Comedy trumps action in ‘Deadpool vs Thanos’

The unlikely pairing that comic fans have been waiting for since the new series was announced in April finally came together in the fantastic new comic series “Deadpool vs. Thanos.” Although the first volume left a bit to be desired, the second volume was wonderful, as it was both action-packed and hilarious in the usual dark Deadpool fashion.Although “Deadpool vs. Thanos” Vol. 1 was enjoyable in its own right, it was marketed to be something it was not. Especially misleading was the cover, which made the comic look like it was going to be filled with action and humor. Pictured on the cover are Deadpool and Thanos, fighting it out; it appears that Thanos has the upper hand and Deadpool is fleeing, hilariously quipping, “It was a joke, Marvel! I was joking when I said I wanted to fight Thanos!” This cover made it seem like the comic was going to be an epic fight for the ages, with Thanos throwing many punches and Deadpool throwing back just as many clever witticisms, but what followed was hardly anything to get worked up about. By the end of the 22-page first volume, only three pages are actually spent on Deadpool and Thanos fighting. The premise of the comic is that someone has kidnapped Death, the ex-lover of both Deadpool and Thanos. With her gone, no living creatures can die. Thanos and Deadpool agree to work together to save the woman they used to love and bring back Death.The comic was definitely funny, as all Deadpool comics are apt to be, but it was paced very strangely and had minimal action. There was far too much set up and too little action.The second volume of the series, however, balanced humor and action a lot better now that the setup was established.The comedic timing of Deadpool’s clever lines was much more satisfying than it was in the first volume, and there was minimal unnecessary exposition.

While “Deadpool vs. Thanos” Vol. 2 is just as funny, if not more so than the first volume, this comic brings up some interesting and serious topics as well. The comic portrays what a world without death would be like; it is a terrifying sight that plays on the imagination of the reader. With the idea of death out of the way for the time being, the two characters have the time to contemplate each other’s lives. For example, Thanos examines Deadpool’s self-hate and desire to die. It is a poignant moment that was rather unexpected in a Deadpool comic.An encounter with death-seeking necromancers and the Guardians of the Galaxy on an alien planet made the comic especially entertaining and action-packed.One problem with both Vols. 1 and 2 was that Thanos did not come across as the terrifying villain he usually is. The art of the comic makes him appear smaller and less menacing, especially in Vol. 2, in which he wears a non-frightening looking spacesuit because of the alien planet setting. Not only does the art make Thanos less frightening, but the story itself also makes him less intimidating. Overall the comic was more hilarious than serious, which makes sense as Deadpool is not one to be cowed or intimidated by even a being so powerful as Thanos. He clearly shows that he is either unafraid or stupid by calling Thanos nicknames such as “chin riblets” and “thousand pound bag of lumpy grape yogurt.” Also hilarious was Deadpool’s quip on the state of a world in which no one dies: “Come on, someone has to die for real. I mean, what is this, a Marvel comic?” The tradition of having Deadpool demolish the fourth wall is a favorite among fans, and was happily carried on in this comic. Deadpool, as always, is still a great main character, and if anything, the comic will, in its expansion on getting to know this “Merc With a Mouth” at least increase people’s anticipation to see the Deadpool movie that is coming out next year.