Mousey Movies - Deadpool & Wolverine

Did you hear about the Disney film that is so profane, so outrageous that it has changed Disney forever? I mean the language! And don’t even get me started about the innuendo! There was a fair amount of exposed female bottom in the film. It was so bad, that Disney had to create Touchstone Pictures to release the vulgar picture, a phrase used throughout reviews, of Tom Hanks’ 1984 romantic comedy Splash!

I’m just saying we’ve been here before and we will be here again. Some movie-goers will not like the new Deadpool & Wolverine, and they should just not go see it! I actually thought of friends that this movie is not for while watching it. With this being the third film in the Deadpool franchise, it’s not like Ryan Reynolds has been hiding what his film is! If you know it’s going to offend you, don’t go. Yes there are going to be elements that you enjoy and look forward to. But…it’s a R-rated movie, it’s the biggest R-rated movie in cinematic history. But if you know you’re not going to like it, don’t go see it. I mean, that’s my strategy for dealing with things that I know are not to my taste. For example, I don’t view horror movies, I don’t like to be scared.

Disclaimer and Warning: If you have kids, while this is a Marvel movie and filled with superheroes before you consider taking them, you need to know your kids. I was shocked when I saw Logan that there were kids way to young in the theater for what I was seeing. I didn’t think these parents knew their kids better than I did based on the reaction. If you’re kids are not ready, you may have to explain some language and adult situations that could be uncomfortable!. SO DON’T JUST GO…be conscious of what’s going to assault your ears, eyes, and heart. Don’t think it’s a clean-cut film just because Deadpool is currently meeting fans at Disney California Adventure (who saw that coming)! Because, this is the third film in a R-rated series and you should know what this series is already.

I can see how some would say, why Marvel Studios, why a R-rated film? I say why not? The great experiment of the MCU has been mixing up genres. The MCU has proven that superheroes can be applied to multiple movie types…and this franchise was already established and well-regarded. Did I mention what movie was beaten for #1? Yeah, it was Deadpool!

I won’t summarize the plot of Deadpool & Wolverine as I don’t want to spoil anything. Did I get shushed for yelling out loud? Yes! Was I unsurprised by some elements due to rumors? Yes! Was I surprised that rumors I thought were ridiculous, came true? Yes! And were there pieces of the story I didn’t see coming? Yes! I went with a big group and the hard thing was walking out without spoiling it for those coming in.

But…is it good Deadpool using only my standards?

• Community: Yes, Wade Wilson as he enters this third movie has his community! If you see the trailers you know his motivation is to save the nine people who matter to him. These are his people, and he will do anything for them, even if he is morally flexible. Additionally, he discusses his past community people with X-Force and what could be next for him in a found community. The community aspect is massive in this movie as it guides decisions, helps him learn his lessons, and defines him as the plot moves forward.

• BetterUp: The movie opens with Wade in a broken place. Okay, he was broken from the first movie. But here he is really really trying to be better. He knows that his relationships and community need more from him. And so professionally and personally he has gone on an improvement quest which may have only made the matter worse. And from the second scene on, he’s working on himself.

• Laugh Away the Pain: Yep, it’s all there. So much of the humor in Deadpool & Wolverine is to hide or confront the pain felt by both Wolverine and Deadpool. We are on a journey my friend, and that nervous laughing is a bandaid. It’s just like when I couldn’t stop laughing on the Tower of Terror as a family member punched me thinking I was mocking them. No, I’m not laughing at you, I’m laughing through this. The absurdity is ramped up as Logan, Wade, and the situation are all things that put everyone on edge.

• Your Pal Wade: Hi Wade, you see me and I see you. Deadpool…and others… break through the wall and chit-chat with us the audience. At one point a look at the camera and two words did nothing but make me squeal. Wade knows we are with him on this quest, maybe even more than Grumpy Logan. And he appreciates us!

I loved Deadpool & Wolverine. Is it a cinematic masterpiece that will be the next Godfather? No, but how often do you watch that masterpiece? I was thinking about a rewatch in the theater while walking out as I know there is so much I missed. I never thought I would see a Deadpool movie…now I have three. I never thought I would see Wade and Logan together again and properly on the screen…now I have. For me this is what Deadpool & Wolverine is…a comic book event where the creators pull in visual and story references that make me squeal and have fun, showing the things I knew and sometimes didn’t know I wanted to see on the screen. Every comic reader loves it when heroes from other books meet in unexpected ways. It’s not overwhelmed with cameos, and I think they are used well. It’s also a tribute to a franchise of comic-book movies that have been eclipsed by the MCU, and may have actually made me miss it. 

