl #3, and see, Brah!

 

Story

When she looked inside Bullseye's mind, Maka saw only love. His betrayal makes her question everything. Rebuilding her life around her family helps Maka realize how much her mother has sacrificed for her. Maka's aunt and tūtū may do fine, but her mother spends most of her time working. They can’t afford an apartment in New York City. So as Maka sits in their room above the florist shop, she debates keeping the money from Starchy & Cloth. Doesn't her mom need it more than a money launderer with the morals of a potato? 

 

Investing in her family means reconnecting with her Hawaiian heritage. Maka is also forging a friendship with the girl she found hiding in the locker room at Red Snow Dojo. Caroline and Sensei Barker's other students made Beba feel small. As Maka helps Beba feel wanted and empowered, her new friend shares her heritage with Maka in Spider-Girl #3. The camaraderie helps Maka relax with someone her age. Plus, she doesn't have to worry about Beba stabbing her in the back, imbuing her with more life-changing powers, or punching her to the moon. 

 

A string of robberies provides another topic for levity on their outing. But as Maka makes the most of her mom's evenings at work to foil crime, a burglar steals luxury goods and leaves an origami figure at the scene of her crimes. Like Maka, Piper Dali is doing what she thinks is right. The Flipstergram fashionista teaches store owners to respect others. As Torunn Grønbekk places Maka in another dangerous situation, she compares Maka's new approach with her former worldview. But the Paper Doll's attacks could prove more deadly than Lady Bullseye's sword in Spider-Girl #3.

 

 

Art

André Risso reveals the energy humming inside Maka. The Hawaiian cliff diving champion tosses a ball while awaiting crimes at night. She hurries down the stairs when she overhears Beba, grabs her by the hand, and yanks her out of the florist shop. Maka thwips above the running laundry store thieves to avoid the gangsters protecting Starchy & Cloth. Then, she webs "Dim and Dumb" and hauls them to a roof. Despite all the girl’s energy, Maka sits on her bed to contemplate her options, then leaves her section of the room to sink into her mother’s arms.

 

Amid the thieves’ attire, the rooftop she drops them on, the shop windows the next day, and Lady Bullseye’s appearance, gray forms a theme in Spider-Girl #3. Even Dr Tramma’s bright green suit shows gray accents, and Detective Shari Sebbins wears a gray suit. This mixture of white and black amid the brightly colored world of New York City underlines Maka’s moral quandary. 

By comparison, Dr Tramma floods Hijack's cell with light. As Hijack rests between punishing trials, or his eyes crackle with white energy, the yellow light evokes the sun's life-giving radiance as his captor increases his mutant powers. 

 

Joe Caramagna fills Maka’s latest adventure with uppercase black letters in white dialogue balloons and shows the Hawaiian’s thoughts with red letters in white narrative boxes. The words grow bold for intonation, swell for raised voices, and rarely shrink. Yellow narrative boxes relay the narrator’s voice, while purple words in lavender balloons reveal Piper’s inner self. Lowercase black letters in white rounded boxes highlight the fleeting joys of fame. Sound effects accompany gunfire, alarms, arcing electricity, and the deadliest cut of all. Thanks to Marvel for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

When the Yakuza captured her, Bullseye inspired Maki Matsumoto to escape her captors. But Lady Bullseye knows that her lifestyle is not for everyone. After escaping a life of servitude and abuse, Lady Bullseye doesn’t want anyone to make Maka their pawn. But Maka’s unique ability to mimic others' abilities makes her an irresistible tool for villains in Spider-Girl #3.

 

Rating 9.6/10

To look inside see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Deadpool #5 Review

 

Writer: Cody Ziglar

Artist: Andrea Di Vito

Colorist: Guru-eFX

Letterer: Joe Sabino

Cover Artists: Taurin Clarke; Jan Bazaldua & Israel Silva; Sergio Dávila & Ceci De La Cruz; Yasmine Putri; Annie Wu

Designer: Carlos Lao

Editors: MR Daniel & Drew Baumgartner; Ellie Pyle & Mark Basso; CB Cebulski

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $3.99

Release Date: August 21, 2024

 

Deadpool wants to protect his Human daughter. Ellie insists on being part of his life. Taskmaster continually gripes about his expenses, yet he sticks around when Deadpool blows his office renovation budget on a rooftop sauna. Princess, Deadpool's alien wolf symbiote daughter, and Doug, who keeps the office humming, are also valued members of his family. But when Taskmaster and Deadpool storm a death cult’s temple, their leader makes Deadpool fear for his life. Can Death Grip nullify Deadpool’s healing ability? And if Deadpool dies, who will care for the rat in the office water cooler? Let's leap into Deadpool #5 and find out!

