Deadpool Classic Vol. 1
Writers: Fabian Nicieza, Rob Liefeld, Mark Waid, and Joe Kelly
Artists: Rob Liefeld, Joe Madureira, Ian Churchill, Lee Weeks, Ken Lashley, and Ed McGuinness
While weak in its storytelling, the fan-favorite Merc-with-the-Mouth himself makes investment worthwhile!
Ranking: 3 stars
Every once in awhile, I'll come across a story that is weak in some areas, but is strong in others. I've always been fascinated by these types of stories, not just in comics, but in all forms of media. Most of these stories are often ones that are heavily divided among audiences, with people usually either loving or hating them. There's no middle ground. In my case however, I usually either love them (the BLEACH anime, FINAL FANTASY VIII), find them good but possess flaws that prevent them from being stellar (THE DARK KNIGHT RISES, NEW X-MEN), or simply okay (SPIDER-MAN: MAXIMUM CARNAGE). Despite their problems however, I'm still able to find enjoyment in even the weaker ones as I can see that there was thought and effort into the stories, but it just wasn't fully realized. The early comics of the fan-favorite killer-for-hire Deadpool fall into this regard as while the plots suffer from many of the cliches found in early 90's comics (yep, we're talking about Rob Liefeld again), it is made up for with the highly enjoyable and hilarious personality of Deadpool himself. For comic readers who don't know, Deadpool, aka Wade Wilson is a mercenary who was once diagnosed with terminal cancer. Desperate for a cure, Wilson volunteered to undergo experimental treatment under the eyes of the Weapon X program, the same group of scientists who forged the adamantium to Wolverine's claws. While the treatments cured his cancer and gave him a healing-factor that made him near indestructible, his face was left horribly scarred as a result. Donning his signature mask, Wilson began going by the name of "Deadpool," and began working as a mercenary-for-hire. But perhaps the most famous contributing factor to the character's success was his famous personality. Not knowing the meaning of the word subtle, Deadpool will take every chance he can to spout as many jokes and pop culture references as he can, as well as utterly ruin the fourth-wall. Until now I've never actually read a Deadpool comic, and all of my previous knowledge of the character comes from his brief appearance in ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN (though that version was an anti-mutant extremist instead of an a over-the-top psychotic), video games like MARVEL ULTIMATE ALLIANCE and SPIDER-MAN: SHATTARED DIMENSIONS, as well as his universally hated portrayal in X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE (I'm so sick of people hating that movie just because of how it portrayed Deadpool; get over it internet, the movie was about Wolverine, not Deadpool; and I actually liked the film) But when I saw this book on sale for 60% off on Comixology (a site I recommend for any comic reader, as it's like the iTunes for comic books), I decided to take a look into his very first comic appearances. In this first volume of the DEADPOOL CLASSIC collection, the Merc-with-the-Mouth makes his debut in NEW MUTANTS #98 as an assassin sent by some guy named Mr. Tolliver (it's never really explained who he is) to assassinate Cable. What's notable about this first issue is that it was written by Fabian Nicieza (who wrote the awful CABLE: BLOOD AND METAL miniseries, but I've heard is actually a pretty good writer), and illustrated by the king of bad 90's artwork himself, Rob Liefeld (who believe it or not, was actually the one who created both Deadpool and the character Cable). So while the story suffers from some plot holes (it never bothers to explain who Tolliver is, or this weird mutant named Gideon who appears at the beginning) and is dominated by Liefeldian artwork (though it doesn't reach YOUNGBLOOD levels), Deadpool himself is still fairly entertaining as he does have some sense of humor, but not to the extent he would in later stories. Despite the character's somewhat insufferable first appearance, gradually improved as Deadpool began to develop his infamous wittiness. The second story presented takes place in the four issue limited series DEADPOOL: THE CIRCLE CHASE, where Deadpool's former boss Mr. Tolliver promises control over an "ultimate weapon" to one of his assassins in his will. This leads the mercenary and his partner Weasel search for the mysterious weapon while simultaneously fighting off other subordinates of Tolliver's who seek its contents. Later in DEADPOOL #1-4, the merc with the mouth faces long time X-Men villains Black Tom Cassidy and