It’s smart, it’s crass, and I will be watching it again.

Between Books - Deadpool: Dead Presidents

Deadpool boxes zombie Abraham Lincoln. Yes, this is great Deadpool!

As I said earlier, Gerry Duggan is part of some really really great Deadpool. Deadpool: Dead Presidents by Gerry Duggan and Brian Posehn with art by Tony Moore is really funny Deadpool. A misguided necromancer had decided he has the solution for a failing America, resurrecting the deceased presidents of the United States. But naturally, something has gone wrong, and they all come back evil! Now, Captain America could stop this threat, but when SHIELD realizes that it is a horrible look to have Steve Rogers beating on a zombie historical leader, they go to the one man who any press is good press…Wade Wilson. The merc spends the story stopping the devious plans of the deceased presidents, A through E level.

This is really really good Deadpool!

Wade is building community. He has a group of SHIELD agents around him in support including a new agent, Agent Preston, a character who is diverse and brings a lot of reason to an unreasonable story. But he also has Agent Scott Adsit in his support group, I mean Baymax! Adsit, the voice of Baymax in Big Hero 6 is a friend of Duggan and Posehn who were active in the comedy scene and they created him as a recurring fictional agent who you can still find a decade later still on the page. Yet, he has still not appeared in live-action, which is a huge mistake. The posse even includes the ghost, NOT ZOMBIE, Benjamin Franklin.

Deadpool is trying to be better. He’s a professional my friends. He wants to do a good job and make plenty of money. This a merc with a mouth with a motivation. The awesome thing about this run as it develops is Posehn and Duggan will give him even more motivation to be a good human. So if you pick this up, keep going. I mean it does have a cliffhanger which makes you want to go to the next volume.

Wade, is he my friend? Yes, I will admit he generally does not break the fourth wall. But he has plenty of quips that are clearly meant for me, I mean the reader. And he does explain to other fictional characters that he is talking to us. So we get an acknowledgment. My favorite moment though may be when he tells us what to listen to during a five-page montage. Honestly, it made it feel more cinematic.

Finally, if I have not made it clear enough…this story is absurd. Zombie Abe Lincoln! But in all the wildness, the creators give us a clear picture of what they thought of 2014 American society (spoiler it may not have changed much)! They also are brilliant in working in real historical facts about the presidents and super super obscure references to other Marvel storylines.

With Deadpool and Wolverine coming soon, you may be looking for a comic starting point. Deadpool: Dead Presidents by Gerry Duggan and Brian Posehn with art by Tony Moore is my recommendation. It does not require a lot of Wade’s backstory. It is silliness ramped up to 11. It has characters that will follow Deadpool around awhile, yes I want Adsit in this movie! Finally, the writing and art are top-notch!

Now get out of here and go read! 

 

This post contains affiliate links, which means that Between Disney receives a percentage of sales purchased through links on this site 

 

Between Books - Uncanny Avengers: The Resistance

Let’s continue our exploration of recentish Deadpool stories in the Krakoan Era of Marvel Comics. Will Uncanny Avengers: The Resistance satisfy a diehard Deadpool fan?

Uncanny Avengers: The Resistance by Gerry Duggan with art by Joshua Cassara finds the Mutants of Krakoa on the run. Orchis, an anti-Mutant organization, has filled the vacuum left by SHIELD (which is always falling apart) and has forced Mutants to leave Earth for exile on the planet Arakko (which you might call Mars). Avenger Steve Rogers cannot let this stand, and forms a team of X-Men and Avengers, the Uncanny Avengers, working to expose Orchis’ evil plans and allow Mutants the right to live freely on this planet. One of those Avengers…is our guy Wade Wilson. Orchis in an attempt to further discredit Mutants has a superpowered individual steal the Captain Krakoa costume formally worn by Cyclops to spread Mutant Hate in false flag operations. Can the Uncanny Avengers expose Orchis and the identity of their suited soldier?

So, let’s examine this story in light of whether is this really good Deadpool? First, Wade is fully a member of a community in this Avengers team. He has a group, he is loyal to them and they are loyal to him. He truly has a place where he mostly fits as a bridge between Mutant and non-Mutant heroes. Second, Wade is on his 100% best behavior. Steve Rogers is leading this group and historically he has proven his willingness to do whatever Steve asks and be a better person. This is Deadpool as we generally won’t see him in movies, a good soldier. Third, honestly, Wade does not laugh away the pain. This is going to sound wild, but, while he has some jokey jokey moments, he provides some of the most sincere and truthful moments of the story. He’s clearly there for the comedy relief, but the court jester speaks some hard truth. Finally, Deadpool is not our pal. He really has nothing to say to us as this is more of an Avengers/Captain America book.

