Comic Books

Is It Good? Deadpool #12 Review

June 26, 2013

It’s finally on. Deadpool vs. Vetis, the demon on the cusp of nabbing Hell’s throne from Mephisto himself.

Odds aren’t looking so good for our boy Wade, are they? Vetis has had it in for Deadpool ever since their throwback encounter in Deadpool #7. Are writers Gerry Duggan and Brian Posehn able to wrap things up with aplomb? Is it good?

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Deadpool Vol. 4 #12 (Marvel Comics)

Is it a bird? Is it an aeronautical craft?

Nope… it’s Deadpool. Getting his ass handed to him.

And so the mood is set for the throwdown between Deadpool and Vetis. For Deadpool, that mood is impotent. Not like that, you weirdos; let’s just say there have been firing squad executions with more suspense than this fight. If Deadpool were a pro-wrestler, he’d be jobbing like a mufukka. Say, maybe that’s why Duggan and Posehn threw us this sly wrasslin’ bone:

Now Spider-Man isn’t the only superhero to have had playtime with Bonesaw McGraw.

The problem? The issue-spanning fight isn’t particularly interesting. I blame Vetis. Not to say the demoniac guy hasn’t been an interesting villain so far: his burning hatred for Deadpool (stemming from their first encounter back in Deadpool #7), the shenaniganery he’s put Wade through as a result and his insurgent motives have all been quality entertainment. And although Vetis can shapeshift, has super strength and durability, and the aggregate powers of all the people Deadpool has recently taken down for him — we’ve already seen this sort of stuff before… and arguably done in more interesting and befitting fashion. (Deadpool Vol. 2 #3 where he takes on a Super Skrull, for instance.)

Get used to seeing stuff like this. A lot.

Unlike last issue when he took on Daredevil and chased a shapeshifter through the streets of New York (my favorite issue in Duggan and Posehn’s run so far), Deadpool doesn’t make much tactical use of his environment or pull any of the unscrupulous tricks we love him for.

TL;DR: I was hoping to see a more clever battle that involved more than Vetis just shapeshifting into a few different Marvel superheroes and Deadpool eating punches.

The good: The art by Mike Hawthorne is solid as usual: he’s found the perfect marriage of cartoonish realism which at least makes the big fight more appealing in the visual sense. Duggan and Posehn have also set us up for a premise involving Deadpool’s more dark and twisted side, which looks to be very promising.

6.0

Great artwork by Mike Hawthorne.

The Vetis storyline finally sees its conclusion.

The issue-spanning fight between Vetis and Deadpool is kind of boring.
Not nearly as funny as last issue.

Is It Good?

Mediocre. The Vetis/Mephisto storyline has been wrapped up and the foreshadowing for the next turn of events has been set in place, but this is an issue that overall you shouldn’t feel much guilt in passing up.