A Very Friendly Start
The very first thing I think of in relation to this issue is the fight between Deadpool and Kane. (Normally you get guys fighting and it's over a very stupid thing. The motivation behind the fight is hokey and unbelievable. The fight ends and nothing is really accomplished.) Here, the two fight over something just as stupid, but this isn't the only motivation behind the fight. They have enough of a history that the reader can look past the stated trivial reason for the fight and get into it due to the conversation they have about their history. The genius of Nicieza here is that the fight and the motivations aren't forced. These guys effing hate each other and, despite the comical ending to the fight, they don't let the miscommunication ruin that hatred. It is completely believable--or as believable as a man with mechanical arms fighting a guy who won't stop cracking wise in a fight.
As to the whole issue, Nicieza does a great job writing Deadpool. It definitely has that 90's snarkiness that Nicieza was so proficient at, but it doesn't come across as annoying (unlike the New Warriors; I hated those guys!). The story is intriguing and it ties up some of the loose ends from the X-Force issues, yet you needn't have read those issues to follow the story here. Nicieza has the characters do quick synopses of the different story-lines bleeding into this series without sounding like they are catching the reader up; it's not a labored endeavor.
The art is great. It has this smattering of exaggeration that works perfectly with a Deadpool story (kind of like a MacFarlane approach). This makes some of the characters look a little odd (looking at you, Kane) but it doesn't distract too much from the story.
Overall, this issue is an enjoyable read that doesn't drag in trying to catch new readers up despite the many stories tied to the narrative. Deadpool fans should own this and fans of fun books should at least read it.