The story is written by Gerry Duggan who has given us some of the beat Deadpool out there. Storywise, he does draw on some of his Deadpool past and some of his Deadpool family creations. But he is not writing haha hehe Deadpool. He is writing an Avengers tale that is well within the Krakoan Era of X-Men comics, which he has contributed to. He is one of my favorite writers; this is a solid story. Duggan just didn’t write a Deadpool story.

Duggan does rely on the history of Deadpool and the Avengers Unity Squad. Believe it or not, Deadpool is not just an Avenger, but has led and bankrolled the team. A big part of that history is Captain America, and allow me to say again, Wade’s willingness to do anything for him. This story does lead back into that willingness in some of the reveals. What happened shouldn’t have surprised me, but it did as I was expecting the soldier to be someone else. But Duggan really did hint hard at his final reveal.

There is synergy in using Avengers and Deadpool at the same time. There appears to be some sort of Avengers team in Deadpool and Wolverine. And this book does help remind at least comic readers that Deadpool has been associated with the team. Do I think it’s this team…not even close. But it could lean heavily on X-men like this story does since the Deadpool movies have been X-Men heavy and the most exciting trailer reveals have been X-Men heroes and villains.

I will say there is a lot of value in comics in reflecting today and providing stories for moral growth. There are some real ripped-from-the-headline-type moments here which reflect current events and maybe how we should react to these issues. Some may not like where Duggan goes. But as I often say about comics, we need to learn our lessons.

Uncanny Avengers: The Resistance by Gerry Duggan with art by Joshua Cassara is a good story that supports a major Marvel Comics story line with Krakoa. But it’s not the “best” example of what I like about Deadpool. Yeah, I like that the jester is wise! But Wade is definitely a supporting hero, not the lead. So while I enjoyed the story, it wasn’t a good example of my quest to showcase Deadpool. For that, we may need to go further into the past! 

 

This post contains affiliate links, which means that Between Disney receives a percentage of sales purchased through links on this site 

Between Books - Deadpool by Alyssa Wong Volume 1

Alright, I really like Deadpool! But how does one of the most recentish runs stack up in that fandom!

Deadpool By Alyssa Wong Volume 1 collects the first five issues of the Deadpool main title written by Alyssa Wong with art by Martin Coccolo along with a few pages of material from New Mutants. Two plots slam together in this opening volume! First, Deadpool is given an audition to become a member of Atelier, a super-elite group of assassins you mostly don’t know, in the mission to kill Doctor Octopus. Second, while on this quest, Deadpool is kidnapped by the Harrower, a newish villain, who acts a bit like DC’s Poison Ivy and wishes to use Deadpool to create a new super symbiote. Wade has to balance both Harrower and Atelier. While everyone is trying to kill him, Wade also grows a new child inside him and balances a new girlfriend who may herself be a killer (okay she’s totally an assassin).

Let’s look at what I think makes Deadpool great. First, he is fully trying to build community by joining Atelier, a group of like-minded killers. Maybe it’s not the group that a moral person wants to be part of, but there’s an opening. Second, Wade is fully trying to be better. His audition with Atelier is him seeking validation for the fact that he has improved to an elite level…of killing. But he is also trying to be a great boyfriend with us seeing the growth from courting to officially we are a couple. Let’s also not forget he is working on being a great dad/friend to a new symbiote. Third, the humor that covers the pain here is somewhat on the nose. Harrower’s experiment is unimaginably painful, and Wade never stops the quips or laughing. This is truly a laugh-it-off situation. Finally, is he our pal? Wade does greet us into this story! But Wong does not have him chit-chat with us as much as some may like.

I also need to note for those who don’t like Deadpool, this is really violent. Symbiotes are in the house! And that always brings a level of blood and body horror that others may not enjoy. Visually you get to see why Wade is wearing the red pants. But it’s truly not for me to be so bloody at times because symbiotes are not always kind to bodies. (Disclaimer, I think Marvel overused symbiotes like Venom and Carnage).

