The Good
The "lost" issues of Gerry Duggan and Brian Posehn's volume are always pure comedy, but there's simply no preparing anyone for this issue. Deadpool aims to solve a cosmic puzzle, and just like a puzzle, this story is completely all over the place. Not only is it absolutely hysterical, but it's also one of the most random, far-fetched and crazy things you'll read from Marvel (yes, that includes the time Aunt May was a herald of Galactus). The two writers take plenty of jabs at the industry as a whole (be it a character or an entire decade..) and I honestly can't even remember the amount of times I had to stop reading just so I could laugh like a fool for a couple of seconds. There's just no rhyme or reason here -- it's all over the place and it's fantastic.
Scott Koblish and Val Staples do an excellent job making this issue feel like it's literally a few decades old. From pages which look aged to matching the artistic vibe of the era (and a special cameo from another era in the end...), it's a totally immersive experience and adds to the completely absurd course of events. Aside from one page being way too crowded and hurting my eyes (the initial fight), the art really is impressive. Some of the facial expressions are absolutely priceless. I can't stop laughing at the Watcher in one scene.
The Bad
There's a lot of big laughs here, but something with this much craziness can't deliver with every single joke and sometimes it feels like a bit much. I really did have a blast reading this, but there were a couple of scenes which fell flat for me and overall, it might be a bit too out there for some of you.
The Verdict
Duggan and Posehn just wrapped up a seriously emotional story for Deadpool (The Good, The Bad and the Ugly), so it's nice to have a little dose of craziness and absurdity -- okay, a big dose -- before we catch up with the slightly bleaker take on the character. That said, it is great to see there's a bit of follow-up to current Deadpool in both the intro page and the letters section.
The Good, The Bad and the Ugly was easily one of Deadpool's most gripping stories. This one? It's without question one of the weirdest, and if you're into totally random humor, odds are you'll have a blast.