It took a long time for Deadpool to get credit as an X-Man, but now he’s considered one and gets his own Age of Revelation book, titled Undeadpool. So far, each Age of Revelation series has had its own flavor, be it following Cyclops in stopping Revelation, or seeing how Revelation keeps control over the people via the Omega Kids. Now it’s time to see the utter hell Deadpool is under as a zombie, and whether a group of young mutants can survive the experience.
If you like near-constant banter, you’re going to like Undeadpool #1. Writer Tim Seeley keeps the reader inside Wade Wilson’s head for the entirety of the issue via captions, even when Deadpool isn’t even present on the page. He’s our narrator, first detailing how a group of mutants puttered into a Revelation territory in a broken-down van, and then mustering up the bravery to enter a dangerous area where those who were “babeled” lay claim to travelers.
I, for one, found his constant yapping a bit irritating, since a lot of what he says is throwaway blabber, as well as most of it not being funny at all. Without it, however, Deadpool would only appear in the last few pages of the comic. For that reason, it makes sense there’s so much narrating, but I don’t see how it adds much to the experience.
A new group of heroes!
Credit: Marvel
The reason Deadpool is limited is that Seeley and artist Carlos Magno spend the majority of the time detailing a ragtag group of teen mutants hoping to join the Avengers. It’s an interesting group, each of which has its general look and powerset as a kind of ode to other heroes. They don’t agree with Revelation, either, but want to join the Avengers. We get to know them well enough so that when they start dropping like flies, we care enough for the deaths to matter. In this way, the issue is kind of like a slasher horror movie. For the most part, it works, right down to the trope of characters wanting sex and getting killed for it in horror movies.
As far as Deadpool’s place in this world ten years into the future, Seeley has a pretty good hook. The virus has changed him dramatically, but his healing factor keeps him alive. Throw in a surprise mutant appearing on the final page, and we have ourselves an interesting twist on a dynamic Marvel duo. Unfortunately, Deadpool is absent, at least visually, and thus it doesn’t feel like his series yet.
Magno’s art suits the horror vibes of the book, with a darker tone and heavy use of ink. The showstopper in the issue is the cliffhanger full-page splash, although the design of the mutants is interesting, making them feel well thought out.
Undeadpool #1 is a grisly, dark twist on the Deadpool mythos that reads like a mutant-filled horror movie. While it sometimes buries its lead under chatter and side characters, the tone, concept, and visuals promise a gory good time once the Merc finally takes center stage.
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