A lot of what comics do is work synergy! Deadpool & Wolverine has been on the board for years, and this volume at least does a bad job of preparing fans for a movie. The good of this decision is that Wong was not pushed by a committee to write a Wolverine story and could make story choices beyond that requirement. The New Mutants material fully puts the title in the Krakoan era, where Mutants had their own nation-state. It also reminds us that Deadpool is Mutant adjacent, despite not being one. The use of Doctor Octopus as a target did limit the stakes for me, as I knew that no real harm could come to him in a non-Spidey title. I also am symbioted out (my new phrase). I am just not a fan of Venom and Carnage and all the other symbiotes that Marvel seems to currently be sprinkling everywhere (oh, I already mentioned that). So sadly, there’s no synergy here for me.

Deadpool By Alyssa Wong Volume 1 by Alyssa Wong with art by Martin Coccolo is a fine Deadpool story that hits a lot of the boxes that I like. It is set in the Krakoan era but isn’t shoehorned into that giant arc but it also doesn’t prepare us for a movie. It feels like Wong had some freedom in the creator role which I think is wonderful. But symbiotes are not my favorite thing to find in a Marvel story as a personal story (running theme of this review). 

 

This post contains affiliate links, which means that Between Disney receives a percentage of sales purchased through links on this site

Oswald Opines - Why I Like My Pal Deadpool

I’ve loved Deadpool for decades. I loved Deadpool before he was cool! Deadpool would probably be shocked to find out he is cool!

I get that not everyone is a fan of Deadpool. I have friends who really dislike him. I get thier impressions. Wade Wilson is gross, profane, vile, lacks morals, and is generally a horrible person. He is super violent, he is a merc with a mouth, and he uses it. He murders and kills. Shouldn’t he be a villain? Finally, a lot of times stupidity rules his stories with a large amount of absurdity. Deadpool isn’t for everyone! Even I can find Deadpool stories I don’t like, when the writer feels like Deadpool is just a slashing and shooting machine.

Not to brag, I’ve read at least 115 Deadpool specific titles. This doesn’t even count titles where he was a guest star or regular cast member like X-Force. This makes me feel like I have the receipts to discuss the best part of Deadpool’s story and why I enjoy him so much. The best Deadpool stories have the following qualities:

• Community: The best Deadpool stories see him trying to create relationships and communities. Wade physically looks horrifying, as highlighted in the Deadpool movie. His costume in’t cute…but it does scream “See Me! Look at Me! Love Me!” So while Deadpool stories often do have a lot of excessive violence, the tortilla of the chimichanga that is wrapped around character moments of an outside seeking to connect with others and feel valued. Deadpool IS NOT a Mutant. Yet for example he is X-men affiliated and a frequent member of the paramilitary Mutant squad X-Force. How did he get placed her, he sought community with Mutants. While he is an unlikable and unlovable outsider who appears to be a solo story, good Deadpool stories have a full cast of community.

• BetterUp: Wade Wilson is trying to be better. He’s trying to be a better boyfriend…or husband. He wants to be a better friend. Sometimes he wants to be a better hero while other times he wants to be a better murderer. Deadpool in his long history becomes a dad, yeah that’s not a great idea. But he works on being the best dad he can, one who teaches murder but a good dad. In the best Deadpool stories, a basic story construction I see is literally, he’s trying to be better.

• Laugh Away the Pain: A great Deadpool story needs to have a lot of humor. Often the more absurd the better. Yes, Deadpool boxing zombie Abraham Lincoln has happened and it’s hilarious. But while there is usually a lot of humor, read closely. Wade Wilson and Peter Parker quips are far from the same. Typically Wilson’s cover his own internal pain…pain over his his traumas associated with military service, cancer, non-Mutant-Mutantlike state, broken relationships, and so much more. Wade is broken. He uses comedy to hide this brokenness. Maybe that comedy can also trigger some healing!

• Your Pal Wade: Deadpool is your friend. He’s going to chat with you while he’s on his madcap adventures. Because your buddies and we all need buddies. How many other comic book heroes can you say that about? Warning: most answers for other 4th Wall Breakers are following Wade’s lead.

I was personally thrilled when Ryan Reynolds was cast as Deadpool in X-Men Origins: Wolverine. I thought he was perfect…because of Two Guys, a Girls and a Pizza Place. As Berg, Reynolds balanced comedy with emotion with comedy. And then they SEWED HIS MOUTH SHUT! So no quips to heal trauma. And he couldn’t be our friend. And we couldn’t hear him chit chat with friends. It was a waste! Needless to say when I saw the famous leaked test footage for Deadpool, I was one of those fans screaming TAKE MY MONEY!

