HAWKEYE VS. DEADPOOL #0: So Why Are THEY Fighting?
By Roger Lee
This new Deadpool comic is the first of a new limited series featuring our favorite Merc with a Mouth (Deadpool), with the Avenging Archer (Hawkeye). The story is by Deadpool veteran Gerry Duggan with art by Matteo Lolli.
While there have been several Deadpool “Versus” titles lately (Deadpool vs. Carnage and Deadpool vs. X-Force), this one seems to have more plot and story to it than action. Which is a good thing, if done right. Duggan starts us off slow, building in a mystery character with something to hide, and then tosses in some typical Deadpool silliness in the form of our friend Wade going Trick or Treating on Halloween. No, really! Deadpool is seen in a Ghostbusters outfit with SHIELD agent Preston and their kids. More accurately, her kids and Deadpool’s daughter Ellie. He even refers to himself as “Dadpool!” How cute!
Of course, this being the Marvel Comics Universe, one costumed adventurer cannot go Trick or Treating without running into another super-type. So, they naturally end up at Hawkeye’s apartment in Brooklyn. Ok, so they actually went there on purpose since the neighborhood word on the street is that Hawkeye hands out full-sized candy bars on Halloween.
Hawkeye vs Deadpool
Without getting too much into specific plot details, a nearby murder sends Hawkeye and Deadpool into action and they work together, (sort of…more or less…) to apprehend the murderer. But then the killer starts singing the “Battle Hymn of the Republic” and escapes with the help of another costumed singing bad guy. (No, I am NOT making this up!).
So where is the Hawkeye vs. Deadpool part? Well, after the whole singing bad guy part, and saving each other’s lives a little bit, they find a key piece of evidence and then start fighting over it. (There…happy now?)
Despite the apparently strange happenings on Halloween night in Clint Barton’s neighborhood, the makings of a pretty good story. One of the things that has been highlighted own popular and critically-acclaimed series is a return to a major character point about him: He is severely hearing impaired. This facet of his character is brought up in a nice way as he discovers that Agent Preston is fluent in American Sign Language (ASL). One of the coolest double splash pages in recent memory involves their silent conversation.
Deadpool Getting into His Fighting Togs.
This is a “zero issue” and is followed by Hawkeye vs. Deadpool #1 next month. And the last page of this book shows a couple of villains behind the murder and “Battle Hymn Bad Guys.”
Oh, and did you want to find out if Hawkeye really hands out full-size candy bars at Halloween? Well, I am not going to tell you, since this book is worth buying and reading anyway. Find out that way. Check back next month as we review Hawkeye and Deadpool’s continuing adventures.