With the success in newest Deadpool film, it’s understandable that Marvel would mine the depths of the character’s back catalog to give fans of the Merc with a Mouth ample adventures to take in. While Joe Kelley’s run is required reading for readers looking to see where the current version of Deadpool developed, the Christopher Priest run that followed helps develop Wade as a character, finding new ways to inject him into the Marvel Universe. It’s not as strong as the issues that came before it, but the Deadpool Epic Collection: Johnny Handsome is a fun read worth discovering after sauntering out of the recent film.
Collected in this Epic trade is a slew of late 90s/early 2000s Deadpool appearances, including Deadpool #34-45, Black Panther #23, Wolverine #154-155, Heroes Reborn: Remnants, Fight-Man #1 and Wolverine Annual ’99. This was a time of change for Marvel, with some inconsistent plotting and art throughout its 488 pages.
There are a few different Deadpool plots thrown into this trade. We have Deadpool encountering Asgardian and Wakandan royalty, including a transformation by Loki that gives him a movie star appearance. Wade shares living space with Constrictor and Titania while also training Taskmaster’s students for a mission involving a space station. The story includes a Rob Liefeld-penned confrontation with Wolverine and a bizarre battle on Counter-Earth where Deadpool faces his former allies, the Remnants.
Christopher Priest’s Deadpool is at its best when it continues the nonsensical Kelly iteration of the character, being as referential and fourth-wall-breaking as possible. Priest continues in that practice by putting the generic assassin character into realms he shouldn’t sit comfortably, like the Asgard realm. Unfortunately, the art, like many Marvel titles in the ’90s, is visually a mess with clearly rushed panel work making its way to the page with insufficient coloring. Priest also failed to balance the more comical elements of the character with the serious action-oriented ones he infused in his narrative. It simply feels like Priest was forced to fit two different characters into his plot, which is unfortunate.
While the Rob Liefeld issue is dreadful read, it at least stands out visually next to some of the other issues in this trade. Say what you will about Liefeld, but he at least has a flair for characters that pop off the page.
Marvel Comics
There isn’t much in the way of supplemental material, which is a shame, as this era of Deadpool helped define the character now beloved by fans. It’s a missed opportunity to not include letters from fans or editor notes included in issues from this period.
Deadpool Epic Collection: Johnny Handsome has some worthwhile Wade Wilson adventures, building on the exceptional Joe Kelly run that preceded it. It lacks the consistent amusing tone, and has some poor art at points, but it will still satisfy fans of the recent Deadpool film. It’s amazing to think that Liefeld’s Deathstroke rip-off would develop into such an enduring figure, and this collection of issues gives insight into how the Merc with a Mouth developed into the character loved today.
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