In short, Deadpool’s not perfect. But neither am I! He’s an exaggerated version of me and my friends. He’s trying to make himself a better person. He has trauma he is trying to get past, maybe not in a way that everyone can agree with. But he’s trying. And like so many of us he feels isolated and is just trying to create community.

These are just a few reasons why I liked Deadpool before he was cool! Maybe you should give Wade a try and see if he’s the friend you need when you can’t get the one you want.



P.S. If you see the name Joe Kelly or Gerry Duggan, it’s probably really good Deadpool!

Cap's Comics - Uncle Scrooge and the Infinity Dime #1

Alex Ross Cover

Disney is having another comic book moment! Not since the days of Disney Kingdoms have we seen Disney push traditional Disney intellectual property into the hands of American comic book readers. And hopeful this time it sticks!

Lorenzo Pastrovicchio Variant Cover

“Uncle Scrooge and the Infinity Dime #1” is a one-shot self-contained story featuring Uncle Scrooge in a multiversal adventure. Jason Aaron leads this effort, a well-renowned, experienced comic creator who loves classic Carl Barks and Don Rosa duck comics. Aaron reaches back to Barks’ “Christmas on Bear Mountain” story and asks what could have happened differently and pushed Scrooge away from family connections. This Scrooge McDuck used the power of his Number One Dime to enter other universes and become the richest duck in all universes, primarily stealing from Scrooge variants. Our hero Scrooge attempts to assemble a team to defeat Scrooge-Above-All and return all of the Uncle Scrooges’ riches. Along with Aaron’s original story, the issue reprints Barks’ “Christmas on Bear Mountain.”

Elizabeth Torque Variant Cover

I love 90% of what Jason Aaron writes. His Original Sin mini-series, how it reframed Nick Fury, and the impact it had on the Marvel universe is one of my favorite stories. He also tends with most of his best work to be dark, edgy, and not kid-friendly. Yet, as I mentioned, he loves duck stories because he shared them with his son. Aaron is a perfect choice for this story. He weaves the history and tradition of what a reader would expect from duck stories, like images and call-outs to Duck Tales, with Marvel story references. With me being more of a Marvel guy than a duck guy, Aaron gave me several Easter Eggs that made me chuckle, and finding myself a little shocked he went there. I also really love the fact that he choose to not make Uncle Scrooge McDuck prime the villain of this story and used a multiversal version to go all Thanos instead.

Ron Lim Variant Cover

I don’t know any of the artists. Every chapter has a different artist, and one can tell there are slight art changes. Paolo Mottura, Francesco D’Ippolito penciling with Lucio De Giuseppe inking, Alessandro Pastrovicchio and Vitale Mangiatordi, and finally Giada Perissinotto put Aaron’s words onto the page for each chapter. It makes a lot of sense why these unfamiliar to an American reader names take up the art chores. They are all Italian. And while duck stories fell out of fashion in the United States, duck stories flourished in Italy. And so if Marvel wants to put their best foot forward with this new Marvel Disney mash-up experiment, they have selected the most duck-influenced and experienced artists available. I also don’t think Disney needed a splashy well-known artist as I’m sure that much of the audience they are attempting to attract don’t even know that Jason Aaron is a superstar of the medium. 

Frank Miller Variant Cover

I hope this experiment leads to more. Disney has committed to two Donald Duck What If? Stories in the next few months. The ads in the comic advertise younger heroes that may be more all-ages or youth-friendly, all with “Perfect for Younger Readers!” stamps. I think a few years ago, the $7.99 price may have kept some prospective new readers away. But with current costs, it really is a fair price for the issue. I was worried when I saw a reprint that I would not feel like I got enough new material for the price. But I was glad that Bear Mountain was reprinted as Aaron made mention of it as his inspiration. So instead of me needing to track down that story, it was given to me and other readers who may not want to take the time to research it. The next two offerings are under $5 which I think will make them more inquisitive friendly. That under $5 perception could make it feel more budget-friendly, but I assume there will be fewer pages. A parent may be more willing at that price to pick it up for their young reader. I just want to see comics in Walt Disney World since Universal Orlando Resort already has them! 

John Romita Jr. Variant Cover

“Uncle Scrooge and the Infinity Dime #1” makes me declare, Let’s Go. I really am a Jason Aaron stan so the news of this story instantly caught my attention. Disney and Aaron was a good bet for me. Storywise, it also makes me want to read some of the Barks and Rosa stories, because Aaron makes it clear Uncle Scrooge may be one of the multiverse's greatest adventurers.