Deadpool #44

Deadpool only has one more month to live, and from the look of things, he is definitely not using the time he has left to it’s full potential. He has fought mercenaries in the Middle East, chewed off his own arm, left his wife and daughter half a world away while he spends his time with Paste Pot Pete and Omega Red. I don’t think he realizes how close his impending demise is, (or maybe he has finally fully broken the fourth wall, has become aware he is a comic book character and understands that death in comics is entirely temporary) and I also I am not the least bit certain how he will meet his demise. One thing is for certain; there will be blood- blood and chimichangas.

This issue ends the arc where Deadpool faced the Roxxon Corporate mercenaries (who I have seen in Spider-Man AND Thor, so I wonder if Roxxon is going to become the new Oscorp?) and put the boots to Omega Red. In this issue, Deadpool has left Paste Pot Pete (or as you may call him “Trapster”. But where’s the fun in that?) to pursue other ventures while he ties up the last loose end he discovered- a cavernous tomb filled with the same weird, smoke-filled coffins that Wade’s wife Shiklah (queen of the Monster Underworld, and one super bad demon lady) was in when they met. So obviously this is great news for the world at large (sarcasm) and there is NOTHING suspicious or underhanded or malevolently evil going on here (SUPER SARCASM!).

Deadpool convinces Shiklah to have freaky-naughty time in the giant creepy mausoleum, which is pretty much 100% in character for him, and doesn’t seem far off base for Shiklah- and then he is on his way back to America, where we find out that the Flag Smasher (the NEW one, because what nameless drone, lackey or goon doesn’t just DREAM of one day taking up the mantle of “Flag Smasher”??? I mean, I assumed literally not one person on earth, but apparently I was wrong) has surrounded Agent Preston’s house with her and her family inside, along with Deadpool’s daughter.

It seems like this could end very badly, but I’m pretty sure that Preston is still a sentient cyborg woman who can seriously drop the hammer on the Flag Smasher cronies, so im not too worried. But with Roxxon after Deadpool as he lands in America, and knowing all about the CEO of Roxxon from the All-New Thor series (and how he’s like, a were-centaur. Which is amazing sounding, but also terrifying) I wonder if THIS is who will be the one to eliminate Deadpool; or could it be Flag Smasher who takes out all of the people closest to him? And what about the kid who became Apocalypse in Axis, who is living in Deadpool’s house with that tweaker-wizard dude and the ghost of Benjamin Franklin? That is a great big mess waiting to happen, too.

There is a awful lot going on with this book, so its very fortunate that the next (and final) issue is a great big extra-sized finale, so we can squeeze the most story into the last chapter of Deadpool’s story (for now, anyway. I am almost certain he wont be gone for long… see Deadpool: Super Secret Secret War that comes out soon). I wonder how much of this crazy story will remain once the events of Secret Wars plays out, and personally, I wonder what, if any, meaningful part Deadpool will play; I mean, sure he is a fun, goofy character- and was even an official-unofficial Avenger for all of 5 minutes, but what can he really do in a huge event like Secret Wars? I guess I will have to read and find out.

This book has been amazing to read, it is almost hard to believe, for all fourty-four issues, plus the annuals and bi-annual. Deadpool has become something else entirely in this series, I feel like he has really grown in a very mature, unique way that the comic hasn’t explored before; and I like it. This book is definitely not for everyone; it’s just for people who like fun, gross humor and sweet 90’s comic-styled action, and tons of wonderful deep-cut references. This book has been a weird, wild ride, and I am glad I got to be on it.

I will definitely be back for more in the future, whatever that ends up being.