The despicable Deadpool is madly in love and will do anything to protect those he cares about in the second volume of Alyssa Wong’s rambunctious and deliciously violent Deadpool series, with epic art from Javier Pina and Luigi Zagaria and vibrant color from Matt Milla. Deadpool by Alyssa Wong Vol. 2 is the perfect balance of hilarity, depravity, and heartbreak for a comic about the iconic Wade Wilson, and it beautifully wraps up the major plots and arcs from Vol. 1 while giving future Deadpool writers plenty to work with and expand upon.
WARNING: Contains major spoilers for Deadpool by Alyssa Wong!
Courtesy of Marvel Comics
Deadpool by Alyssa Wong Vol. 2 focuses almost entirely on Deadpool’s relationship with the non-binary icon Valentine Vuong, as the star-crossed assassins battle against the Atelier’s most deadly members who are attempting to murder both, injecting the violence with a refreshing amount of genuine sweetness. One of the most vicious and heart-wrenching battles occurs in Deadpool #8 where the evil fairy Aster forces Wade to live through his dream life, reunited with his daughter Ellie and living with some of his “best friends,” Wolverine, Spider-Man, and Cable. Deadpool is forced to kill all of his favorite people to stop Aster, and even though the scene starts out hilarious, it ends in tragedy as Wade must kill his “daughter” to save himself and Valentine.
One of the highlights of Deadpool by Alyssa Wong Vol. 2 is the amount of page time Princess gets, Deadpool’s symbiote dog that he… technically birthed? Princess is adorable and hilariously written, and her thirst for blood is shockingly cute. Princess’ friendship with Lady Deathstrike of all people, and Yuriko’s reluctant partnership with Wade, are part of what makes the series such a blast to read. Wong’s text conversations between Wade and Yuriko, as well as Yuriko and her brother, are brilliant, perfectly capturing Deadpool and Deathstrike’s unique personalities. Of course, Wong also continues to write hysterical quips for Deadpool, continuing his horny, perverted, and oddly charming pattern of references and inside jokes.
Courtesy of Marvel Comics
The character of Valentine Vuong, and all the other ruthless Atelier members, are beautifully fleshed out by Wong throughout the second volume Deadpool, with Wong expanding on Vuong’s backstory at the perfect time. A high point is the tragic but loving queer relationship between the assassins Alcaudon and Ms. Ginkgo, whose 40-year romance ends abruptly after a blast from Wade’s grenade kills Alcaudon. The fight scenes in Deadpool have stunning choreography and illustrations from both Pina and Zagaria, creating dynamic battles that allow all the characters’ diverse powers and abilities to shine in their own way. Milla’s coloring, as usual, is breathtaking, with the vibrancy of Princess’ symbiote flesh and Valentine’s glass arms popping off the page.
Deadpool rarely has a “happy ending,” but Deadpool ends with a shockingly peaceful and calm conclusion for the Merc With a Mouth. Deadpool #10 makes it seem like Valentine, disturbingly transformed into the Horned Emperor after killing the entity’s last host, will remain a villain, and potentially force Wade to kill his new romantic partner. Thankfully, Deadpool’s compassion and patience allow Valentine to overcome the power of the Horned Emperor, keeping their sanity and giving them expanded powers due to the contained Emperor. The volume ends with Deadpool, Princess, Valentine, and Deathstrike becoming the new Atelier, an interesting plot that a future Deadpool writer could easily pick up and expand upon.
Courtesy of Marvel Comics
Sadly, Deadpool’s new status quo sees him as a member of Captain America’s new Uncanny Avengers Unity Squad team, partnering with mutants like Psylocke and Rogue to fight Orchis during the Fall of X, with Valentine and Princess nowhere to be seen. Hopefully, Valentine, Deathstrike, and Princess have survived Orchis’ initial attack and are staying safe while Wade fights for their continued freedom.
While it would have been awesome if Alyssa Wong – who is now writing the newest Captain Marvel ongoing – had been able to keep writing about Deadpool and Valentine, the 10-issue Deadpool by Alyssa Wong has ended up as a perfectly wrapped-up limited solo series. The way that Wong writes Deadpool feels so true to his history and authentic characterization that his new romance with Valentine seems genuine and heartwarming. Plus, the art from Javier Pina, Luigi Zagaria, and Matt Milla is so impressive that it can be hard to turn the page away from the beauty of the panels. Deadpool by Alyssa Wong Vol. 2 is a quintessential Wade Wilson story, one that will hopefully influence future Deadpool tales with its extreme wit, loving queer representation, and brutal violence.
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