I picked up Deadpool Classic off of Overstock for 18 bucks, and all things considering, its a real steal. Not only does it include two full Deadpool mini-series, but also his first appearance in New Mutants as well as the first issue of his first ongoing series. And just look at the creative teams - Fabian Nicieza, Mark Waid, Joe Kelly, Joe Madureira, Ian Churchill, Ed McGuinness and (sigh), yes, Rob Liefeld.

Deadpool’s first appearance is actually pretty underwhelming. Its Rob Liefeld, so a lot of characters look the same. Deadpool shows up, talks a lot, and is unceremoniously defeated by the New Mutants. The Circle Chase mini-series is slightly better, but still rooted in way too much post-Weapon X continuity with far too little explanation. The second half of the book is where the Merc with the Mout shines. The second mini-series. written by Waid, introduces Deadpool to Siryn and pits them against Black Tom and Juggernaut. And the first issue of the series, by Kelly and McGuinnes, is just downright hysterical, kicking off Deadpool’s long-running habit of fourth-wall smashing with a bang.

I’ve heard lot of good things about Astonishing X-Men #25, as Warren Ellis and Simone Bianchi take over the title Joss Whedon and John Cassaday made into best-sellers. No clue what this new team will involve, but it certainly promises to be interesting either way!

Avengers/Invaders #3 pits Namor against Namor - Prince of Atlantis vs. King of Atlantis. Since Namor is the one Illuminati underused in this whole Secret Invasion affair, this should be pretty interesting to see.

Dark Tower: The Long Road Home comes to a close in issue #5 as the Crimson King offers Roland the young Gunslinger a deal and a choice to make. I really liked the first Dark Tower mini-series, so I’d definitely recommending picking this up if you’ve been following it - otherwise wait for the trade and the upcoming adapatation of The Stand.

More Secret Invasion messes occur in Incredible Hercules #117, as Herc goes toe-to-toe with the Skrull Pantheon by way of his newly-formed God Squad. This is such a cool idea - its too bad Marvel let the cat - and gods - of the bag months ago that this was going to be happening. So much of Secret Invasion seemed plotted out by solitications and spoilers, I’d really liked to have been surprised by the God Squad.

Patsy Walker: Hellcat looks interesting. The character has one of the most convoluted histories of all time, thanks in no small part to her marriage with the Son of Satan, but this series finds Patsy as the sole Intiative custodian of Alaska. It should make for an interesting reaction from the former Avenger.

Secret Invasion Frontline #1 sounds intriguing, if only because it seeks to present a Spielberg-esque War of the Worlds style view of the Skrull Invasion from the ground-up. Plus, newcomer Brian Reed’s done pretty good in my book, so I’d recommend checking this title out.

Howard Chaykin’s Squadron Surpreme Volume 2 Issue #1 is noteworthy for the inclusion of Ultimate Nick Fury, who was abandoned by his colleagues way back in Ultimate Power after they learned of his shady dealings. Now he’s in the Squadron Surpreme’s universe. While I really want to see Nick Fury back in the Ultimate line, this seems to be a pretty interesting story - so long as it doesn’t carry on for too long.

Batman RIP reaches a peak in #678, as a deranged Bruce Wayne wanders the streets homeless and confused. Like Iron Man, it seems Bruce Waye will be rebuilding his superhero identity from scratch. With no Bat-computer, no Bat-mobile and not a single luxary, it should be interesting to see what lies at the core of one of DC’s most beloved heroes.

Fan-favorite Will Pfeifer is taking over a guest spot in Blue Beetle, and as always, monsters have followed him home. There’s not much else to say, but Pfeifer has been spot-on with Catwoman as of late, so give this guest spot a chance.

Manhunter #32 looks incredible. Not only does it involve the Director Bones - who I haven’t seen since Infinite Crisis - but it also centers around mysteries at the border of United States and Mexico. The cover - which shows Manhunter facing both Bones and immigration protestors - is enough to spark my interest.

The War That Time Forgot #3 just looks bloody brillant, as war heroes from across the DC Universe are suddenly sucked into a battle against dinosaurs. It’s the simple joys of life, after all, which make it so worth the while.

In closing, I’d like to express how shocked I was to hear about Michael Turner’s passing. He was not just a guilding light but also a flashpoint of the industry, and his work practically speaks for itself. He will definitely be missed.

If you liked that, try...

1. Comic Rundown: Not So Brand New
2. Comic Rundown: Nova Still Rocks and Captain Marvel’s a Skrull
3. Comic Rundown: Skrulls Down Right
4. Comic Book Rundown . . . And Backtrack
5. Comic Rundown: Conquest Scores a C

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