Good lord. I don’t know if any comic collection has ever given me so much whiplash, starting with one of the silliest plots in Marvel Comics and ending in one of its most harrowing. Marvel’s newest Deadpool Modern Era Epic Collection, ironically titled “In Wade We Trust,” truly runs the gamut of Wade Wilson’s character beats. From the ridiculous resurrection of evil ex-Presidents to a truly horrific exploration of a North Korean prison camp, these Deadpool issues give heart, shock, and hilarity, all grounded in gorgeous artwork.
Written in collaboration by Gerry Duggan and Brian Posehn, In Wade We Trust collects Deadpool (2012) #1 – 19, and while the issues presented may not be viewed as definitive Deadpool tales, they certainly develop Wade into the hero we all know and love today. A talented group of artists illustrates vol. 5 of the Deadpool Modern Era Epic Collection: Tony Moore, Scott Koblish, Mike Hawthorne, and Declan Shalvey, with color from Val Staples and Jordie Bellaire.
Marvel
I want to start with the highlights of this collection, namely the final five issues of the book, the brutal arc titled “The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly.” I had never read these Deadpool issues before and… wow, they really made an impression on me. The arc sees Deadpool teaming up with Captain America and Wolverine to confront the villainous Butler in his North Korean experimentation camp, revealing heartbreaking secrets about Wade’s past.
It’s hard to even describe how brutal and tragic this story is, and I highly recommend you get this collection simply to have this story collected on your bookshelf. Not only is the story a worthwhile read, but the art is absolutely stunning. The muted colors the Bellaire uses for the depressing North Korean environment fits the harrowing story perfectly, while Shalvey’s understated and simple art elevates the brutality of the kills. In particular, there is one devastating scene in issue #18 that has stayed with me since I read the collection several weeks ago. Deadpool’s breakdown in this scene is horrible to witness, and it was a powerful reminder of what fascism can do to a country and its people.
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These final issues are a hard read, but well worth it. I think the entire collection is improved by having Emily Preston’s mind in Deadpool’s head, acting as a sort of conscience in a way that grounds Wade’s more primal urges. Preston was a great addition to the Deadpool mythos, and her introduction alongside the mysterious Ellie (Wade’s daughter who recently took on the moniker of Deadpool in Cody Ziglar’s current Deadpool run) still impacts Wade’s lore, motivations, and heroism to this day.
My final major highlight of In Wade We Trust is the sheer number of variant covers depicted in the back of this collection! While most Epic Collections from Marvel collect some variant covers, the numbers and full-size offerings vary widely, and I will always rate a collection higher if they have a huge gallery of variants. This Epic Collection has 14 full-size variant covers plus several pages of behind-the-scenes scripts from the issues, an awesome addition to the stories themselves.
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There are a lot of great things about this book – the ’70s retro throwback comics in between arcs are a true blast – but I really, really did not love the first arc. The resurrected presidents shtick was cute and fun for maybe one to two issues, but this plot went on for a full six issues, and characters like Ben Franklin’s ghost continued past the end of the arc. I just thought it was a bit too silly, dragged on, and didn’t provide as much commentary on American politics as I think it could have. Plus, starting the collection out with this arc and ending with the final arc made the book feel like two entirely separate versions of Deadpool.
All in all, I liked this Deadpool collection. In particular, I liked Wade’s characterization, the diversity of art styles, and the harrowing adventure Deadpool went through in the final arc of the book. While I think the first arc dragged on way too long, it didn’t ruin the collection for me, and I firmly believe that any fan of modern Deadpool would enjoy this comic. With major cameos from Spider-Man, Luke Cage, Iron Man, Captain America, and Wolverine, there is something for everyone in these comics… if you can get past Wade’s hamburger meat face (Oooh, typing that kinda made me hungry…).
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