Deadpool #21 Review - Deadpool vs. S.H.I.E.L.D. Part 1

EXCLUSIVE FIRST REVIEW!

Back in the the first story arc of Deadpool's current ongoing series, Wade Wilson was hired by S.H.I.E.L.D. to take down a horde of turned-evil resurrected dead presidents. Teamed with S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Preston, Deadpool pulled this off--but not without Preston getting taken out and her consciousness transferred into Wade's mind by his buddy Necromancer Mike... and S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Gorman stiffing Deadpool on the bill.

It's time to get Preston back into a body, and for the Merc with a Mouth to get payback on S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Gorman. Deadpool vs. S.H.I.E.L.D. starts here--and if you like Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D but would enjoy a spicier, more out-there take on Nick Fury's crew, you've come to the right place...

Deadpool's been through some trauma recently, discovering that the Weapon Plus program had been harvesting his regenerating organs and messing with his memories; and when he went to get some answers, he learned that he has a daughter he never knew about, and, with no memories of its mother, discovered the woman dead and the child missing.

The issue begins with Doctor Strange giving Deadpool's mind a check-up (it's not healthy - as per usual) and trying to help Agent Preston get out of it; Strange surmising that the answer may lie with her old employers, S.H.I.E.L.D.

Meanwhile, having now learned of Preston's predicament from Necromancer Mike, her sometime-sidekick, S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Adsit checks in at S.H.I.E.L.D.--through a somewhat quirky secret entrance--with designs on getting a LMD robotic clone (or Life Model Decoy) of Preston made, to transfer her consciousness into. But it turns out there's already one in existence, and it's out there dealing S.H.I.E.L.D. arms, selling drugs and raking lawns(!?!).

It also turns out that Agent Gorman is secretly behind this, and when Adsit reports to Gorman on his findings--revealing to him that Agent Preston's in Wade's head--Gorman ain't too pleased to learn the real Preston's alive and, once he's despatched Adsit, goes about setting a $10,000,000 million price on Deadpool's head.

Various super-villains who've been wronged by Deadpool in the past take up the offer, but it's Crossbones who's first to the punch, happening on Deadpool leaving a Tyler Perry movie Preston wanted to see (Wade having shot himself in the head to get out of it--firmly answering where he stands on any similarities drawn between Perry's dressing-up-as-large-black-women schtick and Agent Preston inhabiting his body.)

Despite his recent hardships, Deadpool's battle with Crossbones demonstrates his inventive and comical sides are still firmly intact--before we cut to Agent Adsit meeting another S.H.I.E.L.D. operative...and a twist in the tale.

With what writers Brian Posehn & Gerry Duggan having been doing on Deadpool lately, they've been making this run the book's best since the halcyon days of Joe Kelly; and that is strengthened further here in a solid and intriguing opening to the Deadpool vs. S.H.I.E.L.D. arc--solidly illustrated by Mike Hawthorne, who is proving to be the best-fitting of this series' rotating artists. If you ever stopped reading Deadpool, or you've never tried it, this might be the issue to get onboard...

Deadpool #20-#21 Previews

[UPDATED 11.29.13:]

Next week's issue of Deadpool sees Wade Wilson going all cosmic-Kirby on our ass in another flashback issue - before Deadpool #21 kicks off the Deadpool vs. S.H.I.E.L.D. arc, in which the Merc with a Mouth sets out to get revenge on S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Gorman for stiffing him during the Dead Presidents affair.

You can check out a Preview of Deadpool #20, as well as Preview art for Deadpool #21 by Mike Hawthorne, below - along with the covers for Deadpool #22-#23 (also part of the S.H.I.E.L.D. arc) - and you can find Deadpool co-writer Gerry Duggan talking about what's coming up for Wade with Comic Vine here!

(Right-click on images and 'Open in New Tab' to enlarge)

Deadpool #21

Deadpool twerks it and takes on the living dead!

