Deadpool VS Carnage: Review

SPOILERS INSIDE

SPOILERS INSIDE

SPOILERS INSIDE

I warned you...

Oh, hi... I just got the fourth and final issue of Deadpool VS Carnage. Although I always considered Carnage a douchebag (mainly because he got his ass handed to him by Batman) and because the first impression he makes is that of a red and skinny Venom. But I prepared well for this review. I went over many Kasady-Carnage storylines and I wasn't lured by one of my favourite Marvel characters, Ben Reilly, hosting the Carnage symbiote. No Spider-Carnage for me this time. I also read Wade Wilson's War for the first time a few hours ago, and I have to say it was quite bad, but at least I got a taste of Deadpool and I'm all ready for the crossover now.
Since it's the first time I try to review something that just came out, I'll be doing it kinda "live". I will be taking notes (yes, "will", because I haven't started reading it yet) page after page and then I'm going to finish this review. I hope this doesn't ruin the comics for me, but then again, who cares? It's just skinny-red-Venom against I-got-beat-up-by-Wolverine-in-the-movie-with-the-worst-CGI-ever, right?

Okay, first of all, even the introduction page about Carnage was bo-o-o-ring. If I didn't know better, I would already consider him dead before issue #4. The issue (and the whole arc) is obviously written in Deadpool style, as are 95% of Deadpool crossovers. From the first pages, the writer makes clear Deadpool is way more psychotic than Carnage, having him talk to the TV, and it's obviously who will win in the end, as in 99% of Deadpool crossovers.

And when I catch him? SMACK!

As the story proceeds, we see what Carnage is currently on and Deadpool's unorthodox plan to find Carnage's whereabouts. Not surprisingly, the plan works and Deadpool just slaps Carnage's sorry ass until some help arrives on the scene.

Approved by the Comics Code Authority... NOT!

The second issue seemed kind of boring to me. The fight between Deadpool and Carnage, aided by Shriek, continued, and although it offered a good music piracy joke (did I mention I used a pirate download for the images?) it was just the start of the second issue, so we knew it would come to almost nothing. Deadpool also says some not CCA Approved stuff about kissing cousins. After the battle, he searches for some new clothes but blah blah blah and then he meets a boring dude, they talk for some boring pages blah blah.

And then something not so boring happens on the last pages...

And then this happens. I loved the last pages. A fight right in the middle of the highway and a dispute over whether it is "Carnage vs Deadpool" or "Deadpool vs Carnage". Also, I didn't notice in issue #1 that Cletus sports a mullet, but driving a muscle convertible makes it more obvious. As for the speakers on Deadpools belt, plot-hole seekers will be disappointed as Deadpool wears them from the last pages of issue #1.

I also adored those faces. Kudos to mister Salva Espin.

Issue #3 takes the highway fight on the next level, and it does the same with Deadpool's insanity. The Carnage part is, at last, scary, and there's a neck-stretch by Carnage which reminded me of why I didn't read Fantastic 4 when I was a kid. Neck-stretch is fucking disgusting. Deadpool's twisted mind tells him to go after "Mercury Team", a term that not many readers might be familiar with. Anyway, it is a team of 4 people and a dog that control symbiotes the same way Flash Thompson controls Venom. Deadpool follows the tracks of Carnage as he murders all members of Mercury Team but the dog, with a very nice visual of Deadpool's thoughts as he reads the clues Carnage has left behind. This style could come in handy for a Punisher/Batman/Moon Knight/Daredevil/etc creative team. And on the last page, after Carnage attacks Deadpool and leaves him for dead... almost what everybody was expecting.

Some fans might be disappointed that Carnage didn't possess Deadpool, but merging with four other symbiotes will make up for it.

Issue #4 does what every Deadpool crossover last issue does. It just proves why Deadpool can't lose. Only this time it's serious, like the '90s Deadpool and maybe even more. At least now this might be explained by the four symbiotes possessing him, although he seems in better control of them than the Mercury Team and Flash Thompson. Perhaps they plan on using Deadpool's ability on controlling the symbiotes in the future? Maybe a Deadpool/Venom crossover? Or maybe it was explained in the Thunderbolts, I haven't checked what's going on there since Deadpool joined alongside Venom.

Draw me like one of your french girls...

I really don't get why Deadpool plays all those mind tricks on Carnage this time. He had Carnage beaten on the first issue before Shriek came to his aid and now Shriek is out of the game and Deadpool is reinforced by four symbiotes. Unless the writer wants us to believe Deadpool's plan was not to just beat Carnage, but to have him lock himself in a psychiatric clinic again (only to become "his own man" and perhaps even stronger as it is implied at the end). Then Deadpool is suddenly free of the symbiotes, which is kind of worrying, because it might mean they were so weakened after Hybrid's split that they can't even force themselves onto a man. Then again, it's Deadpool, you can never know what's canon and what's non-canon. Or more like, what's exactly like Earth-616 and what's way off.

Concluding, it was quite fun to read this story, but not as much as I expected. It could be more interesting, but at least it was only 4 parts. As for the plot-holes, there's only one word to explain them: Deadpool.

THE END...WHO'S NEXT?

bye