 

Story

Death Grip’s desire to master his fighting skills made him hunger for supremacy. Now Death Grip worships death, and Deadpool is the ultimate prize. Deadpool's healing ability makes it impossible to kill him. But what if Death Grip could remove it? He has everything a cult leader could want: a temple, subservient followers, and the ability to kill anyone who displeases him without repercussions. But none of that matters as long as someone lives who he can't kill.

 

Ellie enjoys her life with the Prestons but yearns to reconnect with her dad. She’s a whip-smart girl with a healing ability like her father’s and doesn't need protection like a fragile decoration. Ellie can use SHIELD technology to teleport anywhere. If Deadpool sends her away, she will only return. Ellie passed Taskmaster’s combat and physical training tests with flying colors. She wants to go on field missions and won’t charge Deadpool for expenses. Yet when Death Grip invites Deadpool to his temple, Deadpool and Taskmaster leave on the down low. In Deadpool #5, Ellie and Princess are of one mind. Deadpool’s daughters are not interested in Daddy Day Care. They’re going to be part of the team!

 

 

 

If superheroes kill villains, are they still the good guys? Or does taking a life make them antiheroes? Cody Ziglar's story wrestles with what it means to take someone's life. Deadpool has bought enough shiny toys to know everything comes at a price. He is proud of Ellie's accomplishments. He is glad that cancer doesn't accompany her healing abilities. But the mercenary business involves taking lives. Like the blemishes covering his body and the burned taste buds that prevent him from enjoying his food, killing another person devours part of one's soul. Deadpool uses humor to push away the darkness and prevent him from becoming like Death Grip. But not taking things seriously also has a cost. Deadpool has paid the price for killing others and wants to save Ellie from footing that bill. But will Ellie let him?

 

 

Art

Blood streams from Deadpool’s chest as he pushes himself off the floor in Deadpool #5. Death Grip’s magical hands blast a pillar and send Deadpool flying. Deadpool tosses smoke grenades to let him get within sword reach. Death Grip uses magic to hang Deadpool upside down at eye level but doesn’t pull off Deadpool’s mask to steal Mary Jane’s special kiss. Princess stalks the office and looms like King Kong after knocking down an office door. After reading a note filled with hearts, Ellie frowns.

 

Guru-eFX’s bright palette imbues Andrea Di Vito’s taught action and character moments with ambiance and contrast. Death Grip’s white energy radiates a blue glow in the purple temple. Overhead lights allow characters to shine and cast shadows amid the green textured walls and the littered, grimy floor of Deadpool’s green office. Stippled pale red on ivory enlivens an otherwise blank background as Elie rolls up her pink shirt sleeves. Yellow, orange, and pink fill the sky as Deadpool #5 reaches its deadly end.

 

 

 

Joe Sabino stabs white and colored dialogue balloons and narrative boxes with black and white uppercase lettering. The font shrinks for lowered voices, emboldens for inflection, and swells for increased volume. Death Grip's spells appear as purple symbols in blue dialogue balloons and as white symbols against the purple temple walls. Colorful and energetic sound effects enliven Deadpool and Death Grip's deathmatch, enhance Taskmaster's holy war against priests, and help us understand why an arrow bears a smiley face. Thanks to Marvel for providing a copy for review.

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

Deadpool finds strength in being the Family Guy when Death Grip goes Godzilla. Ellie cries, "Hi ho, Silver," Taskmaster gets a promotion, and Deadpool gives Princess carte blanche to eat bad guys (because they’re so yummy) in Deadpool #5.

 

Rating 9.2/10

 

To preview interior art 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.

 

 

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.