[UPDATED 10.17.13:]

More Merc with a Mouth mayhem in December when Avengers #24.NOW gets the Deadpool Variant cover treatment from Deadpool artist Carlo Barberi (above); and then Wade Wilson is back again in January to take on the zombie apocalypse in the 4-issue Night of the Living Deadpool mini-series by Deadpool Kills... trilogy writer Cullen Bunn, with stylish red on black & white artwork from Ramon Rosnas.

Check out Preview art here!:

(Right-click on images and 'Open in New Tab' to enlarge)

Oh, and January's Deadpool #22 sounds fun...

GERRY DUGGAN & BRIAN POSEHN (W) • MIKE HAWTHORNE (A) Cover by MARK BROOKS

• Deadpool continues his quest for revenge on S.H.I.E.L.D. for stiffing him! • Someone has been betraying S.H.I.E.L.D., and it seems to be…Agent Preston?! • PLUS: AGENT COULSON! From the hit TV show AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D.!

Deadpool #56 Review

Following his beatdown at the hands of The Artist Formerly Known As Paste Pot Pete last ish, Wade Wilson awakes, battered and bruised (and missing a finger). ...He and the voices in his head ain't gonna let that happen again, right? Hellz no!

*Spoilers ahead...*



So Deadpool hooks up with the moves-assimilating merc, Tony Masters--a.k.a.Taskmaster--for a spot of re-training. What's in it for Tony? Well, Wade's ego's clearly fully intact as he sells the deal as Taskmaster also getting something from him--giving Deadpool a refresher course will raise Tony's game, too!?!

Tony gives it a moment's thought before teaming up with Deadpool for some on-the-job training, as the two hit Southern Nevada to try and score some weaponry-shrinking Pym Particles from a S.H.I.E.L.D. installation in the desert.

Wade's assigned with creating a diversion that'll distract S.H.I.E.L.D. security; and how's he gonna do this? By walking straight up to the door and forcing them to react. Tony's acting a little too 'buddy-buddy' with Wade and it all seems a bit 'easy.'

Predictably--and someone with Deadpool's intelligence and history with his would-be re-trainer should really have seen this coming--Tony sets Wade up to get blown to bits while he runs and nabs the loot. It doesn't matter, right? Deadpool's healing factor'll just kick in and make him all better again.

Only, Tony doesn't realize that's gone.
Tony.

Meanwhile, superbrain villain team The Intelligencia (of whom Pete is inexplicably a member) have picked Wade up on their radar and are watching him in action. Having been basking in the glory of defeating Deadpool for the last two weeks, Pastey (who now goes by the not-as-lame name of 'The Trapster') is dispirited at the news that Wade's back, a fortnight later, 'good as new.' Except he's not; The Trapster spots Wade's missing finger--a light bulb goes on in his otherwise-dim head--and he resolves to go and finish the job he started.


The Trapster.

Back in Nevada, Deadpool's in the throes of battle with S.H.I.E.L.D.'s snake-like defence-bots... During the course of this, he manages to electrocute himself, fall flat on his face, and almost get himself killed; he would have done if it wasn't for a last minute save by...?

This is not what I was expecting; I thought The Intelligencia as a whole would play a bigger role, whereas things so far are becoming increasingly Trapster-centric in that area. I was also expecting Deadpool to be raising his game and kicking ass--in a battle that could have been much more engagingly rendered by artist Shawn Crystal (when Wade blows apart one of the S.H.I.E.L.D. bots, it literally just comes apart, with no sense of `BANG!`). Another weakness in the chapter is the line delivered by Deadpool's savior at the end; which doesn't come off unless he's a long-distance mind reader.


Writer Daniel Way's 'Deadpool Reborn' arc so far could easily be retitled 'Deadpool Reborn as a Loser.' After relying on his healing factor with increasing complacency for so long, the new set-up affords Wade the opportunity to return to his roots as a cutthroat merc that could take almost anyone. I'm hoping that's where things are heading for the final part, because that ~^%# The Trapster needs his ass whupped. And whupped by The Merc with a Mouth. Bring it, Wade!