The Good
Over in the pages of DEADPOOL, writer Gerry Duggan has been creating a lot of big laughs (along with co-writer Brian Posehn), but he's also filling the story with a lot of heart and compelling beats. In HAWKEYE VS. DEADPOOL, it seems like this is the writer's opportunity to just have a blast and go all-out with the comedy. It's almost like Marvel recognized he's a great comedy writer and said, "Here, have at it!" Nothing is too ridiculous and nothing is too silly for this one. If it'll make a reader laugh, odds are he found a way to include it in this limited series. And I most definitely did laugh. Several times, really ("Dawn, of Justice!"). Even though the story -- especially the villain -- wasn't all that interesting, this thrives because of how entertaining the interactions and scenarios are. It'll keep you smiling and, at the end of the day, who can't use a little more happiness in their life? It's fast-paced and fun, so if you've been enjoying the previous chapters, you should be happy with this last one. It's really that simple. Also, I love how the intro page is inspired by the ones over in DEADPOOL. It does make me wish they had Irene Y. Lee illustrate Hawkeye, though! That would be adorable, wouldn't it?
Matteo Lolli, Jacopo Camagni and Nick Filardi pages are a great fit for the limited series' tone. The facial expressions and visual gags are often pretty funny and these characters are just so animated. There's a lot of really big, comedic and action-packed moments in here and they make sure the pages are just as enjoyable as the script. Even when there's something more violent happening, they're able to prevent it from being too gory and keep the tone consistent. These pages really do a great job selling Duggan's dialogue and seeing Wade, um, dress up, is once again a hilarious experience.
The Bad
Duggan has delivered some powerful and heavy-hitting moments in his other comics (DEADPOOL has certainly been emotional at times) and he attempts to give this story a little more weight in the very end, but after such a silly, wacky and over-the-top adventure, the moment didn't impact me as much as it was probably meant to. And, seeing as the goal here is obviously to have a whole lot of fun, craziness and comedy, the story never really offered anything too compelling, despite having a few small twists and cleverly incorporating a few messages along the way.
Minor criticisms: I know Wade's healing factor means he can put through the meat grinder and get knocked around for laughs, but it's a little disappointing when his coordination and agility is downplayed just for slapstick comedy. I also noticed the coloring and illustrating of Black Cat's costume (primarily the shoulders) changed in a few panels. Dawn's hair also changes color when she's spotted a second time. Oh, and I get what Black Cat was trying to say with the Avengers comment, but it felt a bit out of place since she has to be aware he'd have no problem using his arrows in a non-lethal (and still very painful) way. By now, she's probably well aware of the fact that someone not willing to kill can still be quite formidable and have no problem overcoming the odds.
Doesn't impact the score: The fanboy in me is pretty disappointed they called this HAWKEYE VS. DEADPOOL. I get it, there's a conflict between the two and technically they attack one another, but with that title comes the reasonable assumption there will be at least one big fight between these two heroes, you know? That never happened and HAWKYE & DEADPOOL would have been a more fitting title (and a nod to the great CABLE & DEADPOOL run). The review score shouldn't be impacted by the title and instead by what's within the issue, so that's why my disappointment in it doesn't play a role in the score, but I'm sure a number of other fans will be let down there wasn't ever a big, fun fight between these two that delivered a lot of fan service, so I think it's worth at least mentioning. I know we have plenty of hero on hero fights as it is, but with this title, can you really blame us for wanting to see the kind of entertaining mayhem that could go down if these two had a big fight? A few of the covers certainly did a good job teasing the potential!
The Verdict
By now, you should know what to expect from this limited series and this last chapter gives you a ton of it. Energetic and fun visuals? Yup. Silly banter between the heroes that'll make you laugh? Definitely. Lots of lighthearted craziness as they try to stop the villain? Absolutely. It may not be the most elaborate ending around, but it's plenty of fun and does a great job celebrating both of these characters' worlds in an amusing way. It's a good time, so give it a shot if you just want sit back and get lost in an enjoyably ridiculous and entertaining adventure.