Spider-Man/Deadpool #1 Review: Super Quip Bros
By Nick Tylwalk
Deadpool on his own is awfully entertaining. Pair him with Spider-Man, though, and it’s more like magic.
That’s provided you have a sense of humor, of course. You might expect that the two most accomplished quipsters in the Marvel Universe would go together like peanut butter and chocolate, and you’d be right. Joe Kelly fills Spider-Man/Deadpool #1 with every kind of joke imaginable, coming at you in a breathless, non-stop barrage.
Sexual innuendo? Yep, right from the beginning. Poop jokes? Of course. Pop culture references? Copious amounts. Plus situational humor and doubtless other kinds I either forgot or simply failed to identify.
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There are sight gags too, making fine use of the skills of penciler Ed McGuinness and inker Mark Morales. It’s been a while since I’ve read a McGuinness book of any kind, but he’s in fine form here, and he’s simply one of those artists born to draw Deadpool and all the craziness his world entails. And lest you think there’s no action involved, suffice it to say that the wisecracking duo faces off against not only a B-list Spidey villain (that’s possibly a generous ranking) but another familiar face who’s not quite what he seems.
Given all that, Spider-Man/Deadpool is the rare superhero comic that would be just fine without a real plot. Twenty-some pages of McGuinness drawing Kelly riffing with these two would no doubt sell a bunch of copies, but there’s a story with some potentially serious consequences going on, and as I’ve often said while reviewing Deadpool’s own series, those kinds of tales suit the character best.
It probably goes without saying that one hero wants this team-up to continue more than the other, and after the ending of issue #1, that’s probably going to be even more true going forward. But darned if it doesn’t melt your heart a little when you find out why Deadpool wants to hand with Spider-Man, even if he goes about it in a typically devious manner.
Honestly, I’m not sure I really wanted this particular ride to end, even if I was a little mentally exhausted by the time it finished. If that’s not a hearty endorsement for a first issue, I don’t know what is. Here’s to Kelly and McGuinness finding ways to keep this odd couple together as long as possible.
SPOILERS PAST THIS POINT!
Three Things to Ponder
- Why hasn’t anyone thought of stopping the Mindless Ones by giving them minds before?
- Where can I get myself my own personal Bamf? Would save me a ton on gas … and auto insurance. Zing! (Note: I’m no Spidey or Deadpool when it comes to jokes.)
- Would Deadpool really be down to binge-watch Grey’s Anatomy?
Favorite Moment
So much from which to choose. So, so much. Hard to top this for pure, “That’s just wrong”-ness.
And friends, that’s on page 3! I love this book.