REVIEW: Deadpool: Wade Wilson’s War By Duane Swierczynski

Insider, Reviews

Deadpool: Wade Wilson’s War is a tough nut to crack. As with any Deadpool offering these days, it’s weird and humorous, with good action and some gratuitous fourth-wall breaking thrown in for good measure. It can be an enjoyable read, fun and energetic and entertaining, but getting all that out of it is dependent on getting past a couple of factors.

First, you have to understand that that this story takes place in an alternate universe; in this world, Deadpool, Silver Sable, Domino and Bullseye were all part of the Weapon X program, deployed on covert operations across the globe – as covert as any operations involving Deadpool can ever be, at least. Somehow, it all leads up to a massive massacre in Mexico, and the story revolves around Deadpool, dressed up in military garb save for his trademark mask, retelling the story and exposing the conspiracy behind it all. Backstabbing, black bag stuff, a Micheal Jackson cameo – sort of – and around issue #3 it gets really weird.


There’s no weight on mainstream Marvel here, nothing of any real significance. It’s just a lot of blood and bullet and breasts, tied together with an espionage story. If you can deal with the filler, fine, if not, then you’re not going to walk away from this story satisfied.

Even if you are okay with that, you might walk away from the story confused, which brings me to the second factor. Once you get past the radical history changes, this is still an odd story to get a hold of; it bounces back between the far past, the nearer past, and the present constantly, and it can be disconcerting; more than once I had to go back over an issue just to make sure I got the gist. Deadpool’s nuttier than usual in this incarnation, and we spend quite a bit of time in his head, with his wildly unreliable view on the world. As such, it makes the story weave at parts, zig-zaging between what we know is happening and what might just be the delusions of madman.

Both factors make this a head-scratcher, and if I knew all of this going in, I might not have even given it a chance. But I didn’t, and I’m glad – I enjoyed this. Despite its triviality and its stubborn refusal to just make sense, it’s funny. Damn funny.

The comic does an excellent job of capturing just what makes Deadpool such an entertaining character to read; it’s pure Deadpool, unpredictable and crazy, even as things become serious. Every page brings some new surprise, and it’s that pull that keeps you moving forward to the end. With just about any other character, this comic would be a bore. Deadpool makes it happen.

The others? Silver Sable spends most of her time smiling and killing, and part of my disappointment probably comes from not having seen her in a comic since God-knows-when. Domino spends a lot of the time as Deadpool’s straight man, but does get a few nice moments when things finally start to come together in the final issue. Bullseye is just there; doesn’t say much, doesn’t do much, just makes a few kills with this slasher grin on his face the whole time. Most of the focus stands with Deadpool at the Senate hearing, bouncing jokes off a Senator who looks remotely reminiscent of Ronald Reagan, which is amusing enough to not get tiresome before it all ends.

Don’t take it seriously, forget about the mainstream universe, open your mind to just having a good time, and you will have some good chuckles with this. It’s four issues of Deadpool screwing around with your head. If that sounds like a good deal,Wade Wilson’s War is made for you.