The Expositionables
The covers for this series are monumentally gorgeous, but this one just isn't doing it for me. What is that supposed to be, Marvel's version of Hector Hammond?
This opening arc is really starting to drag on. At first it was just the artwork throwing me off, but now the story is dragging its heels. This issue is chock full of dialogue that goes nowhere, and lots of slow setup. For a series that appears to be Marvel's Expendables, the action is few and far in-between. And the artwork is just so simplistic and bland. The colors have such minimal variety (THERE'S WAY TOO MUCH RED) and too little gradient. The viewpoints are far too often simply heads or waist up, creating a very confined and bland tone to the entire issue.
This Punisher is not the Punisher I know. This is the cheesy 90's Punisher that is the reason people don't like The Punisher. Rucka gave us the most amazing Punisher I've ever seen, even my friend, a huge Punisher fan, agreed that Rucka's Punisher was pretty much perfect. This Punisher is the opposite of Rucka's Punisher. This Punisher is Sylvester Stallone. Standing around with his angry face judging everyone for being pansies for not shooting a freaking innocent monkey. What the hell?
Deapool is at least well written here. He has a brilliant balance between off-the-wall goofiness and surprising pragmatism. Ross gives him the chance to ask two questions, and for his second, Deadpool asks something totally obtuse because he wanted it answered, and the topic at hand he knew would be explained regardless of whether or not he asked. He makes a multitude of brilliant decisions and observations in this issue wrapped within insane dialogue.
Leader is not really explained. Everyone else seems to know the danger he represents, but I was never given enough explanation to grasp that, nor the significance of keeping him around. And in the end it all comes to naught.
In Conclusion: 2/5
Deadpool stole the show this issue, and that doesn't surprise me because I liked Daniel Way's DP run, especially the plot. He weaved together nice fast paced storylines that led into each other in brilliant ways. This series is nothing like that, though. It's been one bland plot that drags on, bogged down by a surprising plethora of dialogue over action. But no matter how much dialogue there is, it STILL feels like a shallow series leaning heavily on the fan-favorite cast of badasses being badass. But an entertaining artist would be required to do that.
