Despicable Deadpool hits the 300 issues milestone in a giant-sized sendoff from writer Gerry Duggan. Our beloved scumbag, Wade Wilson, is trying to wash the taste of Secret Empire out of his mouth once and for all.
***SPOILERS LIE AHEAD***
Love it or hate it, Secret Empire was a big deal. A handful of titles have been addressing the aftermath ever since, Despicable Deadpool especially. Wade Wilson’s actions during the event have dictated much of the action in this transitional period known as Marvel Legacy.
With Gerry Duggan’s final issue, he wipes the slate clean. The slate being Deadpool’s mind and all the painful memories of his past. It’s been great to see ongoing fallout and consequences following a character’s actions during a major event. Wade’s murder of Agent Coulson wasn’t something to just get brushed under the carpet.
Despicable Deadpool #300 is a gigantic shit show in the best possible way. While there isn’t much of the promised “Marvel Universe Kills Deadpool,” there is a star-studded issue full of delightful nastiness. We get to see plenty of familiar faces from our beloved 616, but rather than the usual action it’s a tour through puke-town.
Wade gets a cosmic super power that turns him into a biochemical weapon, forcing every hero he comes across to violently blow chunks. This portion of the book is when the artwork is significantly weaker, but it’s fun all the same.
As self-aware as Deadpool himself, Duggan successfully pulls of a “hacky” insertion of himself. Gerry has done wonderful things for Wade over the years, his tenure will be remembered in a positive light. He kept it together, contributing great comics, during a time where Deadpool was being dangerously over-saturated and forced into every other Marvel book.
Deadpool taking a murder-stroll through his memories is a fun and gruesome sequence. Even with some predictable ways of getting there, the clean sweep initiative is effective and entertaining. This is less a milestone issue and more of a bridge between two series, but it justifies it’s cover price regardless.
Gerry Duggan is an absolute master of juggling and shifting between emotional beats. There’s plenty of laughs, action, and tons of heart. Duggan made it important to keep Wade’s heart intact without losing his edge and unpredictability.
Despicable Deadpool #300 checks all the boxes, delivers some surprises, and is the perfect punctuation for the end of Duggan’s fantastic run with the character. Now that’s all behind us and Deadpool will be getting his own “fresh start.”
