Wade Wilson is usually in a dark place, hence the jokes, but in Wade Wilson: Deadpool, Ben Percy and Geoff Shaw have made things far worse for him. Why, we don’t really know, but he’s throwing himself into violent no-win situations to soak up pain instead of therapy. He’s also getting mysterious notes to save lives, which equates to sweet, sweet cash. Never quite a hero, Deadpool is more himself than ever in another standout issue.
Wade Wilson: Deadpool #2 opens on a subway train controlled by armed clowns. It may seem random, but Deadpool knew it was going to happen and rushed to save the people. Captions catch us up while Shaw draws an exciting sequence, and editor Mark Basso tickles our funny bones with clever editor’s notes. It’s a strong opening that does everything it needs to get us into gear for what is to come.
From there, Deadpool takes out threats left and right, like riding a wave runner into a submarine filled with zombies, and stopping a swarm of African killer bees from killing school kids. Fluttering amongst the montage are the printed notes of when and where terrible acts will take place. This all builds towards the clincher of it all: Deadpool is doing this to blackmail and shake down innocent people, as the notes warn. The creep!
These clowns deserve to die!
Credit: Marvel
Along the way, the creative team delivers a great six-panel page of Wade explaining things using a chalkboard, a reminder of why Wade is leaning into the pain, and a fun scene with Blind Al. It has it all, with the final few pages setting up where this story goes from here. Who the mysterious writer of the notes is remains to be seen, but Wade’s hijinks stopping ridiculously over-the-top deaths is quite a fun ride.
Outside of this mostly being a ride along with Deadpool being a jerk to innocent folks, though he is saving their lives, the cliffhanger leaves a bit to be desired. It’s not so much who is behind the threat, but that a threat like assassination would get our blood up when it comes to Deadpool. The guy took a bomb to the back at the start of this tale. Why would we be jacked up for a bullet to his head? It’s a minor quibble, but with how bombastic the issue is, the final panels were a little milquetoast.
Wade Wilson: Deadpool #2 is a wild, fast-moving issue that thrives on absurd escalation and sharp humor. Ben Percy and Geoff Shaw push Wade into increasingly ridiculous and dangerous scenarios, while quietly building a darker undercurrent about why he is doing any of it. The action is inventive, the pacing rarely lets up, and the character work reminds you that beneath the jokes is someone spiraling. While the ending does not hit as hard as the rest of the issue, the ride getting there is chaotic, funny, and just uncomfortable enough to keep things interesting.
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