Making some new friends.
The first issue of Deadpool vs. Thanos devoted itself (perhaps overly much) to laying the groundwork for Deadpool and Thanos’ reluctant team-up. Now that the setup is out of the way, the series can focus on what happens when the Merc With a Mouth and the Mad Titan join forces for a common cause. That pairing remains a big appeal, even if the plot still seems reluctant to push forward.
Issue #2 sees the two characters travel the cosmos to solve the mystery of Death’s imprisonment and the resulting chaos her absence has caused across the universe. As with issue #1, writer Tim Seeley toes a delicate line with his script. It’s a somewhat more serious than your standard Deadpool mini-series, but practically lighthearted and whimsical compared to most books Thanos is involved with. Seeley uses both characters and their history to his advantage as he celebrates this unlikely team-up. Their interaction does veer into pretty dark territory at times, particularly in Thanos’ analysis of Wade as a self-hating loner who craves an end to his existence.
This issue also benefits from the introduction of a new group of death-obsessed cultists who, naturally, also worship the ground on which Thanos walks. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for the Guardians of the Galaxy, whose presence seems to serve no purpose other than allowing for a quick, pointless action scene. The issue takes a couple more weird turns from there, including drawing in an old face from Deadpool’s past that seems pretty out of place in the context of the story.
The art is also a little more rough around the edges in this chapter. Elmo Bondoc’s style suits the “not quite a comedy, not a full drama” tone of the story, but his action scenes are often too cluttered and cramped to generate a good flow. This issue also suffers from the seemingly innocuous decision to confine Thanos in a spacesuit. Ignoring the fact that there’s no logical reason he’d need to wear one in the first place (a fact that cover even alludes to), this wardrobe choice has the effect of diminishing Thanos’ considerable presence. He comes across as squat and dumpy rather than massive and threatening, and that’s just not Thanos.
Deadpool and Thanos isn’t just a fun comic, it also has a decent helping of drama to back up the fun of seeing these two bitter rivals sharing the page again. However, the book doesn’t completely shift into gear in this second issue thanks to a pointless Guardians appearance and a weird plot shift in the final pages.
