Deadpool Kills Deadpool 4
Bunn (w) and Espin (a) and Gandini (c)
The Deadpool Corps has been decimated, leaving just Deadpool and Pandapool to face however many evil Deadpools remain. The Deadpool Watcher sacrifices himself to re-power the Nexus and send the 'pools to the HQ of the evil Deadpools but, sadly, it turns out they're expected. Bonus, though, there are a few more good guy 'pools waiting for them there and the tides turn again. In the end, though, it ends up with just Deadpool vs. the original crazed Deadpool, the one who started it all. The crazed Deadpool still believes Deadpool is the progenitor of all things and that they can end this by their deaths. He catches Deadpool questioning but, ultimately, Deadpool's beliefs win out and he wins the fight, killing a now-converted evil Deadpool in honor of his fallen friends. Deadpool begins to search out a new way home as his direct enemy Deadpool lurks in the shadows, watching him.
Pretty neat little ending to a somewhat neat little book. Marvel has clearly carved out a little niche for this story and is doing its best to keep that niche going. Still, the story was entertaining and the idea of self and existence all come across pretty well, even if the story felt mostly like a way to draw all manner of different Deadpools, a worthy enough cause. The art was impressive and the variety of Deadpools certainly kept the backgrounds interesting so the idea that we got a plot at all was something pretty unexpected. Nice little book, really felt like it knew what it was and accomplished what it set out to accomplish. Deadpool returns in Night of the Living Deadpool.
Trial of the Punisher 2
Guggenheim (w) and Suayan (a) and Gho (c)
The case isn't going particularly well, considering the fact that there are a number of witnesses out there to attest that Punisher has, for all of his other possible crazy tendencies, very clearly known what he is doing. One particular piece of testimony paints Punisher as a methodical killer, trying to hunt down criminal and known pedophile Vincent Siglio. Instead of going through just the heads of crime families and the like, Punisher went to ground and started working his way through the minor players to find information, which he was never able to find. The story shows how aware of his own plans Punisher is. Matt Murdock is called in as an expert on Punisher but refuses to reveal much, given client privilege. Punisher, meanwhile, insists that his lawyer drag the case to the following Wednesday, which she is able to do. On Wednesday, he testifies on his own behalf and reveals that he has a tape with a confession of bribe-taking from the Assistant DA he killed. He informs the judge of a website he's loaded the video to that requires a password and the judge says that he'll watch the video and review it, but Punisher further insists that he be there for it. His lawyer pushes for him, saying that Punisher is absolutely allowed to participate in his own defense, and the three of them, plus the prosector and some security go into the judge's chambers to watch the video. While it plays, Punisher uncuffs himself and steals the security guard's gun, forcing the attorneys (even his own, who feels incredibly betrayed) and judge to cuff themselves to the desk. He then races through the courthouse according to the map he had drawn himself to another room, where Vincent Siglio was about to be transported, having turned evidence and entered witness protection. Punisher kills Siglio and narrates to us about his plan working out.
It's not a bad little story and it was definitely a good call to make this a two-issue arc. I've talked a lot recently about stories overstaying their welcome or, in the case of something like Infinity, lasting exactly what they need to last. This one feels like one that someone along the line could have said "make it a four-part series" or something like that to try to milk it but two issues told the story concisely and efficiently, never leaving too much or too little on the table. If anything, it's Daredevil's testimony that feels a little padded out but it still fits in the context of the story and it helps resolve any questions about why Murdock stayed out of this case in the first place. Pretty good story, nothing particularly illuminating about the character of Punisher, given that we pretty much already know his modus operandi and the lengths he'll go to in order to punish but it's still a readable and interesting little slice of life story.
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