Spider-Man/Deadpool Vol. 2: Side Pieces

by Scott Aukerman, Gerry Duggan, and Penn Jillette

[Quirky Cat]

Unlike volume one, volume two is all filler issues, with many different guest artists/writers. So as far as continuity goes, there isn’t much of that here. It is still fun and funny – I love the Spider-Man/Deadpool dynamic, but it lacks an overarching plot. As well as having a bunch of filler issues, this volume also includes number one in Monsters Unleashed for Spider-Man/Deadpool.



I’ll review them on an issue to issue basis in this case, since none of them are actually connected to each other. The first issue (in the volume) is a wonderful mess of fourth wall breaking on top of fourth wall breaking. Deadpool has found out that there’s going to be a movie made after him! Being very concerned for how it turns out, he of course makes Spider-Man come along to supervise (since he’s been in so many movies, after all). There’s plenty of quips and cracks about the Deadpool movie here, as well as some lighthearted jokes towards Ryan Reynolds.
The next issue is a “lost issue”, meaning they’re basically pretending it’s a very old issue that they just rediscovered. I’ll be honest here, the art style for this one kinda turned me off to it (I know, I know, it’s based off the classic comic art). I felt like this one sort of dragged on a bit, and caught myself losing interest a couple of times.
Issue three (again, in the book) is legit written by Penn, from Penn and Teller. This is actually pretty hilarious. Penn wrote himself and Teller into the comic, having them both break the fourth wall alongside Deadpool. A lost bet on Deadpool’s side leads to adventure and mayhem for all involved. This is probably one of my favorite issues from this volume – the cameos and humor were spot on.
The fourth issue was a Christmas story – it actually made me almost sad this wasn’t released next month instead (for some Christmas in July jokes). Spider-Man and Deadpool learn the “true” meaning of Christmas; drinking, partying, and gambling. But it was all done to save the world and bring a few people back from the dead, so that kept them on the nice list? Maybe? Bonus: Captain America droning on and on to poor Miles Morales about a vacuum. You can’t beat that.
And finally there’s the Monsters Unleashed plot; Deadpool gets himself kidnapped by a coven of witches, hoping to summon his ‘lifemate’ Shiklah so they could place their deceased Headmistress’ spirit in her body (pretty convoluted plot if you ask me, but hey, they’re a bunch of teenage witches). Turns out that Spider-Man got summoned instead. Feel free to interpret that how you will, Deadpool certainly did. The whole adventure gets derailed when a monster falls out of the sky, forcing the duo to resolve that instead. This issue probably had the most substantial plot to it, as it intertwines with the M.U. plotline.


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