The villainous mutant Stryfe (a clone of Cable, if you didn’t know) has Deadpool under mind-control using a mysterious substance known as ‘Legacy 2.0’. Wolverine should apparently be under Stryfe’s control too, but for some reason he isn’t. Logan has also figured out how to overcome Wade’s mind-control: by inflicting brutal, bloody violence upon the poor Merc with a Mouth. Wolverine’s claws are sharp, he’s looking for answers, and — as we all know — he’s the best there is at what he does.
Deadpool/Wolverine #3 is what it should be: a bloodbath. It was only natural that Wade and Logan would face off against each other at some point in this series, and the conflict plays out here across multiple pages in a mix of explosive splash pages and tight, wordless panels that match every beat of this lengthy, vicious fight.
The issue really is a visual delight. Joshua Cassara puts an incredible level of detail into his artwork. From the setting of the bar that the fight takes place in, to the hairs on Logan’s arms and the weathered lines on Stryfe’s face, you’ll find something impressive to look at on every page. The violence is visceral and fun and exactly the kind of thing a casual reader might expect from a book like this.
Marvel
On the other hand, the story here isn’t shaping up to be anything remotely like last year’s Deadpool & Wolverine movie, which feels like the right decision. After all, this book is hitting shelves months after the explosive hype of that movie has died down, and it honestly feels like it could easily exist in a world where that movie didn’t even happen. Comic fans can be quick to decry ‘synergy’ with the MCU, but Deadpool/Wolverine #3 feels like it’s carving out its own identity with a bonkers plot and wild visuals.
This is down to Ben Percy’s writing. You might know that Percy recently spent years writing Wolverine’s solo series throughout the Krakoan Era of X-Men comics. He also wrote the X-Force series during this era — a series that included Deadpool later in the run. The impact of these prior books can be felt in Deadpool/Wolverine #3, as it confirms that the reason Wolverine isn’t succumbing to Stryfe’s mind-control is directly related to the events of the Krakoan Era. It’s nice to see Percy leaning just enough on established comic continuity to please longtime fans, while not overdoing it to the point where the book would be incomprehensible to new readers.
As expected, Deadpool/Wolverine #3 is mostly a bit of fun and spectacle. Highlights include Wolverine interrogating Deadpool by turning his mind-control on and off in quick succession and the reveal of what the next step in Stryfe’s plan entails. (Let’s just say he didn’t store his mind-control juice in a cemetery for nothing…)
Marvel
Deadpool/Wolverine #3 is actually the first time these two characters have interacted at length since the beginning of this series where Wade hasn’t been mind-controlled, so fans of their odd-couple dynamic will be pleased as Percy does a great job of capturing their voices. On the slightly negative side, while it might be a bit much to expect from a Deadpool-heavy book, it would’ve been nice if Percy had been able to dig a little deeper into their friendship.
Sure, the events of the plot have effectively bound these two characters together, but it would’ve been much appreciated if Percy had been able to give us a hint of what these characters mean to each other; where they disagree; how their goals or motivations differ. Insults and banter are fun and the “one’s gruff; one’s silly” dynamic is effective at generating a passing engagement, but there’s potential here for something a little deeper. At the moment, it’s hard to see where this Deadpool/Wolverine relationship is going thematically as Percy hasn’t really given us any indication of an arc for these classic characters.
If nothing else, Deadpool/Wolverine #3 is a fun excuse for some truly bloody violence. Tinged with a light touch of Deadpool’s trademark sense of humor, contrasted by Wolverine’s single-minded drive, the issue is easily compelling enough to be enjoyed by new readers and fans alike (especially if those fans happen to enjoy Percy’s Wolverine and X-Men runs). The art is beautifully detailed and Stryfe’s plan is so outrageous that even though the leads are lacking any semblance of character arcs, there’s plenty here to be enjoyed.
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