SPIDER-MAN VS DEADPOOL SPIDER-MAN/DEADPOOL NO. 26

Take two of the mouthiest, wittiest, smart-assed characters Marvel has to offer, and turn them into geriatrics, not only sharing the same retirement home, but living in rooms next to each other. If you’re expecting old man antics, humorous dialogue, and jokes about little blue pills, then you won’t be disappointed.

Really, there is no disappointment in this issue. Writer Robbie Thompson seems to know what it’s like to be an old, washed-up hero, because he definitely writes from that perspective well. Scott Hepburn and Ian Herring (the artist and color artist, respectively), do a wonderful job of bringing the two old coots to visual life. Deadpool, who looks like a walking piece of skinny, overcooked beef jerky with a beard and mustache, and Spidey, who looks like the living iteration of Jeff Dunham’s “Walter” character in a wheelchair, deliver as only they can.

There have been some strange things going on at the retirement home, and someone is out pretending to be The Merc with the Mouth. This displeases the real Deadpool, who still has the fire of adventure burning in him. He’s trying to rekindle that spark in his forever BFF, Peter Parker, who wants to leave the crime-fighting to the younger, more capable heroes. He’s perfectly content collecting and taking pictures of leaves. This doesn’t sit to well with Mr. Wilson, so he gets up to some old Deadpool shenanigans.

This is the beginning of what seems to be a good-time read. It’d be a true shame if you had these two old codgers together and they didn’t give you at least three good chuckles per issue. While not the most serious of titles out there, the story so far is well done. If the art and writing keep up at this pace, it should make for a fan favorite in no time.

Can Deadpool use his nearly toothless jaw to convince Spidey to don the webs once again? Can a wheelchair stick to a wall? How does Deadpool pull so many GILFs in the retirement home? All of those questions will be answered, but you’ll probably come out of this issue asking more than you went in with.

Solid storytelling and an old school flair on the artwork make this one worth picking up.
 

B+