The Good
Over in the primary DEADPOOL series, co-writers Gerry Duggan and Brian Posehn are doing an awesome job balancing Deadpool's humor with a more serious plot and direction, but this Infinite Comic gives them the chance to go all out and hit us with a crazy amount of funny. There's so many moments here that made me laugh out loud and, believe it or not, they make good use of the often overused "that's what she said." The humor is by no means restricted to pop culture references, either. There's a a glorious amount of randomness thrown in here. I'd take a second to praise a few specific things, but that would just ruin how out there some of the scenes really are. Despite being one joke after another, the two writers are still able to move the plot forward and they offer a legitimately thrilling cliffhanger. A character who's criminally underused pops up and my love for this series has shot through the roof. This has the potential to be a complete blast.
I've been a fan of Reilly Brown's work since CABLE & DEADPOOL and it's great to see he maintains the level of quality that book offered. It's a style that manages to blend realism and animated very well, so that of course makes it a great fit for Wade Wilson and all of the craziness in this issue. Along with Jim Charalampidis' coloring, the artwork really delivers on the big laughs and there's one or two enjoyable uses of the Infinite format. There's some panels in here that'll definitely linger in your mind.
The Bad
The last issue showed how the Infinite format can make action scenes a blast and it unfortunately isn't used as creatively during the fight and the chase scene. Both bits are still totally entertaining, but it feels like a missed opportunity as well because the format could have given those moments so much energy.
The Verdict
The best way to describe this third chapter is "pure fun." Duggan and Posehn turn up the randomness and there's plenty of panels and lines that are sure to make you crack up. From the character descriptions in the bios to a hilariously ridiculous chase scene, there's just so much to love. To top it off, the ending is sure to build your hype, too. DEADPOOL: THE GAUNTLET #3, you're an absurdly funny issue.