The Good
Spoiler alert: HAWKEYE VS. DEADPOOL is legitimately funny. Now, if you're reading Gerry Duggan's DEADPOOL, this should come as no surprise whatsoever, but it's great to see he can successfully handle a "team-up" which allows Deadpool to be himself without bringing Hawkeye to his level. It doesn't feel like Clint is co-starring in Wade's series or vice versa. Instead, Duggan continues to blend elements from both of these awesome books and it works really well. Longtime readers of both titles are sure to appreciate little pieces of continuity which carry over and beats that feel like they're pulled directly from the ongoing books. For example, there's a visual bit with Kate that would fit perfectly into Fraction's series. Duggan's more than proved he can write compelling and emotionally-driven stories (e.g. The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly), but this one's all about the laughter. There's plenty of gags to appreciate here, ranging from nods to Marvel as a whole all the way to a simple prank. Whenever Wade and Clint are in the panel, I was having a blast and feeling like the $3.99 issue was worthy of every single penny. That said, it is worth noting that there's a very brief bit which reminds the reader that Wade's not just a clown with a healing factor -- a common misconception that I'm happy to see he addresses frequently.
Duggan's script is full of hilarity, and thankfully artists Matteo Lolli and Jacopo Camagni's style delivers all of the laughs oh-so-well. From the exaggerated reactions to the lighthearted handling of the brawl, the pencils fit the tone wonderfully and are a joy to gaze at. It's never quite as inventive as the work over in HAWKEYE, but the layouts are effective and keep the story flowing smoothly. Meanwhile, Christian Peter compliments the panels with consistently good coloring. There's a few moments in the brawl where the coloring really thrives (the dynamic backgrounds and the electricity bit), but the colors remain just as lively as the dialogue and character work throughout the issue.
The Bad
There's a line in here that almost feels like a jab at what fans. Instead of seeing the fight between these two unfold, we witness the aftermath and both of them comment how the fight was pointless. Yet given the title, it's not really unfair to expect and want to see this. Plus, it may be "pointless," but as a huge fan of both characters, seeing a big fight between these two has the potential to be jaw-dropping. Hopefully Duggan's just building-up to their big fight? I mean, it would be pretty odd to call this HAWKEYE VS. DEADPOOL without having one, right? Sure, they're at odds when it comes to handling the situation, but hopefully we'll get some fan service and eventually see these two duke it out. How could they not deliver on that after the awesome cover for #0?
Minor gripes: Recommending reading for this limited series is obviously Duggan's Deadpool and Fraction's Hawkeye, but Black Cat's inclusion feels a tad odd because she's suddenly acting like a crime lord. People reading THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN know she's become a villain and has her sights set on Spidey, but as someone not current with that book, I'm left here wondering what's going on from the villain's side of things. I know what they're doing, but I don't really follow why. I know there's still plenty of plot details that have yet to be revealed, but it's still very unclear to me why Black Cat is working at this level. I'm guessing this is how ASM readers felt when she made such a big transition over in that series. Also, I have no idea why Deadpool electrocuted himself aside from "because he's Deadpool!"
The Verdict
HAWKEYE VS. DEADPOOL has just about everything you'd expect from it -- you know, aside from them actually fighting each other! It's establishing a mystery which is amusing enough, but that's totally overshadowed by the energetic, animated artwork and the hilarious interactions between these two characters. Duggan's story thrives on lighthearted developments and great banter, but every so often, a little bit of depth is sprinkled in, too. It prevents this from feeling too silly and manages to treat these characters with a good amount of respect. This book has the potential to take some pretty dark and twisted turns, but as of right now, it's just the right thing to read if you want to forget about your troubles and lose yourself in a fun adventure.
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