Juggernaut with the aid of Banshee and his daughter, and finally in the first issue of his first ongoing monthly series, proves that even a wise-cracking, trigger-happy assassin like himself is bound by some degree of principle. My overall feelings for this collection are somewhat mixed. While the titular character himself got a good number of chuckles from me, the plots themselves were fairly weak. As with most comics created in the 90's, little to no time is set to establish a plot or form any connection with the characters, and instead goes straight into over-the top action and fights. This is particularly evident in first issue, as the reader is immediately presented with a scene were a Liefeldesque character called Gideon is undergoing a training exercise by fighting androids. Apparently it's the first appearance of the character, but the reader isn't given any clue of the character's personality or backstory, not allowing us to invest in his endeavors. Instead he comes across as a stereotypical 90's character following the Rob Liefeld formula. The same can also be applied to Deadpool's first encounter with Cable and the New Mutants, as he literally pops out of nowhere to tell Cable that he was hired to kill him by Mr. Tolliver. I haven't read the issues before this, so I have no clue if this was was part of an ongoing story arc or just a plot element that was randomly thrown in. The lack of exposition was gradually improved upon with each story arc, but the first three by Fabian Nicieza still lacked a sufficient amount. I've heard from other X-Men fans that Nicieza's was favorably praised in comparison to other 90's writers, but for his stories for me so far have been average at best. But what saves these issues from being typical bad 90's comics is the Merc-with-the-Mouth himself who steals the show with his comedic personality. Deadpool is undoubtebly possesses one of the most original and unique personalities conceived for a comic book character. Despite being an assassin willing to do any dirty job for a good quantity of money, he is able to lighten up the mood and atmosphere by being witty and sarcastic. Deadpool takes virtually nothing seriously, as he always maintains a offbeat attitude, taking any opportunity to show-off his skills (fighting as well as joking skills). Even when facing opponents that most would despair or be serious towards, Deadpool respond with an onslaught of jokes, ranging from witty banter, humorous one-liners, or well-thought out references to popular culture. The dude simply never shuts up, much to the annoyance of both friends or enemies! While this could have easily made Deadpool come across as annoying to readers, writers have somehow found a certain charm to writing his character, allowing them come up with some of the most humorous dialogue ever conceived in mainstream comics. It is rare to see over-the top characterization to meld so well with in an otherwise serious atmosphere, which has allowed Deadpool to attract a large fan base since his conception. While the Deadpool in this book doesn't break the fourth wall as later interpretations of him so famously would, he still provides a large amount of banter and clever one-liners that made me laugh. So while the books earlier stories lacked exposition to get me invested in the plot, Deadpool's humorous dialogue helped keep me interested in what was going on. Like the aforementioned gradual improvement of plots, Deadpool's humorous personality also continued to gradually evolve as the stories progressed, providing me a hook to continue reading. Although devoting more time into developing the narrative would have enhanced the quality of the stories, the handling of Deadpool's characterization and personality serves as a major redeeming factor. Had it not been for his offbeat humor and banter, the early issues in the book would have easily come across as typical bad 90's comics. But for me, even when a story suffers from major flaws in multiple area, I can often find something to enjoy if they're handled well in other areas. If time and effort is put into consideration when developing an idea, then I feel that there is something worth investing into. So while the first volume of DEADPOOL CLASSIC was seriously hindered by a weak narrative, as well as the standard cliches of 90's comics, the development put into weaving Deadpool's infamous personality definitely made investing time into this collection of his earliest stories worthwhile. The Merc-with-the-mouth never fails to lighten the mood! "A little more persistence, a little more effort, and what seemed hopeless failure may turn to glorious success." -Elbert Hubbard
