Searching For The Toy Surprise — Reviewing ‘Deadpool/Wolverine’ #3

Opening a box of Deadpool/Wolverine comes with expectations. Crispy crunchy flakes of violence, marshmallow quips, and fourth wall-breaking aplenty. Not really part of a truly balanced breakfast, but the series’ third issue might sate the hunger a bit.

Pouring a heaping bowl of claws and guns once more are Benjamin Percy, Joshua Cassara, Guru-eFX, and Joe Sabino.

If a hearty breakfast to you includes plentiful gratuitous violence between the title characters, you’re in luck. For those of you who that does not appeal to, well, this issue might be the cereal left to soak in the milk just a bit too long.

Through the beginning of this issue, we knew basically nothing about Stryfe’s plans, other than the fact that he apparently prepared spaces and tech aimed at turning dead things into skeletal armies. Luckily the villain is here to spit out exposition about the actions he’s taking, as well as the extremely vague why.

Cool, I guess.

Again, pretty sure I’ve said this, I appreciate the idea of this book.

Percy, as always, writes Logan solidly. Also, he writes the dynamic of this duo of frienemies pretty solidly. I just wish that it wasn’t often falling to a more simplistic side when it comes to the overall plot and story. As much as I liked a lot of the previous solo Wolverine series that Percy helmed, simplicity was often a quibble that stood firmly in those reviews too.

Look, I’m not asking much as far as stories featuring either character. What I do usually want to see is some more depth, and ability to step beyond the normal baseline level. This is why I appreciate Deadpool’s current solo that deals with parenting, surviving actual death, and a villain beyond his normal realms.

There is nothing wrong with simple and classic, I just prefer to not always have a diet that includes that particular recipe.

At least the aforementioned gratuitous violence looks good. As Cassara’s artwork remains one of the draws of this series. There are panels aplenty as the violence is broken down and given a lot of spotlight across the issue. There aren’t as many big dynamic outside space visuals this time. As everything is far more contained to one or two spaces.

Though the big spread of Stryfe’s machines infecting the dead looks pretty darn cool, even if I’m a bit meh on the overall idea of old west style zombies.

Darker tones fit with the really bloody and dark story beats. Guru-eFX mixes them quite well with the far smoother and vibrant colors that bleed across the pages. These are costumed clad men engaging in brutal battle after all. A sense of depth and weight is boosted by the chosen color palette, adding some more overall feeling to what is on the page.

There sure is plenty for Sabino to add to this big bowl of cereal. Characters are putting pieces together and the exposition train has begun, nailing character voices as they come around, letting the title duo do their usual riffing. Stryfe feels somewhat off as a character for some reason, but then again we see him so irregularly that I can’t be sure. That’s more an overall story or script thing than anything coming from Sabino.

Overall, this story just doesn’t have enough oomph to really do much. It feels like it’s just aiming for the same sort of baseline level character stuff that the film of the same name did last summer. To bring the review full circle, this feels like the box of cereal has been open for quite a long time.

It’s still edible, not spoiled or anything, but the staleness is very apparent. Sure, it still gets the hunger job done, but was it really worth it in the end? Right now I’m not so sure, but check back in a few months when the first arc comes to an end.

Maybe the stale cereal will have been worth it. Unlikely, but hey it’s comics. Anything is technically possible.

Deadpool/Wolverine #3 is now available from Marvel Comics.