Deadpool offers tons of action, laughs in new series
If there were ever a time to be a comic book fan, that time is now. Super heroes have never been more accepted in the mainstream than ever before.
Marvel Comics’ and Detective Comics’ success at the box office has led to both companies attempting to gain new readers, a feat they have both pulled off within the last year
DC started the trend last September by launching their “New 52” initiative, where they did like the movies and rebooted, reimagined and retooled every major character in their repertoire to put both novice and expert comic book readers on the same page.
One year later, and DC readership has never been stronger, increasing sales of flagship characters like Batman and Superman as well as creating exciting, new characters like Talon.
Marvel has also jumped on the rebooting bandwagon within the last year, launching the “Marvel Now” initiative.
Whether you want to keep up with the latest adventures of Batman (it’s getting really crazy in the Death of the Family crossover), or you’re anticipating Captain America’s journey through Dimension Z (introduced this month in Captain America #1), one comic you should look into that’s just now starting is the newest Deadpool series from the team of Brian Posehn and Gerry Duggan.
Wade Wilson, aka Deadpool, is an anti-hero known as the “Merc with a Mouth”, for his mentally unstable nature as a mercenary, and his talkative nature during battle.
One of his trademarks is his tendency to break the fourth wall and interact with (and sometimes tease) his readers.
While his origin and back story can vary from writer to writer, for this new series, all you would need to know about Deadpool is his regenerative healing ability as his super power due to lab experiments, and what he desires most is the respect and accolades of the normal super heroes like Captain America and the rest of the Avengers.
Deadpool #1 quickly sets the action of this series into motion, as an old, scraggily S.H.I.E.L.D. agent is seen in a graveyard in a crazed state ranting about the current state of America and its lack of clear leadership.
His idea to bring America back to its former glory is to revive all the former leaders, including George Washington, Harry Truman, John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, Franklin D. and Teddy Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln, among every other formerly living president.
To the agents surprise, the black magic he used to revive the presidents taints their once good nature, causing a path of destruction by the presidents in an attempt to destroy America and start over again.
S.H.I.E.L.D. agents apprehend the madman, but it’s too late. FDR has already begun attacking New York City’s subway system and terrorizing its citizens.
Rather than bring in Captain America or Iron Man to battle the former founding fathers and great leaders of our nation, S.H.I.E.L.D. calls Deadpool for his services, knowing that it won’t affect his public image if he’s seen killing off the former patriots.
Hilarity soon ensues, capped off by witty wordplay from the dead presidents to Deadpool’s usual mouthiness.
The true gem throughout all this chaos may be the use of Benjamin Franklin as Deadpool’s invisible sidekick since he was never actually elected president (this may or may not be a figment of Deadpool’s own imagination).
While this story arc may seem offensive or plain crazy to some, it is characters like Deadpool and stories such as this one that keep the comic world fresh and can offer some well needed comic relief.
Be sure to catch up on the latest adventures of Deadpool as he attempts to take down the presidents in Deadpool #1 and #2, on sale now, and be on the lookout for Deadpool #3, where Deadpool takes on Richard “Tricky Dick” Nixon, on sale Dec. 5.