THE DEADPOOL VS COMICS MUST NEVER END! has to be a memo nailed up at Marvel’s offices, because, just as the last one - Vs X-Force - came to a close, this one popped out: Deadpool Vs Hawkeye! I have to say though that I’m a real sucker for these things even though the last two - Vs X-Force and Vs Carnage - were just ok.
So this time around the Merc with a Mouth is taking on the multi-award winning Matt Fraction/David Aja/Matt Hollingsworth Hawkeye - minus those creators. Writer Gerry Duggan is joined by artist Matteo Lolli - and they actually produce a very decent facsimile of a Hawkeye comic, with Deadpool thrown in to stir the pot.
I don’t know how many storylines I’ve seen this in but it feels recycled and overused: a hacker takes a flash drive full of valuable information and gives it to someone - in this case, Deadpool - and brings down a heap of trouble on their head. It’s fine actually, it brings Deadpool and Hawkeye together - and into conflict too which felt like a bit of a reach - but I’ve read worse plots in superhero comics.
If you read Hawkeye (and if you don’t, why the hell not?!) you’ll know Clint’s temporarily deaf but he’s really good at reading lips so it’s almost like there’s no difference. But I definitely appreciated that they kept that continuity in this comic. The same approach is taken to Deadpool’s series as they kept the fact that Deadpool is now a dad and… that’s just disturbing. If there’s one person who shouldn’t have kids, it’s Deadpool!
Anyway, it’s Halloween, everyone’s trick or treating, Hawkeye’s dressed up as Ultron, Deadpool’s Peter Venkman, and a bunch of goons dressed as Marvel superheroes are causing a ruckus. They’re after the flash drive the hacker dropped into Deadpool’s trick or treat pumpkin head bag.
Gerry Duggan’s script for this issue might be the best he’s done yet. It’s fun and loose when it needs to be, taut and exciting when it comes to the action. He’s got Deadpool’s character down cold and writes a pretty decent Hawkeye too. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him stepping into Fraction’s shoes when his Hawkeye ends and gets rebooted with a new #1.
Matteo Lolli goes for the visual gymnastics that David Aja brought to Hawkeye. There’s an interesting sign language splash page, Deadpool does a move that I can’t quite nail down in my head but I believe it’s Jim Carrey/Ace Ventura in origin, there’s some cool POV shots of Hawkeye aiming an arrow as he chases a bad guy down a crowded street, and there’s even a reference to Hawkeye #11 aka the Pizza Dog issue with a twist as Deadpool complains about how confusing the silent panels are. Really good artwork from Lolli.
And though this is a $4.99 comic, I’m pleased to say that it’s all comic (minus a handful of ad pages). Look at Death of Wolverine #1 and you’ll see that same price point but only half a comic with the rest padded out with sketches and interviews - stuff I don’t really think add value to the comic. So I’m glad that, while I’m paying extra for this comic, I’m getting extra-comic for my money, not extra filler.
If this #0 issue is anything to go by, this is the best Deadpool Vs series there’s been in quite some time. It’s an excellent issue with solid work from both Duggan and Lolli which fans of both characters are going to enjoy - check it out!
Hawkeye Vs Deadpool #0
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