Joe Kelly's Deadpool

**Crimson Spider** · 03-19-2005, 06:20 PM

Deadpool
Vol. 1, #1-25, Annual ’97, ’98, and -1
Writer: Joe Kelly
Artists: Ed McGuiness and Walter McDaniel

This is hands down Joe Kelly’s greatest work in comics. He’s taken a second-rate character and crafted him into one of the most tragic, sympathetic, and competent protagonists in the Marvel universe.

Deadpool a.k.a. Wade Wilson is a down on his luck mercenary. His life has been a series of misfortunes, the latest of which was a cure for his cancer which lead to his grotesque appearance. Enter Joe Kelly and Deadpool #1.

The thing about Kelly’s run is that it’s one HUGE story. So much so, that the 25th issue’s outcome was directly affected by events that took place in the very first issue. In other words, the first two years were thoroughly thought out, and it shows.

The reason why Kelly’s run was so good was that he understood the character of Wade Wilson. He wasn’t just a crazy character who couldn’t stop chattering even on the verge of death; he acted that way because it was his only method of coping with the tragedies of his life without completely losing his mind. That is, he acted insane so he wouldn’t become insane.

Joe Kelly also understood that Wade’s dialogue was genuinely funny, a fact that made this book the most hilarious Marvel book I’ve ever read. Ironically, it was a very dark book as well. Wade is not a superhero. He’s not even a good person. He keeps an old lady as a prisoner. When she’s “bad,” he locks her up in his very own torture room. And yet, in the first issue, we’re given a peek at a different side of the character.

And that’s how the story starts: Does a selfish piece of scum like Deadpool have a shot at redemption? If so, how? More importantly, does he even deserve it? The answer is not what you’re expecting, I guarantee it.

The art: This book was blessed with good artists. Whether it was the first penciler, McGuiness, or McDaniel, the second, or even fill-in artist Pete Woods, the book always looked great. The art was funny and comical when it had to be, but also very dark when needed. The artists also depicted Deadpool the way he should be depicted; not just ugly, but downright repulsive! I cringed every time I saw Wade without his mask when drawn by McGuiness.

To conclude, Deadpool has NEVER been written this good. A lot of writers tackled the book after Kelly, each taking a different direction (a valid approach considering they couldn’t surpass Kelly’s take), but none really understood the “character behind the jokes.”

The first four issues are collected in trade format, and I’m sure the rest can be purchased for a very small amount of money. I guess it goes without saying that I give this my highest recommendation.

Note: Kelly wrote the book for about seven issues after issue 25, but they were very different and weren’t as good as the first two years. The reason for this wasn’t that Kelly had lost his niche, but because the book had been repeatedly slated for cancellation during that period which forced Kelly to heavily revise his scripts numerous times.

**Singles** · 03-20-2005, 12:56 AM

I've never been able to get a hold of all of this, though I have a few issues of it. They might have actually been the issues after 25, now that I think of it. Gail Simone wrote a pretty fine story arc to give the series an appropriate end. I recommend you check that out if you haven't already. Agent X was pretty good, too, though not as much as her Deadpool.

Good review, by the way.

**Crimson Spider** · 03-20-2005, 01:10 PM

I agree, Simone's run was fun. I'll have to re-read it, though, 'cause I really don't remember much more than it being good but not as deep (or as funny) as Kelly's run.

The reason I decided to write this review is that I've been re-reading Kelly's run lately and wondering if it was as good as I remembered it. And it is. But considering its struggle with sales, I'm sure many people missed it.

**Vargas Prime** · 03-21-2005, 12:25 PM

Wow... I agree totally. Didn't expect to see someone post a review of this book, let alone Joe Kelly's run over Gail Simone's.

I like Simone, and I think she handled Deadpool (and the subsequent, but equally ill-fated Agent X) quite well.

But it's always been about Kelly's stretch on the book. I really loved these issues. The Typhoid Mary storyline was probably my favorite of the bunch, just because it epitomized the extremes in darkness and comedy that the book could reach.

You're spot-on about the humor, too. Kelly wrote Deadpool as genuinely funny. It didn't come off as forced, like a lot of writers do when creating dialogue for characters like DP or Spiderman.

**DrVictorVonDoom** · 04-03-2005, 11:45 AM

The time-travelling issue of this run is still one of the funniest comics I've ever read. Kelly's run was excellent; definitely one of those runs that takes a character who was initially uninteresting and comes up with something brilliant.